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 […]
redistricting
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
The first established politician has jumped into the race for Colorado’s new 8th Congressional District
State Rep. Yadira Caraveo, a Thornton Democrat and doctor who has been at the center of some of the most contentious policy debates at the legislature in recent years, announced her bid for Colorado’s new 8th Congressional District on Tuesday. “My parents immigrated to Colorado from Mexico, and raised me and my siblings to work […]
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 inGrowth, News
Is Mineral County — population 865 — really one of the fastest-growing counties in Colorado?
Janelle Kukuk had misgivings as soon as she heard how officials planned to conduct the once-a-decade census in tiny Mineral County. Dropping census packets off at people’s homes might work in cities and suburbs. But in this Colorado county of 865, residents live on sprawling acreages sometimes inaccessible to delivery people. Her UPS packages are […]
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 inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Littwin: It’s redistricting season, with a brand new nonpartisan commission. But where’s a little gerrymander when you need one?
As I’m sure you must have noticed, it’s redistricting season in Colorado and also the first time this once-a-decade event will be determined by a nonpartisan commission, with staff doing the preliminary line drawing. Like most Coloradans — who, after all, voted for the new law — I’m all for nonpartisan commissions. Except for one […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: A Colorado redistricting commission member offers a look under the hood at the process
Colorado’s 2021 redistricting of congressional and legislative districts is well underway even in the face of unusual obstacles. Preliminary staff-drawn maps of congressional districts were released last week by Colorado’s Independent Congressional Redistricting Commission, and initial state Senate and House district maps drawn by the Independent Legislative Redistricting Commission’s non-partisan staff will be issued Tuesday. […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Nicolais: Colorado’s first congressional redistricting map represents a good start
Colorado’s Independent Congressional Redistricting Commission issued its first map last week. At first blush, it looks like a solid attempt by commission staff to honor competing constitutional requirements. Not only does the new map have to adjust for population fluctuations across the state, but it is now required to incorporate competitiveness as a factor and […]