Three of four incumbents seeking second terms on the Colorado Springs City Council appeared to be prevailing in the April 6 city election in early results.
That means the newcomers will form a small minority on the nine-member board when they re sworn in later this month. Those newcomers, as of the first report of balloting, are retired Army officer Dave Donelson in northwest District 1, retired Air Force officer Randy Helms in northern District 2, who was defeating incumbent Dave Gieslinger, and leadership consultant Nancy Henjum in central District 5.
While seven of the 21 candidates were younger than 40, none were winning in the early returns. Rather, voters were choosing the older candidates. At 57, Donelson might wind up the youngest member of City Council. (At-large member Wayne Williams is 58.)
Councilwoman Yolanda Avila will likely serve another term representing Colorado Springs’ District 4.
Unofficial election results from the city clerk s office Tuesday night showed incumbent Avila soundly defeating her challenger, business owner Regina English, 48, in the two-way race. Avila gained 3,164 votes 61.8% of ballots compared with English s 1,952 votes, or 38.2% of ballots.
The race was one of six district races on the April ballot that could determine the direction of council for the next four years. Only the three at-large seats were not facing re-election.
District 4 includes the southeast portion of Colorado Springs and is considered a more liberal area of the city. It has a higher percentage of minority residents and higher rate of poverty than other districts.
District 4 incumbent Yolanda Avilla, right, celebrates with her daughter Dulce Garcia Tuesday, April 6, 2021, during a watch party at the Club Tilt & Grill after early results showed Avilla leading Colorado Springs City Council candidate Regina English. Garcia and her family from Hunnington Beach, Calif., surprised Avilla Saturday to spend the weekend and election day with her. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock)
Christian Murdock/The Gazette
Chancey Bush
Chancey Bush
Chancey Bush
Candidates faced competitive races in each of the prospective districts. Tuesday, three new Colorado Springs City Council members and three incumbents won in the six district races during the Tuesday elections, early returns showed. Here s a look at early election results:
District 1
Dave Donelson pulled ahead Tuesday in the four-way Colorado Springs City Council race for District 1 in the city s northwest. Donelson, a former Army Green Beret and retired physician assistant, led by 9,129 votes 48% updated results from the city clerks office showed Wednesday. The other three trailed with Glenn Carlson, a businessman, getting 29% of the vote; Jim Mason, a retired Army colonel, gaining 15.62% of the vote; and Michael Seeger getting 7%.
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