Hello! I'm Colton Baumgartner, an actress, filmmaker, author, and multimedia entrepreneur with a strong humanitarian focus, dedicated to creating positive change.

 As a child I was raised by a mother that was a news director for Fox and NBC, as well as having uncles who served as police officers and a grandfather who was a Chief of Police in four major cities, a professor of Criminal Justice, and an author of books on effective crime prevention programs. I was taught the significance of civic responsibility at a young age. Having called Granite City home for many years, the lack of connection from the community and its government has only become more evident.  

Granite City’s history dates back to 1896 when it was founded by two brothers, Frederick and William, as a company steel producing town. It became an industrial leader in the country. Unfortunately, since the 1970s, the city’s population has declined every year from a high of over 40,000 to 26,700 today.

But what has not declined is the heart and soul of this city. My Husband and I were blessed to have neighbors who aided us during flooding, car problems, and a tree knocking down a power line and a window. And whenever a tragedy occurs, this city responds with charity and donation drives. These are the reasons why my husband and I want to raise a family here, true small town values.  

Upon first moving here I bought a red tag home in Granite City, fixed it up and sold it to a deserving family. If I could do this by myself, why can the city not do the same thing? We can turn liabilities into assets by investing in our communities and our history. I have seen cities like New Orleans and San Francisco that have accomplished this and want to do the same thing for ours.

 It is heartbreaking to see so much of our history turn into empty fields. By demolishing every older historical abandoned home, Granite City is literally destroying its best hope in solving the need for affordable homes. And without housing, shelter, a basic need, people become desperate, and we are all witnessing the results of this with homelessness and crime. 

I have called several cities across America my home before moving to Granite City. I was born in Utah and grew up in Idaho. At a young age I wanted to live and experience more of this country and moved to Oregon. While there, I experienced a thriving community and strong connection to the government. But I knew there was more to see and experience in this great country and journeyed across America to New Orleans. While living there I saw a stark contrast to Oregon. While New Orleans has a deep history and tight knitted community, their local government was not representing them or their needs. 

By personally experiencing, experiential knowledge, living in both unincorporated and incorporated towns, thriving and failing local governments, I know what their differences were, civic pride and a healthy economic plan. With a strong bond between the government and the people with a new leader, image, agenda and reforms, Granite City can turn the page on its past history and image.

That is my vision for the city. To have a government that represents we the people and our needs. Instead of special interests and the downtown being the focus it must become the people and our neighborhoods.

Transparency and accountability needs to become the guiding principles for our government. 

I am not a career politician and have no connections to the local government or the special interests that have benefited financially at the expense of the people.

If elected as mayor, my plans will change the image of the city into what we the people deserve.

Announcement for Granite City Mayor