Public Comments

Dear Commissioners- Again, many thanks for your hard work on behalf of the citizens of Colorado. You are close to accomplishing your task and I hope that your minds remain open to the Schuster map, which eliminates so many of the issues with the previous congressional maps and creatively addresses the requirements to which you must adhere. It creates a southern CO district, preserving Tribal nations and cultural heritage, as well as Latino cultural heritage. It recognizes that rural communities are not all alike. It creates three competitive districts in the process, something that was not accomplished with the second Staff Map, which made CD 3 entirely uncompetitive. Keeping Tribal nations together is critical because it recognizes that much of SW Colorado is on unceded indigenous land. Tribal Nations deserve at least this much. There has been a great deal of discussion about the Roaring Fork Valley - and the Schuster map preserves that as a community of interest and a competitive district. I know you carry the weight of the realization that your decisions will affect Colorado for the next 10+ years heavy on your minds. None of us have a crystal ball with which to see the future. Perhaps your guidance, in addition to the constitutional requirements, should be to do the most good with the least harm. Thank you for listening to the voices of Colorado's citizens- Mary Dodd

I live in Eagle County and find the Schuster map to be the best fit for us. We are with our western and southern neighbors which include other ski resort areas as well as rural areas. In the past., and in other proposed maps, our liberal leaning county has been drowned out by uncompetitive conservative areas so much so that we don’t even have a chance of our area having actual representative representation in the halls of Congress. Thank you for this chance to voice our opinion.

I support the Schuster Map which keeps our CD3 communities together and keeps the district together. Thank you

Hello, We have lived our whole lives in Colorado. We are proud at acknowledge that we have also lived in Loveland for 30 years. We are very much apposed to having Loveland redistricted and moved to be represented by Weld County. We are in strong support of staying in CD2 (with Rep. Joe Neguse as our Representative). Thank you. Steve & Gail Canaiy

We like the Schuster Map. It not only makes a Southern Colorado district with Latino and Native heritage possible, it creates three competitive districts in the process - more competitive than the Second Staff Map. Please understand that Southwest Colorado has little shared economic or occupational interest with Grand Junction, Craig, and Boulder. The Schuster map uses two districts for Western Colorado that better reflects communities of similar interest. I prefer the Schuster Map because it keeps Southwest Colorado together. It also keeps the Roaring Fork Valley together, and keeps the San Luis Valley together with Pueblo and Pueblo's agricultural region. Thus it keeps more communities of interest and economies whole than the Second Staff Map which I do not like. Best of all, the Schuster Map is the most competitive map still on your table because it creates three competitive districts. Southern Colorado is diverse in our politics between communities but interdependent in our economies. Rural agricultural communities need mountain town markets and jobs. Competitive districts are needed for our region to create solutions that work for our future. Finally the Schuster Map keeps Mesa County whole with its major economic and extractive industries neighbor of Garfield County to the north. Thank you for this opportunity to comment.

Hello, I am writing to you today as both a resident of western Colorado and the director of Western Colorado Alliance, a community organization representing over 2,000 members and supporters across western Colorado, from Durango to Craig. As an organization of members and leaders who daily work with our local, state and federal officials to create health, just and self-reliant communities in our region, the impact of the re-districting maps will impact our lives and community profoundly. As the Commission is considering the final maps, we strongly encourage you to prioritize fairly balanced and competitive districts for western Colorado. We are a strictly non-partisan organization, and offer our comments in the interest of supporting strong and robust civic engagement in our democratic process. It is good for our communities and the health of our democracy to have competitive races so that candidates of any party have to listen, engage, and respond to their constituents. We should not live in communities governed by party politics, and western Colorado has suffered from an imbalanced Congressional District for many years. To this end, I urge you to support the Schuster Map and create two competitive districts for Western and Southern Colorado. Thank you for your consideration and your work. regards, t’s called the Schuster Map and it’s below. Commission will vote on it today and we desperately need short public comments submitted by NOON online in its favor. The alternative is a blood red CD3 with Boebert forever. Please write a comment below and let the commission know you want a competitive district in your community and add any arguments for why the Schuster Map makes sense to you. Thanks

Writing in support of the Schuster Map. I am a Western Coloradan living in an un-competitive district (CD3). The political diversity in CD3 is not represented and should be split into two more competitive districts so that the will of the electorate can be heard.

I live in Las Animas county north of Trinidad and I support the Schuster map because it creates Western and Southern competitive districts and preserves our community of common interests in Southern Colorado.

I was afraid that I would regret Colorado's redistricting process which I initially applauded UNTIL I saw the Schuster Map which finally makes sense. I pray it will be approved today. If not, I'll have to throw in the towel on engaging in any politics as people in my area will not be represented appropriately. PLEASE make me glad I initially applauded Colorado's non-partisan redistricting process. The eyes of the country are on our process and its results. Thank you.

Please adopt the Schuster map. For far too long CD3 has not been representative of the folks in Pueblo County. Additionally Western Colorado is seen as a monolith. It is time for that part of the state to have districts that represent the people who live in them.