COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- Colorado Springs' mayoral candidates have been campaigning for months trying to be the first "Strong Mayor," but once the ballots are turned-in and counted on April 5, the long list of candidates could push the city into a run-off election.

"Run-offs are costly, but they're necessary for our democratic process," Marcus Cimino, a Colorado Springs voter, said.

The winning candidate must have more than 50 percent of the vote. If that doesn't happen and a run-off is necessary, the top two candidates would appear in a run-off election. City Clerk Kathryn Young said the anticipated mailing date for    run-off ballots is April 27, and the ballot deadline would be in May.

City elections officials said it would cost $480,000 for the run-off election, the same cost as the original April 5 Municipal Election.It's money that would come from Colorado Springs' General Fund.

"All cities are having hard time, and our budget is probably just like the rest of the cities in the U.S., it's short," Sylvester Smith, a Colorado Springs voter, said.

Colorado College Professor of Political Science Bob Loevy said the run-off could have a very unifying affect on the city.  It would mean our future mayor would have to receive the majority of the electoral vote.

So what are the chances of a run-off? Quite low.

"It's an empty office, we're electing our first [strong] mayor, I'd be very surprised if we had a run-off," Loevy said