Bernard Byers

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Bernard Byers

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 5, 2024

Education

High school

Sierra High School

Bachelor's

Colorado State University Pueblo, 1999

Personal

Birthplace

Fort Lewis, Wash.

Religion

None

Profession

Banking professional

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Instagram

Personal LinkedIn

Bernard Byers (Democratic Party) ran for election to the El Paso County Commission to represent District 2 in Colorado. He lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Byers completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Bernard Byers was born in Fort Lewis, Washington. Byers' career experience includes working as a banking professional. He earned a bachelor's degree from Colorado State University Pueblo in 1999.

Elections

2024

See also: Municipal elections in El Paso County, Colorado (2024)

General election

General election for El Paso County Commission District 2

Incumbent Carrie Geitner defeated Bernard Byers and Garfield Johnson in the general election for El Paso County Commission District 2 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Carrie Geitner (R)	65.0	52,159
		Bernard Byers (D)	34.9	28,008
	Submit photo	Garfield Johnson (Unaffiliated) (Write-in)	0.1	59

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 80,226
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for El Paso County Commission District 2

Bernard Byers advanced from the Democratic primary for El Paso County Commission District 2 on June 25, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bernard Byers	100.0	6,578

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 6,578
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for El Paso County Commission District 2

Incumbent Carrie Geitner defeated Kristopher Guido in the Republican primary for El Paso County Commission District 2 on June 25, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Carrie Geitner	62.9	11,943
		Kristopher Guido	37.1	7,045

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 18,988
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Byers in this election.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Bernard Byers completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Byers' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am first time candidate looking to help my community. I’ve dedicated my life to helping others in a variety of roles and I want to get involved on a larger scale. I was a person who was disappointed in my options politically and decided to run for county commissioner because I feel government needs more people with strong character to get involved. I’m not running for office due to seeking power or money. I want to be apart of positive solutions and help others in the place I live. 100% of the money donated to my campaign will be redirected to various non-profits in the El Paso County area. I am a former Chair of the Public Art Commission of the Pikes Peak Region, a member of the board of directors of The Resource Exchange and the current board president of my own non-profit, Storm Basketball Club, which works with youth basketball in the Colorado Springs area. I grew up in Colorado Springs and raised my family here. My parents owned a small business for 20 years which I worked in at a young age. I am focused on making the city in the best in the country!

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Authenticity- I understand the responsibility of representing my community in public office and will do everything in my power to make the right decision for all
• Community First- Too many political candidates make their name based on how much they can divide the public. Navigating political ideologies in the 21st century has become complex and disheartening. I plan on representing my county by making sure my decisions are based on fact and empathy and not allegiances to lobbyists or for personal gain
• Hard Work- Between working in my family business at an early age after my father left the military to my various community activities to my hobbies including running marathons and endurance racing, I never stop working and doing what’s needed to get the job done.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Finding ways to support for mental health, substance abuse and financial support for our community

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

If I were to choose a person in my life that I looked up to it was probably my mother. She was the strongest person I’ve ever met. She embodied respect, kindness and determination in a way I’ve never seen in another person. She also taught me to blaze my own path so I don’t think she would take too kindly to me choosing her. She wanted me to be my own person.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

I wouldn’t say that there was a particular book and item in the media that forged my political philosophy. I started out an unaffiliated voter learning the perspectives of all sides. I feel like my own political philosophy has been created by the mistakes of others as opposed to my own ideology

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Most important characteristics for myself are; Intergity, Authenticity, Well-meaning in their decision-making, long term decision based and respect for others despite their differences.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

For starters no one outworks me. I am fueled by other people doubts in my abilities which means I am relentless in my efforts. I generally care about my community and I’m going into this election with no hidden agendas. I have no desire to be powerful. I just want to help others. I’m hoping that the voters will hire me for county commissioner because I’m not the “lesser of all evils”. I simply am the best choice due to desire to make my community better

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Making informed decisions for their community based on facts and data and not personal feelings, looking over and maintaining the stabilization of the county they represent, joining community organizations and providing support to causes that the community deems important

What legacy would you like to leave?

I want people to remember me as an authentic unique person who always treated others with the upmost respect and dignity. For the kids that I work with and coach I want to show them that anything is possible and they can be anything they want to be in life as long as they work harder than the next person

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

It’s an odd memory. The first historical memory I have is the Calgary Flames winning the Stanley Cup in 1989. It was really the first time I got into sports and was even a hockey fan for a few years.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Working in my family business was my first and hardest job. It was a catering shop and they had it for 20 years or so. I started washing dishes at about 10 years old every weekend and every summer. I began cooking in the shop about 14 years old and they gave me a hot dog cart to work on Saturdays. I would work about 14 hours a day and they would pay $30 or so. They told me they paid me less than everyone but I lived with them( which is hilarious to this day). Even when I was in college I would drive back on weekends to help until they retired

What is your favorite book? Why?

Probably The Metamorphosis by Kafka. It’s always struck me as universally relatable for anyone reads it.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Rob Gordon from High Fidelity(another great book). My dream has always been to own a failing record store

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

The last song today or in general haha? My wife and I were both broadcast journalism majors in college so our home is constantly playing music. If we are talking recently then it’s probably Big Part by the Lemonheads or Cloudbusting by Wild Nothing. Those have been in rotation quite a bit in the house

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Dealing with the loss of numerous close friends due to suicide over the last 15 years has had a large effect on my life. I have had to finds ways to my life even more impactful to properly memorialize them. This is why mental health is such an important focus for me as a candidate.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Groucho Marx once said” Never be apart of a club that would have a person like me for a member”. I think of this daily

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Colorado Working Families Party

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

I’ll keep this short and sweet- Financial transparency and government accountability must be maintained at all times or people begin to lose faith in their institution.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

See also

2024 Elections

What's on the ballot? U.S. President U.S. Congress U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

Who represents me? U.S. Congress State executives State legislators State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards

Newsletters

The Daily Brew The Weekly Brew The Ballot Bulletin Checks and Balances Economy and Society Hall Pass Number of the Day Robe & Gavel

External links

Search Google News for this topic

Candidate

El Paso County Commission District 2

Website

Facebook

Instagram

Personal

LinkedIn