The sole Democrat running in the County Commissioner District 2 race for incumbent Carrie Geitner’s seat, Bernard Byers, 42, says he wants to center his candidacy on listening to the people in his district.

“The end goal for me is to just find ways to give give back to the community, and I think a lot of politicians regardless of their parties have kind of stopped doing that,” he said.

According to election registration documents, Byers joined the race at the end of April. Byer’s campaign website mentions improving education, public safety and infrastructure. Byers said that a major goal of his will be improving the interface between government and nonprofits.

Byers is a current board member of The Resource Exchange, an organization that helps people with disabilities and developmental delays receive services. He also coaches basketball with nonprofit youth program Colorado Storm. He has previously been in leadership positions at the Colorado Springs Civic Engagement Committee, Colorado Springs Rising Professionals and the Public Art Commission of the Pikes Peak region.

As a commissioner, Byers said he would work to improve funding avenues and advertising opportunities for local nonprofits, which he sees occupying an essential niche in community services.

“I think that nonprofits are the life blood of communities,” he said.

A branch manager at Premier Members Credit Union, Byers is running for a district that encompasses the east side of Colorado Springs including Cimarron Hills, as well as the towns of Falcon, Peyton, Calhan and Ramah.

The district has been historically Republican, with Geitner and challenger Kristopher Guido set to appear in the GOP primary on June 24. Byers said that, though running as a Democrat, he was seeking to bridge political lines.

“Most of my friends are Republicans,” he said.

Byers said that he has been a proponent of affordable housing in his community and would, as a commissioner, “one million percent” approve of new affordable housing developments. He said he was also in favor of the proposed Front Range Passenger Rail to connect Colorado Springs to other Front Range cities by passenger rail.

On some other issues, including water use in the county, Byers said he was a “clean slate” and wanted to continue talking with community members about their concerns and opinions.

“No one is going to out-work me,” he said.