Jeremy Stefanek ’94 never expected to win the Denver mayoral election in May. In fact, his name never made it on the official ballot. Something about a technicality and the required number certified signatures of registered voters. (He was 22 shy.) No matter. Stefanek considers his first venture into local politics a success and thinks his campaign just might have been the most influencial in the race. A former computer software executive, he became a local favorite among voters (and even his own opponents) because he ran “the cleanest, nicest campaign in the history of Denver city politics,” according to the Rocky Mountain News. Stefanek imposed his own version of campaign finance reform far below what is allowable in Colorado. He insisted his contributors put in no more than $50. He also wouldn’t accept corporate donations. He collected $5,000 in all, far below the million-dollar coffers of other candidates. “I have been so fed up with negativity and dirty campaign tactics in local politics that I wanted to prove to everyone that a positive campaign based on what a candidate does well could be accomplished,” Stafanek says. And that’s what he did. Opponent Penfield Tate, who got to know Stafanek through several debates, said he “brought an honesty and genuineness to the race that was very refreshing.” Other candidates followed suit and remained above the fray normally associated with contentious Denver politics. “I won. I did what I set out to do. This election was based on candidate’s accomplishments, not tearing the other guy down,” he says. Next up for Stefanek, the statehouse.