2015 Colorado Springs mayoral election explained

Election Name:	2015 Colorado Springs mayoral election
Flag Image:	Flag of Colorado Springs, Colorado.svg
Type:	presidential
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	2011 Colorado Springs mayoral election
Previous Year:	2011
Next Election:	2019 Colorado Springs mayoral election
Next Year:	2019
Election Date:	April 7, 2015 (first round) May 19, 2015 (runoff)
Turnout:	38.61% (first round) 42.58 (runoff)
1Blank:	First round vote
2Blank:	First round percentage
3Blank:	Runoff vote
4Blank:	Runoff percentage
Candidate1:	John Suthers
Colour1:	c0c0c0
1Data1:	40,900
2Data1:	46.37%
3Data1:	65,991
4Data1:	67.57%
Candidate2:	Mary Lou Makepeace
Colour2:	c0c0c0
1Data2:	20,783
2Data2:	23.56%
3Data2:	31,666
4Data2:	32.43%
Candidate3:	Joel Miller
Colour3:	c0c0c0
1Data3:	13,794
2Data3:	15.64%
Candidate4:	Amy Lathen
Colour4:	c0c0c0
1Data4:	10,352
2Data4:	11.74%
Mayor
Before Election:	Steve Bach
Before Party:	Republican Party (United States)
After Election:	John Suthers
After Party:	Republican Party (United States)

The 2015 Colorado Springs mayoral election took place on April 7 and May 19, 2015, to elect the mayor of Colorado Springs, Colorado. The election was held concurrently with various other local elections. The election was officially nonpartisan.

Incumbent Mayor Steve Bach, in office since 2011, announced that he would not seek a second term in office.^[1]

Since no candidate won a majority of the vote, a runoff was held on May 19 between Mary Lou Makepeace and John Suthers, the top two finishers in the April general election.^[2] Suthers defeated Makepeace in the runoff to become Mayor.^[3]

Candidates

• Tony Carpenter, perennial candidate^[4]
• Moses Humes (as a write-in candidate)^[5]
• Amy Lathen, El Paso County Commissioner^[6]
• Mary Lou Makepeace, former Mayor^[7]
• Lawrence Martinez, community activist^[8]
• Joel Miller, former City Councilman^[9]
• John Suthers, former Colorado Attorney General^[10]

Disqualified

• Justine Herring, real estate broker^{[4] [11]}

Declined

• Steve Bach, incumbent Mayor^[1]
• Richard Skorman, former City Councilman and candidate for Mayor in 2011^[10]

General election

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	class=small	Sample size	Margin of error	Amy Lathen	Mary Lou Makepeace	Joel Miller	John Suthers	Other	Undecided
Luce Research^[12] ^[13]	February 17–22, 2015	400	± ?	7.75%	align=center	22.25%	2%	align=center	30%	2%	align=center	33.25%

Results

Runoff election

Candidates

• Mary Lou Makepeace, former Mayor
• John Suthers, former Colorado Attorney General

Results

Notes and References

1. Web site: Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach: It's time to step aside. December 16, 2014. April 7, 2015. Wayne. Heilman. The Gazette.
2. Web site: Colorado Springs election results updated; Suthers, Makepeace headed to runoff for mayor. April 8, 2015. April 9, 2015. Stephen. Hobbs. The Gazette.
3. Web site: John Suthers Elected Mayor of Colorado Springs. May 19, 2015. May 21, 2015. Andrea. Chalfin. KRCC.
4. Web site: Colorado Springs ballot will have more than 20 candidates. February 12, 2015. April 7, 2015. Monica. Mendoza. Stephen. Hobbs. The Gazette.
5. Web site: April 7, 2015 - Official Candidates. March 3, 2015. April 7, 2015. City of Colorado Springs. https://web.archive.org/web/20150331011158/http://coloradosprings.gov/government/general-information/elections/april-7-2015-official-candidates. March 31, 2015. dead. mdy-all.
6. Web site: County Commissioner Amy Lathen says she'll run for Colorado Springs mayor. January 27, 2015. April 7, 2015. Stephen. Hobbs. The Gazette.
7. Web site: Mary Lou Makepeace officially joins race for Colorado Springs mayor. January 27, 2015. April 7, 2015. Monica. Mendoza. The Gazette.
8. Web site: Potential candidates pick up packets for Colorado Springs municipal election. January 27, 2015. April 7, 2015. Monica. Mendoza. The Gazette.
9. Web site: City Councilman Joel Miller resigns his seat, will run for mayor in 2015. January 27, 2015. April 7, 2015. Monica. Mendoza. The Gazette.
10. Web site: John Suthers throws hat in the ring to become Colorado Springs mayor. January 27, 2015. April 7, 2015. Monica. Mendoza. The Gazette.
11. Web site: Lathen and Loma get first position on ballot in Colorado Springs elections. February 13, 2015. April 7, 2015. Monica. Mendoza. The Gazette.
12. Web site: The undecided factor. February 25, 2015. April 7, 2015. Pam. Zubeck. Colorado Springs Independent. April 14, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150414030616/http://www.csindy.com/coloradosprings/indy-poll-shows-33-percent-of-springs-voters-havent-chosen-a-mayoral-candidate/Content?oid=3004027. dead.
13. Web site: The golden eggs. March 4, 2015. April 7, 2015. Pam. Zubeck. Colorado Springs Independent. April 5, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150405064340/http://www.csindy.com/coloradosprings/suthers-leads-in-two-crucial-categories-in-the-springs-mayoral-race/Content?oid=3006711. dead.