COLORADO SPRINGS — Ballots are on-the-way to the nearly 306,000 registered voters in Colorado Springs.
They hit the mail in March so voters can return them by election day in April.
Michael Williams and his small team from Citizens Project have their own kind of grassroots campaign before elections.
“We've been working on getting people educated on the rights to vote, turning out to vote and make sure they understand the importance of every election.”
There are 12 candidates running for the office of mayor in Colorado Springs.
It means there could be a mayor voted in during the general election, or there could be a run-off race.
“If the top candidate that wins the mayor's race does not get 50% of the vote plus one more [vote], then there will be a runoff May 16th,” said Colorado Springs City Clerk, Sarah Johnson.
If the eleven trailing candidates average just 5% of the vote there will be a run-off.
Not voting with the assumption that your favored candidate will make it to a run-off is also risky.
The high number of candidates raises the chances of unexpected winners in the top two.
“Absolutely vote this first ballot, because your voice is important,” said Johnson, “And you need to have your say in the mayor and council races and the question. It's important.”
Whether there is a run-off for mayor or not the ballot going out now is also the one chance to vote for city council and the question asking to extend the taxpayer-funded Trails, Open Space, and Parks program called TOPS.
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