Colorado Springs City Council races see $318,000 in donations

More than $318,000 has been raised for candidates running in the Colorado Springs City Council elections. As of this week, the contributions are focused on five main candidates across three districts. The elections will take place on April 1, with all six district seats on the ballot. Currently, only 8.8% of voters have returned their ballots. This turnout varies significantly by district, with District 1 at 13% and District 4 at just 4%. Incumbent Nancy Henjum leads fundraising efforts, having collected $45,533 for her reelection campaign in District 5. She is challenged by three other candidates, including former police officer Christopher Burns. In District 3, Rick Gillit and Brandy Williams have raised $44,745 and $40,494, respectively. Tom Bailey in District 2 has gathered $38,500, although his race is considered less competitive. Notably, Bailey has connections to VENU Holding Corp, which has also donated to his campaign. Henjum aims for transparency in her campaign funding and has focused on individual donations rather than relying on developer contributions this time around. Other top candidates, including Gillit and Williams, have received significant amounts from developers. Colorado Springs has no limits on campaign donations, which has allowed large contributions. State laws imposed in 2024 restrict individual donations but do not apply to Colorado Springs due to its home-rule status. Henjum acknowledges that while there may be a need to explore limits in the future, current public concern is more about the influence of political action committees (PACs). The District 6 candidates have not raised much so far, with none exceeding $8,500 in contributions. However, there is still one upcoming financial disclosure filing on March 28 before the elections. Outside political groups are becoming more involved than in previous elections. The American Jobs & Growth PAC has notably spent over $17,000 opposing council member Dave Donelson, while the New Era Colorado Action Fund has invested in local races as well. Two anonymous committees are also active in the races, though their funding sources remain unclear.