Did Colorado Democrats who signed on to and voted for Amendments Y and Z in 2018 — ordering the formation of independent redistricting commissions — do the right thing in giving up their power to draw their own congressional and legislative lines for the coming decade? The answer is yes, although maybe not an unqualified […]
redistricting commissions
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Nicolais: Colorado won with new redistricting commissions
Three years ago, Colorado voters approved the first major overhaul to the decennial redistricting process — redrawing congressional and legislative district boundaries — in a half century. With the new maps submitted to the state Supreme Court for review, it is apparent that Coloradans made the right choice. More than the maps themselves, the process […]
Posted inNews, Opinion, Opinion Columns
Littwin: Colorado GOP may get the best redistricting map it could have hoped for. What are the chances they’ll blow it?
If there’s anything we’ve learned from the great Colorado redistricting experiment, it’s this: Drawing lines is hard in any case, and drawing them fairly is that much harder. That’s not a surprise. The problem with fairness as a proposition is that it’s difficult to even define, much less achieve. But that was the goal — […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Democrats see consequences from redistricting reform push similar to Colorado’s
By Nicholas Riccardi, The Associated Press DENVER — Democrats argue that the once-a-decade process of redrawing political maps shouldn’t be a partisan cage match. In the name of good government and balance, they’ve pushed for independent commissions to do the work of rebalancing population changes into congressional districts. They’re about to feel the consequences of […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Remapping 2021 | Redistricting commissions prepare to draw another set of congressional, legislative maps
Welcome to our free newsletter on Colorado’s redistricting process. Sign up to receive it in your inbox. The 2020 census data is in. The first round of public hearings is coming to a close. And now nonpartisan redistricting staff will begin the monumental task of taking all the feedback they’ve heard over the past month […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Nicolais: A little advice for redistricting commissions weighing competitiveness
A few weeks ago, I ambled up to a podium in the auditorium of Golden High School to address a joint session of the congressional and legislative redistricting commissions. Having sat in their seat a decade ago, I had a couple suggestions. Trust the nonpartisan staff. They represent some of the finest public servants I […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
“We’re (expletive) idiots”: Some Democrats regret Colorado’s new redistricting process now that their party is in charge
In 2018, when Colorado Republicans and Democrats worked together to send Amendments Y and Z to voters in an attempt to tamp down the partisanship in the once-in-a-decade redistricting process, the state’s political landscape looked a lot different. The GOP controlled the state Senate, a U.S. Senate seat and the offices of treasurer, secretary of […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Wilson: Here’s Colorado’s most important upcoming battle over redistricting
Years ago, I sat in on a chess game at Brother Jeff’s Cultural Center, and overheard an elder explaining how politicians can choose their own voters. All they had to do was change the boundaries of a district. “Gerrymandering,” he called it. “How undemocratic,” I thought. They can just draw the lines that make up our […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Redistricting will reshape Colorado politics. But only 12 lobbyists have disclosed their work to influence the process.
A dozen people are registered to lobby the two commissions redrawing Colorado’s congressional and state legislative districts this year. But that meager number doesn’t reflect the extensive attempts to influence the Colorado Independent Congressional Redistricting Commission and the Colorado Independent Legislative Redistricting Commission. The commissions were created by voter approval of constitutional Amendments Y and […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Colorado’s congressional, legislative redistricting ramps up this summer. Here’s what you need to know to get involved.
Colorado is about to experience a hot redistricting summer as two appointed commissions prepare to draw new congressional and legislative maps and then hit the road to seek public input on them. The maps will include a new, eighth congressional district and redraw Colorado’s seven other U.S. House seats to account for the state’s 14.5% […]