KUVO JAZZ Interview with Denver Clerk and Recorder Paul Lopez

Denver Clerk and Recorder Paul Lopez joined Tree King on Mid-morning Jazz to talk about the 2024 Election process and significance of this historic moment, and how we can be a part of history. The interview video is included below.

Suggested Interview Points

• What sparked his interest in pursuing this role, especially as a Mexican-American growing up in Denver
• The importance of this election, especially for people of color
• Discuss last-minute voting (Same-day registration, ballot drop-off options, etc)
• What the ballot counting process could look like, with such high stakes in this election
• What to expect

Biography Highlights

• Denver native
• Graduate of West High School
• First Mexican-American to be elected to Clerk and Recorder in Denver
• Before this role, he served two terms as Denver City Councilman representing the west side of Denver and his home district

A native of Denver, Paul D. López is a proud graduate of West High School and credits growing up in the Westside and the Denver Public Schools for shaping him into a fighter for the underdog.

Paul D. López is the third elected Clerk and Recorder in the City of Denver and became the first Mexican-American to be elected to this position in 2019.

In his role, Clerk López is Denver’s chief elections official, overseeing the administration of elections, city clerk, public trustee, and recording operations.

Since his time as Clerk and Recorder, Clerk López has made elections safer and more accessible by expanding the number of 24-hour drop boxes and the number of voter service and polling centers and creating a first-ever civic engagement program to create a culture of civic participation.

Under the leadership of Clerk López, the Elections Division also created more transparency and accountability to the public by providing a 24-hour live feed of the ballots being processed during the 2020 elections.

Clerk López led the Elections Division to successfully run major elections, two of which were during the global health pandemic.  Turnout hit its second-highest point with a majority of ballots cast in drop boxes or by mail.

Due to the global health pandemic, the services provided by the Office of the Clerk and Recorder were forced to change, but the services did not stop.  A new remote services model was implemented in only four days and the model became so successful it is now state law.  He led the office to process hundreds of marriage license applications via mail and a new dedicated drop box. Records are digitized and available to the public. The Public Trustee also saw an increase of 62 percent in the volume of Release of Deeds of Trust and the Office generated $2.3 million in 2020, 26% more revenue than in 2019.

In his prior role, Clerk López served as the youngest elected City Council member representing his home district in Denver’s west side and was re-elected for his second and third terms unopposed. Despite the challenges of being elected during the great recession, his passionate leadership has spurred civic engagement and led efforts to build healthier communities, and access to new health clinics, parks, libraries, and a new recreation center. He led efforts to increase policy accountability, protect Denver’s immigrant and refugee population, and strengthen public oversight in law enforcement. In his final term, he served as the highest-ranking member and president pro-tempore, West Denver’s historically overlooked neighborhoods saw the highest investment of public bond resources second only to downtown Denver.

Paul D. López is a proud graduate of Denver West High School and the University of Colorado at Denver.  Despite his addiction to hot sauce and old-school tunes, Paul is a proud papa and enjoys raising his teenage daughter, Nayeli a young leader in her own right.

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