2023 Colorado Springs mayoral election explained

Election Name:	2023 Colorado Springs mayoral election
Flag Image:	Flag of Colorado Springs, Colorado.svg
Type:	mayoral
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	2019 Colorado Springs mayoral election
Previous Year:	2019
Next Election:	2027 Colorado Springs mayoral election
Next Year:	2027
Election Date:	April 4, 2023 (first round) May 16, 2023 (runoff)
Turnout:	35.15% (first round) 37.41% (runoff)
1Blank:	First round
2Blank:	Runoff
Image1:	Yemi Mobolade Subscriber of the Month (cropped).png
Candidate1:	Yemi Mobolade
Color1:	c0c0c0
1Data1:	32,429 29.8%
2Data1:	67,442 57.5%
Candidate2:	Wayne Williams
Color2:	c0c0c0
1Data2:	20,908 19.2%
2Data2:	49,909 42.5%
Image3:	Sallie Clark, Commissioner District 3, El Paso County, Colorado (cropped).jpg
Candidate3:	Sallie Clark
Color3:	c0c0c0
1Data3:	19,384 17.8%
2Data3:	Eliminated
Candidate4:	Darryl Glenn
Color4:	c0c0c0
1Data4:	9,470 8.7%
2Data4:	Eliminated
Candidate5:	Longinos Gonzalez Jr.
Color5:	c0c0c0
1Data5:	8,622 7.9%
2Data5:	Eliminated
Mayor
Before Election:	John Suthers
Before Party:	Colorado Republican Party
After Election:	Yemi Mobolade
After Party:	Independent politician

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 African 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 mayor in the city's history.^[4]

Candidates

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.

Advanced to runoff

• Blessing "Yemi" Mobolade, restaurateur and former Colorado Springs Small Business Development administrator (Party affiliation: Independent)^[6]
• Wayne Williams, at-large city councilor and former Colorado Secretary of State (Party affiliation: Republican)^[7]

Eliminated in first round

• 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)^[8]
• Andrew Dalby, RV storage business owner^[9]
• 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)^[10]
• Longinos Gonzalez Jr., El Paso County commissioner (Party affiliation: Republican)^[11]
• Lawrence Martinez, hospice home care specialist and perennial candidate^[12]
• Jim Miller, tire business owner^[12]
• Christopher Mitchell, electrical engineer^[13]
• Kallan Rodebaugh, standup comedian^[12]
• Tom Strand, president of the Colorado Springs city council (Party affiliation: Independent)^{[14] [15]}
• John "Tig" Tiegen, former CIA security contractor^[16]

First round

Results

Runoff

Endorsements

Endorsements in bold were made after the primary election.

Results

External links

Official campaign websites

• Sallie Clark (R) for Mayor
• Andrew Dalby for Mayor
• Darryl Glenn (R) for Mayor
• Longinos Gonzalez (R) for Mayor
• Christopher Mitchell for Mayor
• Yemi Mobolade (I) for Mayor
• Wayne Williams (R) for Mayor
• Tig Tiegen (I) for Mayor
• Kallan Rodebaugh (I) for Mayor

Notes and References

1. Web site: Mayoral election in Colorado Springs, Colorado (2023) . Ballotpedia . October 10, 2022 . en.
2. Web site: Colorado Springs mayoral runoff election: What's next? . Breeanna . Jent . April 5, 2023 . April 5, 2023 . .
3. Web site: Yemi Mobolade makes Colorado Springs history, becoming city's first elected Black mayor. Breeanna . Jent. Colorado Springs Gazette. May 17, 2023. May 17, 2023.
4. News: How tectonic political shifts could spell an upset in Colorado Springs mayor's race.
5. Web site: What's on the Ballot.
6. Web site: Singh . Kate . Yemi Mobolade announces bid to become the next mayor . . October 10, 2022 . April 4, 2022.
7. Web site: Shinn . Mary . Colorado Springs Councilman Wayne Williams making bid for mayor's seat . . October 10, 2022 . February 2, 2022.
8. Web site: Sallie Clark to announce COS mayoral run on Nov. 15.
9. Web site: Colorado Springs small-business owner, a political outsider, running for mayor .
10. Web site: Zubeck . Pam . Darryl Glenn will run for COS mayor in 2023 . . October 10, 2022 . November 11, 2021.
11. Web site: Wallace . Glenn . County commissioner running for mayor in 2023 . www.southeastexpress.org . October 10, 2022 . April 1, 2022.
12. News: More than 20 candidates in the April 4 running for Colorado Springs mayor, City Council.
13. News: Electrical engineer Christopher Mitchell in the race for Colorado Springs mayor.
14. Web site: Tom Strand announces campaign for Mayor . May 30, 2022 .
15. News: Daily Kos Elections Live Digest: 1/25 . January 25, 2023.
16. News: Colorado Springs mayoral candidate 'Tig' Tiegen certified for ballot — despite reports of residency dispute.