2023 Colorado Springs mayoral election
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| Turnout | 35.15%  (first round)37.41%  (runoff) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2023 Colorado Springs mayoral election was held on April 4, 2023, to elect the mayor of Colorado Springs, Colorado, with a runoff scheduled for May 16. Incumbent mayor John Suthers was term-limited and could not seek a third term in office. The election was officially nonpartisan.[1]
A wide field of candidates filed to run in the election, including several members of municipal government. Colorado Springs has long been a conservative bastion in the state of Colorado, and none of the candidates running to succeed Suthers identified as members of the Democratic Party. In the first round of voting, no candidate received a majority and the race was forced to a runoff election. Independent Nigerian immigrant and political newcomer Yemi Mobolade advanced to the runoff, along with Republican city councilor and former Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams.[2]
Mobolade defeated Williams in the runoff.[3] He became the first elected black mayor of Colorado Springs, as well as the first non-Republican elected[a] mayor in the city's history.[3][4]
Candidates
[edit]The following candidates qualified to appear on the ballot.[5] Glenn and Gonzalez were identified as the most conservative candidates in the race, with Strand and Williams being more moderate.[6]
Advanced to runoff
[edit]- Blessing "Yemi" Mobolade, restaurateur and former Colorado Springs Small Business Development administrator (Party affiliation: Independent)[7]
- Wayne Williams, at-large city councilor and former Colorado Secretary of State (Party affiliation: Republican)[8]
Eliminated in first round
[edit]- Sallie Clark, former Colorado director of USDA Rural Development, former El Paso County commissioner, former Colorado Springs city councilor, former president of the National Association of Counties, and candidate for mayor in 1999 and 2003 (Party affiliation: Republican)[9]
- Andrew Dalby, RV storage business owner[10]
- Darryl Glenn, Penrose Hospital trustee, former El Paso County commissioner, former Colorado Springs city councilor, nominee for U.S. Senate in 2016, and candidate for CO-05 in 2018 (Party affiliation: Republican)[11]
- Longinos Gonzalez Jr., El Paso County commissioner (Party affiliation: Republican)[12]
- Lawrence Martinez, hospice home care specialist and perennial candidate[13]
- Jim Miller, tire business owner[13]
- Christopher Mitchell, electrical engineer[14]
- Kallan Rodebaugh, standup comedian[13]
- Tom Strand, president of the Colorado Springs city council (Party affiliation: Independent)[15][6]
- John "Tig" Tiegen, former CIA security contractor[16]
First round
[edit]Endorsements
[edit]Sallie Clark (R)
- Local officials
- Steve Bach, former mayor of Colorado Springs (2011–2015)[17]
Wayne Williams (R)
- Local officials
- John Suthers, mayor of Colorado Springs (2015–2023) and former Colorado Attorney General (2005–2015)[18]
- Labor unions
Results
[edit]| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yemi Mobolade | 32,429 | 29.81 | |
| Wayne Williams | 20,908 | 19.22 | |
| Sallie Clark | 19,384 | 17.82 | |
| Darryl Glenn | 9,470 | 8.70 | |
| Longinos Gonzalez Jr. | 8,622 | 7.93 | |
| John Tig Tiegen | 5,405 | 4.97 | |
| Andrew Dalby | 4,825 | 4.44 | |
| Tom Strand | 2,597 | 2.39 | |
| Lawrence Joseph Martinez | 1,823 | 1.68 | |
| Christopher Mitchell | 1,248 | 1.15 | |
| Kallan Reece Rodebaugh | 1,129 | 1.04 | |
| Jim Miller | 948 | 0.87 | |
| Total votes | 108,788 | 100.00 | |
Runoff
[edit]Endorsements
[edit]Endorsements in bold were made after the primary election.
