Eighth Judicial District Attorney candidate Dawn Downs is excited to announce that after collecting more than double the number of state-required signatures, she will officially appear on the November ballot.
Dawn is a northern Colorado native and former Chief Deputy District Attorney for the Eighth Judicial District. She is also the first woman and first unaffiliated candidate to run for this office. In order to appear on the general election ballot in November, unaffiliated candidates must seek nomination by collecting at least 1,000 valid signatures from registered voters during a brief petition period established by the state.
During this time, Dawn and her supporters connected with community members and collected signatures throughout Larimer and Jackson counties. On July 8, 2024, Dawn submitted her completed petitions to the Colorado Secretary of State for processing. On July 18, 2024, the Secretary of State accepted 2,158 signatures, over double the required amount, officially adding her name on the November ballot.
“This milestone and overwhelming support means so much to me. I’ve talked to countless people with different perspectives, but one common thread was clear: we all want a community where we can feel safe, raise families, run businesses, and trust the integrity of our local justice leaders," Dawn said. "I’m running unaffiliated because safety and justice should not be based on political affiliation. I am prepared to represent the true interests and needs of our community as the next District Attorney.”
Dawn is an experienced public servant working in this community for nearly two decades. She began her legal career as a defense attorney in Fort Collins. This experience illuminated the impact that the justice system has on people’s lives, and it reinforced her commitment to treating everyone with the fairness, dignity, and respect they deserve.
Dawn subsequently served 14 years as a prosecutor in the Eighth Judicial District. Her litigation experience ranges from homicides, violent assaults, arson, and drug distribution to misdemeanors and traffic offenses. Dawn also worked in the Special Victims Unit, where she prosecuted felony sexual assault and crimes against children cases. Dawn ultimately rose to the role of Chief Deputy District Attorney, where she supervised the District Court Felony Division, including 17 attorneys and several administrative staff. Under Dawn's supervision, the division was responsible for prosecuting all general felony dockets in Larimer County, including homicides, Drug Task Force cases, major crimes, economic crimes, and organized crime cases.
Following her time at the District Attorney's Office, Dawn chose to broaden her service experience as the Managing Attorney of the Public Safety and Prosecution Section with the Fort Collins City Attorney’s Office, where she continues her commitment to public safety and seeking justice for victims.
“We’ve seen an alarming decline in offender accountability over the last four years. People do not feel safe. Victims wait for justice, but too often, it doesn’t come. Since the last election, the DA’s office has seen an unprecedented 97% turnover of attorneys, leading to instability, taxpayer costs, and serious gaps in our justice system,” Dawn said. “Our entire community is suffering from the current District Attorney’s inexperience and ineffective policies. It’s time for a change. I’m ready to bring safety, justice, and accountability back to our communities.”
Dawn’s local experience and community involvement have garnered bipartisan support for her campaign. Regional leaders past and present have endorsed her, including Larimer County Sheriff John Feyen; Jackson County Sheriff Jarrod Poley; former Sheriff Justin Smith; former District Attorneys Cliff Riedel, Larry Abrahamson, and Stu VanMeveren; Larimer County Treasurer and Public Trustee Irene Josey; all five Fraternal Order of Police organizations in Jackson and Larimer counties; the State Fraternal Order of Police; community members; victims and many others.
Learn more about Dawn's experience, values, and ways to support the campaign at www.DawnForDA.com.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DawnForDA
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawn_for_da
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawndowns24
Website: www.DawnForDA.com