The El Paso County Commissioners are a five-member elected board that governs unincorporated El Paso County, Colorado from Centennial Hall in downtown Colorado Springs. They approve the county budget, set tax rates within state limits, decide zoning and subdivision cases, fund the sheriff’s office and public works, and sit as the county Board of Health. For 2026, the board approved a balanced budget of $532.3 million.
What the Board Controls
If you live in unincorporated El Paso County, the commissioners function as your city hall. Colorado law gives the board authority to examine and settle county expenses, levy taxes, and take on debt for public buildings, roads, and bridges when voters approve it.1Justia. Colorado Code 30-11-107 – Powers of the Board County revenue comes mostly from property taxes, sales taxes, fees, and intergovernmental transfers, and the board sets mill levy rates annually within the caps imposed by the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, which requires voter approval before the county raises tax rates or issues most new debt.2Department of Revenue – Taxation. Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) Information
Beyond money, the board decides zoning changes and subdivision plats, and has authority to lay out, alter, or discontinue county roads and to fund drainage, sidewalk, and curb projects.1Justia. Colorado Code 30-11-107 – Powers of the Board It acts as the local licensing authority for liquor and beer establishments in unincorporated areas, with applications routed through the Clerk to the Board before a commissioner vote.3El Paso County Clerk and Recorder. Liquor and Beer License Application Process Road problems like potholes or damaged bridges go to Public Works through the Citizen Connect portal or by phone at 719-520-6460.4El Paso County. Department of Public Works Customer Service
The commissioners also sit as the El Paso County Board of Health. In that capacity they set public-health policy, approve the local public-health improvement plan, advise the Public Health Director, and oversee the finances of El Paso County Public Health.5El Paso County. Board of Health Under Colorado law the board also functions as the county department of social services, which puts local administration of programs like SNAP and Medicaid, and child and adult protective services, under its oversight.
Five Districts and How Commissioners Are Elected
Each commissioner must live in the district they represent, and the seat becomes immediately vacant if a commissioner moves out of district during a term.6FindLaw. Colorado Revised Statutes Title 30 Section 30-10-306 – Commissioners Districts Vacancies Definitions District lines are redrawn after each federal census, and the population gap between the largest and smallest district cannot exceed five percent.7Justia. Colorado Code 30-10-306.3 – Criteria for Determination of County Commissioner Districts – Definition
Candidates run from their home district, but under the default statutory scheme every voter in the county casts a ballot in every commissioner race.6FindLaw. Colorado Revised Statutes Title 30 Section 30-10-306 – Commissioners Districts Vacancies Definitions Colorado law also allows counties above 70,000 residents to switch to district-only voting, where only residents of a given district vote in that district’s race.8FindLaw. Colorado Revised Statutes Title 30 Section 30-10-306.5
Terms run four years and are staggered so the full board does not turn over at once. The Colorado Constitution limits most county officers, including commissioners, to two consecutive four-year terms, though county voters can lengthen, shorten, or remove that cap.9Colorado General Assembly. Constitution of the State of Colorado – Article XVIII, Section 11 To run, a candidate must be a registered voter living in the district, and meet Colorado’s general requirements of U.S. citizenship, age 18 or older, and state residency. Major-party candidates reach the ballot through the assembly and caucus process or by petition.10Colorado Secretary of State. Petition Signature Requirements
When a Seat Opens Mid-Term
A commissioner who resigns, is recalled, or moves out of their district creates a vacancy that does not wait for the next general election. Historically a vacancy committee from the departing commissioner’s party chose the replacement. Colorado changed that in 2025 with HB25-1319, which applies to non-home-rule counties with at least 50,000 active voters, a threshold El Paso County clears.11Colorado General Assembly. HB25-1319 County Commissioner Vacancies
Under the new law, most vacancies are filled by a special vacancy election rather than by a committee. Only voters registered with the same major party as the departing commissioner, or unaffiliated voters, can vote. One timing exception matters: if a vacancy opens between July 31 of an even-numbered year and July 31 of the following odd-numbered year, and the seat was not already on the ballot, a vacancy committee fills the seat temporarily until a special November election. A major party can also opt out of the special-election process if at least 75 percent of its state central committee votes to do so.11Colorado General Assembly. HB25-1319 County Commissioner Vacancies
Attending Meetings and Being Heard
The board meets every Tuesday and Thursday at 9 a.m. in Centennial Hall at 200 South Cascade Avenue in downtown Colorado Springs.12El Paso County. Public Meetings Meetings are open to the public, and you can watch live or pull archived recordings from the county website. Agendas and supporting documents are posted ahead of time through the county’s agenda management system.13El Paso County Clerk and Recorder. Meeting Information
Public comment is still part of each meeting, but the format changed in early 2025. The county no longer accepts phone-in comments during meetings, so you have to attend in person or submit written comments. For zoning hearings and budget discussions, public comment is often the only chance to weigh in before a vote.
Getting County Records
Records held by the county are available through the Clerk and Recorder’s office under the Colorado Open Records Act. CORA requires public records to be open for inspection at reasonable times, with limited exceptions for things like personnel files, ongoing investigations, and certain legal communications.
Paper copies cost up to $0.25 per standard page, and digital records cannot carry a per-page charge.14FindLaw. Colorado Revised Statutes Title 24 Section 24-72-205 The first hour of staff research time is free. After that, the county can charge up to $41.37 per hour, a cap set by the General Assembly and adjusted for inflation every five years.15Colorado General Assembly. Colorado Open Records Act Maximum Hourly Research and Retrieval Fee A simple request like a meeting resolution or a budget document rarely triggers research fees; complex requests covering years of records are where the hourly charge adds up.