The Colorado Springs Mayoral Election is tight this year, and the winning candidate will be chosen in a runoff election because none of the 6 candidates were able to claim a majority.

The election has been narrowed to the top two candidates: Mary Lou Makepeace and John Suthers.

Makepeace is not new to the circus of Colorado Springs politics. She was the mayor of the Springs for 6 years back from 1997 to 2003. Furthermore, she spent 12 years on the Colorado Springs City Council prior to being the mayor.

Makepeace comes back with strong ideas for the ‘strong mayor’ position and is ready to wield the power to solve those issues. She believes in the concept that voters and citizens should be the ones to propose problems that need solving rather than have City Council tell Colorado Springs what it needs.

An unofficial ballot released that John Suthers, the formidable opponent, gained more support during the general election than Makepeace. However, both candidates have put an important emphasis in their campaigns regarding communication with City Council.

The unending battle between Mayor Bach and the council is terribly frustrating. There has been limited productivity because there’s no budget. Fixing the infrastructure in the Springs requires a massive budget and years of constant construction. Bridges get old, potholes form, population increases, things fall apart and that’s all just part of the wear of time.

Many of Suthers’ proponents believe he’s the man to get the job done, to fix Colorado Springs back up. Being the former attorney general certainly helps with his political traction.

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, former Governor Owens, and Bill Ritter are all proponents of Suthers’ character. Suthers does not have the same political background as Makepeace, but he boasts a political carrier with experience in larger governments.

In this runoff election, the two candidates provide similar platforms and the same central issues, but each is backed by different experiences with politics. The decision voters must make is who they believe will have the most pull with City Council.

Mayor Bach expresses his difficulties with the council by saying, “I hope I live through this.” Being the first strong mayor is a difficult job especially when there is little understanding of what is possible and allowed.

Without the other candidates out of the way and not taking up votes, it will be interesting to see where the May 19^th vote goes.