Pawan Nelson
Democrat
Lawyer, Self-Employed
Juris Doctor (Columbia University 2009); Master in Teaching (Pace University 2006); Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (Harvard University 2004)
80203
In 2016, I was a delegate in the Denver County Democratic Assembly, and donated money to Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. In 2020, I was a poll watcher for the Democratic party, and donated money to Joe Biden's presidential campaign, John Hickenlooper's senatorial campaign, and to the DNC.
N/A
For the past 5 years, I have represented a number of organizations and individuals as an attorney in courts and arbitral forums in Colorado. I have taken my ethical obligation to provide strong representation for my clients seriously, and will advocate for the interests of all Coloradans as a member of this commission.
Like many people in this state, I was excited to vote for Amendments Y and Z so that Colorado would have an independent process for redistricting, thereby avoiding the gerrymandering that we see in other states. However, I recently saw media reports that suggested that the current application pool for the commission does not reflect the diversity of the state. I want to serve on the commission to ensure that the commission reflects Colorado's racial and ethnic diversity, and that the new congressional and legislative maps are fair to all Coloradans.
Throughout my career as an attorney, I've found that seemingly intractable disputes can be solved by showing respect, listening carefully to the other side, and working hard to find common ground. As a member of this commission, I will be collegial and respectful towards the other commissioners, I will listen carefully to and consider other perspectives, and I will strive to find common ground with all the other commissioners so that the process results in a map that is fair to everyone.
As a litigation attorney practicing in various substantive areas, I have repeatedly been charged with solving problems in emotionally fraught and high-stakes situations. So, I have developed the ability to spot issues in various substantive contexts, conduct research on those issues, formulate solutions to those issues, and persuade others to adopt my point of view. As a commissioner, I will bring these analytical skills to the table and work hard with my fellow commissioners to solve any problems that arise.
Male