Yemi Mobolade (I)
- Federal officials
- Sallie Clark, former Colorado director of USDA Rural Development, former El Paso County commissioner, former Colorado Springs city councilor, former president of the National Association of Counties, and former 2023 mayoral candidate (Republican)[22]
- County officials
- Bill Elder, former El Paso County Sheriff[23]
- Amy Folsom, former El Paso County Administrator[24]
- City officials
- Tom Strand, president of the Colorado Springs city council and former 2023 mayoral candidate[25]
Wayne Williams (R)
- Local officials
- Lynette Crow-Iverson, Colorado Springs city councilor[24]
- Dave Donelson, Colorado Springs city councilor[24]
- Randy Helms, Colorado Springs city councilor[24]
- Dave Leinweber, Colorado Springs city councilor[24]
- Mike O'Malley, Colorado Springs city councilor[24]
- John Suthers, mayor of Colorado Springs (2015–2023) and former Colorado Attorney General (2005–2015)[18]
- Labor unions
Results
[edit]| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yemi Mobolade | 67,442 | 57.47 | |
| Wayne Williams | 49,909 | 42.53 | |
| Total votes | 117,351 | 100.00 | |
Notes
[edit]- ^ Although Mobolade is the first black and first non-Republican elected mayor of Colorado Springs, he is not the first black person or first non-Republican to serve as mayor; Leon Young, a black Democrat, briefly served as acting mayor in 1997 following the resignation of Bob Isaac.
References
[edit]- ^ "Mayoral election in Colorado Springs, Colorado (2023)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
- ^ Jent, Breeanna (April 5, 2023). "Colorado Springs mayoral runoff election: What's next?". The Gazette. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
- ^ a b Jent, Breeanna (May 17, 2023). "Yemi Mobolade makes Colorado Springs history, becoming city's first elected Black mayor". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
- ^ "How tectonic political shifts could spell an upset in Colorado Springs mayor's race".
- ^ "What's on the Ballot".
- ^ a b "Daily Kos Elections Live Digest: 1/25". January 25, 2023.
- ^ Singh, Kate (April 4, 2022). "Yemi Mobolade announces bid to become the next mayor". KXRM-TV. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
- ^ Shinn, Mary (February 2, 2022). "Colorado Springs Councilman Wayne Williams making bid for mayor's seat". The Gazette. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
- ^ "Sallie Clark to announce COS mayoral run on Nov. 15".
- ^ "Colorado Springs small-business owner, a political outsider, running for mayor".
- ^ Zubeck, Pam (November 11, 2021). "Darryl Glenn will run for COS mayor in 2023". Colorado Springs Independent. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
- ^ Wallace, Glenn (April 1, 2022). "County commissioner running for mayor in 2023". www.southeastexpress.org. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
- ^ a b c "More than 20 candidates in the April 4 running for Colorado Springs mayor, City Council".
- ^ "Electrical engineer Christopher Mitchell in the race for Colorado Springs mayor".
- ^ "Tom Strand announces campaign for Mayor". May 30, 2022.
- ^ "Colorado Springs mayoral candidate 'Tig' Tiegen certified for ballot — despite reports of residency dispute".
- ^ "Former Colorado Springs Mayor Bach endorses mayoral hopeful Sallie Clark".
- ^ a b "Developer says Colorado Springs mayoral race will cost $1 million, supports Wayne Williams".
- ^ a b "Colorado Springs Police Protective Association Endorses Wayne Williams for Mayor of Colorado Springs".
- ^ a b "Firefighters endorse Williams for mayor".
- ^ "April 4, 2023 General Municipal Election Results". Colorado Springs City Clerk. April 13, 2023. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
- ^ "Yemi Mobolade gets Sallie Clark's endorsement in Colorado Springs mayoral runoff race".
- ^ "Former El Paso County Sheriff, Bill Elder, endorses Yemi Mobolade for Colorado Springs Mayor".
- ^ a b c d e f "Colorado Springs mayor's race: Endorsements added for Wayne Williams, Yemi Mobolade".
- ^ "Wayne Williams ad paints Colorado Springs mayoral opponent Yemi Mobolade as liberal".
- ^ "May 16, 2023 Mayoral Run-Off Election Results". Colorado Springs City Clerk. May 16, 2023. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
External links
[edit]- Official campaign websites