A Democrat has joined the race for the El Paso County District 2 seat, meaning the race will indeed be decided in November.

Michael Seraphin, a former Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesman, said Thursday that he will run for District 2. He will face either Mark Waller, Sherrie Gibson or Tim Geitner. Without Seraphin’s candidacy, the race between the three Republicans would have been determined in the June primary.

Seraphin said he has contemplated running for years.

“I’ve been watching the county commission from afar for a while,” he said. “It’s an organization that for almost 50 years has had nothing but Republicans on it.”

As a nearly 20-year resident of Falcon, Seraphin said one of his top priorities will be the condition of the county’s roads. He likes the system adopted by the city of Colorado Springs to handle its road problems – a recent sales tax increase – and he thinks that a $5 increase to vehicle registration fees could boost the county’s road and bridge funds.

Seraphin’s announcement comes just weeks before the March 1 caucus, when delegates will be elected. At the county assembly on March 26, those delegates will determine which candidates proceed to the primary.

Candidates need to get at least 30 percent of the delegate vote to get on the primary ballot, said Daniel Cole, executive director of the El Paso County Republicans. Candidates who receive between 10 and 30 percent of the delegate vote can petition onto the primary ballot. Candidates may also skip the caucus and petition onto the primary ballot, Cole said.

That is a course that a few candidates, specifically in District 3, will likely take, Cole said.

The commissioners’ race for three open seats has 15 candidates – two of whom are Democrats. The District 3 seat, occupied by term-limited Commissioner Sallie Clark, has seven candidates. The District 2 and District 4 races each have four candidates.

Michael Seraphin.