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COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- Voters in the city of Colorado Springs elected Tuesday to go with a strong mayor form of government - one in which the mayor acts as the 'CEO' of the city.

Under the new form of government, the city mayor will essentially have city manager responsibilities, carrying out day-to-day operations. The issue had been debated in the months leading up to this election, but voters passed the proposition at nearly 60 percent.

"They can expect a mayor who will be in the office every day full time, accountable, accessible for the citizens, for perspective businesses wanting to move here, for making decisions on time and moving our city forward," Mary Ellen McNally, who is for the issue, said.

Current Colorado Springs mayor Lionel Rivera originally supported the idea, then flipped his position a few weeks ago, saying it needed revision. Also against the issue is the Colorado Springs Business Journal's John Hazlehurst, who said it will be an interesting campaign season in April with the new role tagged onto the elected position.

"We're gonna see a lot of candidates to become the strong mayor of Colorado Springs," Hazlehurst said. "It's gonna be really interesting to see who surfaces, and everything depends upon whom we elect in April."