A Colorado Springs District 11 board member has thrown their hat into the ring for a seat in the state House of Representatives.

A candidate affidavit and committee registration form for Jill Haffley, vice president of D-11’s Board of Education, in House District 16 were filed with the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office on Nov. 24, according to the state’s disclosure website, TRACER.

Haffley, a registered Republican, joins former Rep. Stephanie Vigil as the only candidates currently vying for the district encompassing northeastern Colorado Springs. The first Democrat to represent the Colorado Springs district, Vigil held the seat from 2023-25.

Incumbent Rep. Rebecca Keltie announced last month she will not seek reelection next year, citing “deeply personal, professional and medical circumstances.” 

Haffley, a retired history teacher and coach in D-11, was elected in 2023 to the school board, which has since implemented a policy limiting cellphone use in schools, another prohibiting athletic participation based on students’ biological sex rather than gender identity and let its long-standing collective bargaining agreement with its teachers’ union expire last year.  

Haffley said the House seat wasn’t originally on her radar and that she recently decided to run only after getting approached by multiple groups encouraging her to do so following Keltie’s announcement.

“So, I thought about it, consulted about it, prayed about it and felt like I was being led in that direction. So, here we are,” she said.  

If elected, Haffley said her three main priorities would be to advocate for parents’ rights, affordability and greater accountability regarding crime and public safety.

She added that, if elected, she would step down from the D-11 board and that not doing so “would not be fair to either position.”

“I am fully committed to the school board up to the November elections,” she said.

Haffley’s term on the school board is set to expire in 2027.

With just about a year between now and the next election, Haffley said she hopes to address ongoing concerns in D-11 that have been postponed over the years by past boards. Specifically, she expressed a desire for the district to invest in air conditioning for schools without it, noting the debilitating impact of hot days in the classroom on students’ attention and performance.

The filing is the latest instance of potential movement among school board members. Earlier this year, board President Parth Melpakam ran for the District 6 City Council seat while former board Treasurer Lauren Nelson was appointed to the El Paso County Commission to replace outgoing Commissioner Cami Bremer. She would then resign from the board and successfully run for reelection on the commission this fall.

In 2024, the House race between Keltie and Vigil was the closest statewide, with Keltie initially winning by six votes, and went to an automatic recount. The recount found more votes for Vigil and the race was declared a tie. The canvass board later reversed three votes for Vigil, making Keltie the winner.