Most of what shapes daily life in Colorado Springs — roads, parks, police and fire, utilities rates, what gets built where — is decided a short drive from your house, by people whose names most residents don't know. This guide is the five-minute version of how it all works.
The two halves: Mayor and City Council
Colorado Springs uses a council-mayor ("strong mayor") government, adopted by voters in 2010. That means power is split the way it is in Washington, just smaller:
- The Mayor is the executive. The mayor runs the city's departments and staff, proposes the budget, and can veto measures passed by Council. The mayor is elected citywide.
- City Council is the legislature. Council passes ordinances (city laws), approves the budget, and sets policy. It can override a mayoral veto with a two-thirds vote.
Your nine Council members
Council has nine members: six elected by district, three elected at-large (meaning the whole city votes for them). Every resident is represented by four Council members — your district's rep plus all three at-large members — and the mayor. You can see all of them, with contact info, on our Representatives page, and look up which district you live in with the city's address map linked there.
One thing many residents never learn: City Council also serves as the board of Colorado Springs Utilities — the city owns its electric, gas, water, and wastewater utility. When your utility rates change, that decision went through the same nine people.
How a city law gets made
Ordinances get two readings at Council meetings, usually a couple of weeks apart — which means there's a built-in window for public input between the first vote and the final one. After passage, the mayor signs or vetoes. This is why showing up (or emailing) between readings matters: the outcome genuinely isn't final yet.
The money
Each fall, the mayor proposes the next year's budget, and Council amends and adopts it before the new year. If you care about a specific thing the city funds — parks maintenance, road repair, public safety staffing — fall budget season is when that fight actually happens, not after.
When and where they meet
Council holds its regular meetings at City Hall (107 N. Nevada Ave.) — see the meeting schedule and agenda links on our Representatives page. Meetings include a public comment period, and agendas are posted in advance, so you can see exactly when an item you care about will come up.
Elections: the odd-year trap
City elections happen in April of odd-numbered years — separate from the November elections most people remember to vote in. Turnout is dramatically lower, which means your vote counts for far more. Mayoral races go to a runoff if no candidate wins a majority. If you only take one thing from this guide: put the next April municipal election on your calendar.
Beyond city limits
Not in Colorado Springs proper? Manitou Springs, Monument, Palmer Lake, and Fountain each have their own councils and boards, and unincorporated areas like Security-Widefield are governed by the El Paso County Board of Commissioners. All of them are on our Representatives page too.
Want to do something with all this?
Read the companion guides: How to Get Involved in Colorado Springs and How to Raise an Issue That Gets Results.