(PUEBLO, Colo.) — The race for Pueblo mayor is heating up as the January 23 election approaches.

Pueblo voters will soon choose between incumbent Mayor Nick Gradisar and City Council President Heather Graham during this month’s mayoral runoff election.

With less than two weeks until election day, the two candidates went on the offensive attacking each other’s policy stances and qualifications to run Pueblo for the next four years. Now in his fifth year, Gradisar is the first mayor of Pueblo in more than 80 years. While Graham said it’s time for a fresh perspective.

Gradisar wants Pueblo to prioritize affordable housing while maintaining economic development.

“Affordable housing and cleaning up some of the blight in our neighborhoods by putting some of these abandoned homes back into productive use,” Gradisar said.

During her campaign, Graham has advocated for safety, beautification, and growth in Pueblo.

“Dealing with the public safety issues is a top priority in the police department,” Graham explained. “I will work with the Civil Service Commission to expedite the hiring process of police officers, not dropping the standards, but shortening the time frame that it takes to be a police officer.”

Both candidates strive to create a safe city. Throughout his term as mayor, Gradisar wants to continue to develop a well-trained and diverse police force, but the Pueblo Police Department is still facing shortages.

“One of the big differences is that I attempted to have a hiring bonus for new police officers to attract people here, pay them $50,000 for the down payment on a house in the city of Pueblo,” Gradisar explained. “Neither she nor the police union were in favor of that.”

“If elected mayor I think that I will be able to work with the police union, the police department to light a fire and make public safety our top priority,” Graham said.

Gradisar has had five years to build relationships with state lawmakers while Graham is a political newcomer.

“My opponent is a MAGA Republican, and I think it’s foolish to think that we can send a MAGA Republican to deal with a Democratic legislature and expect that we’ll get results,” Gradisar said.

“My voting record shows I don’t only vote Republican,” Graham explained. “Sometimes the Republicans love me, sometimes the Republicans hate me. I will speak for the needs of Pueblo at the end of the day.”

This is an all-mail election so there won’t be any in-person voting. If you still have your ballot, voters need to return them to the City Clerk’s Office 201 W. 8th St., by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Jan. 23. 

You can also mail in your ballot before Election Day, drop it off directly to the city clerk’s office during office hours, or return it to one of these 24-hour drop boxes: 

Colorado State Fairgrounds, 950 S Prairie Ave. – outside the gate on Prairie Avenue

Colorado State University, Pueblo.2200 Bonforte Blvd. – access from Gonzales Drive 

Lamb Branch Library, 2525 S. Pueblo Blvd. – behind the building 

Pueblo County Courthouse, 215 W 10th St. – on the west side of Court Street