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Opportunities for Public Engagement

“Citizens want and deserve an inclusive and meaningful congressional [legislative] redistricting process that provides the public with the ability to be heard as redistricting maps are drawn […]”
-Colorado Constitution, Article V, Section 44 (1)(f) and Section 46 (1)(f)

The Colorado Independent Redistricting Commissions are committed to taking the voice of the people into account as congressional and legislative maps are developed.  There are a number of ways to tell the commissioners your thoughts and ideas:

  1. (Preferred option.) Use our web form to submit public comment.  **web form has been disabled as redistricting has concluded.
  2. Email your written comments to colorado.redistricting2020@state.co.us. Please include your full name and your zip code.
  3. Use our Redistricting Online Portal to draw and submit your map.
  4. Prepare a map of your community using a free web program and submit it as an attachment or link on the web form.  (We recommend Representable and Dave's Redistricting.)
  5. Testify during a public hearing. The last round of public hearings will be September 7-10 for congressional maps and September 17-18 for legislative maps.

Written materials can also be submitted by mail to:

Colorado Independent Redistricting Commissions
1580 Logan St, Suite 430
Denver, CO 80203

Please note that all comments submitted to the redistricting commissions are public records under Colorado law and will be published on the commissions’ website, subject to staff moderation for relevance and inappropriate content.

We are particularly interested in learning about your communities of interest.  The Colorado Constitution uses the same definition of “community of interest” for congressional and legislative redistricting.  For the congressional commission, this can be found at Section 44 (3)(b), Article V.  The equivalent language for the legislative commission is at Section 46 (3)(b) and noted in brackets below:

 (I) "Community of interest" means any group in Colorado that shares one or more substantial interests that may be the subject of federal [or state] legislative action, is composed of a reasonably proximate population, and thus should be considered for inclusion within a single district for purposes of ensuring its fair and effective representation.
(II) Such interests include but are not limited to matters reflecting:
(A) Shared public policy concerns of urban, rural, agricultural, industrial, or trade areas; and
(B) Shared public policy concerns such as education, employment, environment, public health, transportation, water needs and supplies, and issues of demonstrable regional significance.
(III) Groups that may comprise a community of interest include racial, ethnic, and language minority groups, subject to compliance with subsections (1)(b) and (4)(b) of section 44.3 [or 48.1] of this article V, which subsections protect against the denial or abridgement of the right to vote due to a person's race or language minority group.
(IV) "Community of interest" does not include relationships with political parties, incumbents, or political candidates.

Here are some questions to get you started:

  • What shared interests unite your community?
  • What are your community’s public policy concerns?
  • What geographic areas or features are important to your community?
  • What else should the commissions know about your community?

If you are more comfortable commenting in a language other than English, you may do so. Comments in other languages will be translated for the commissions.

Si prefiere comentar en español, puede hacerlo. Los comentarios en otros idiomas serán traducidos para las comisiones.