Democrat Bernard Byers is looking to unseat incumbent Republican Carrie Geitner for El Paso County’s second district commissioner seat.

The district encompasses part of the east Colorado Springs and into Cimarron Hills, Falcon, Peyton, Calhan and Ramah.

Prior to her work on the five-member Board of County Commissioners, Geitner started a T-shirt and embroidery business. She has also worked as a former public high school English teacher and is currently serving as the president of Mountain View Academy, a School District 49 charter school she helped launch in 2020. She also served on the D-49 District Accountability Committee.

Geitner is married to former state representative Tim Geitner.

During her first term, Geitner pointed to the board’s focus on making data-driven decisions and improving customer service to residents as some of her accomplishment.

“That has led to more efficiency in maintenance and repairs to our county roads, reduced wait times for appointments for our veterans, approval for a new Sheriff’s substation, additional support for our District Attorney’s office to ensure justice for victims of crime and tackling a historical backlog in road needs,” she told The Gazette.

If reelected, Geitner said she and the board would begin work on revising the Land Development Code and checking the health of current water aquifers while continuing road and infrastructure improvements.

Born to a father stationed at Fort Carson , Byers has lived in Colorado Springs since he was 5 years old.

He is currently a branch manager at Premier Members Credit Union and serves as a board member of The Resource Exchange as well as chair/head coach in a local youth basketball organization.

Byers previously worked with local organizations Colorado Springs Rising Professionals, the Colorado Springs Civic Engagement Committee and the Public Art Commission of the Pikes Peak Region .