Public Comments

The September 15th Second Staff Plan map delivers equal representation for Rural Colorado. It ensures Congressional districts are well represented and not dominated by Denver which has very different interests. To split the Western Slope in any way would compromise the unity required to properly represent the interests of the region. The Western Slope’s agricultural, industrial, water and recreational economies rely on well-informed local representatives to protect our community’s unique interests at the federal levels. Keep the West Slope whole.

We live and farm in Eastern Colorado. We own land in Kit Carson and Yuma Counties. Rural life is something we treasure and want to ensure it continues for our son and his sons! Our son is taking over the family farm and his oldest son is joining in the family business. Our communities are definitely centered around agriculture production! It's of deep concern to us that our communities continue to have a governmental vote that follows our community concerns protecting agriculture and our way of living in Eastern Colorado! We are definitely a Community of Interest out here! We have very different issues and thinking than the Western Colorado area due to our agriculture interests and sparse population. PLEASE keep our legislative district specific to our rural area! Dennis & Karen Towns

Addendum to previous comment: Please note that Broomfield is a city and a county. Dividing Broomfield into two CDs could impede interface needed between the county and the federal government for health and safety, emergencies, and infrastructure. (We did have a federal flood disaster in this county in 2013) Also, the maps as drawn are dividing residential neighborhoods. The county serves all the neighborhoods. If there is a disaster, one side of a neighborhood might get unequal federal assistance or attention.

The third version of the Congressional Redistricting is much improved and is by far the best of the three.

I am letting you know that I support the CD-03 map configuration you submitted June 23rd of this year. It makes the most sense to me and better serves both the Eastern Slope and Western Slope of Colorado. Due to the size of forestry that is on the Western part of Rocky Mountain divide, we need to be united and together on the drinking water supplies needed for our communities including agricultural needs. This dynamic is also best served though the preliminary map plan in June. Lumping Western Slope with Boulder and Larimer Counties does a disservice to the residents and needs of both parties involved. The CD-03 released in June is a better fit for residents of both sides of the Continental Divide. We are not familiar with their needs and they are not familiar with ours. Don't mix apples and oranges. The preliminary map in June is also more consistent with the Congressional Constitution language voted in be the voters. Please respect the way of life we have on the Western side of the divide and allow the Eastern side of the divide to have their issues met by not putting one representative in a untenable position to please both sides! Keep Western interests together and whole and do the same for the Eastern side of the divide.

The Western Slope is so very different from the front range communities. With the all the lands that we steward and the different kinds of tourism and economic activities it seems to make sense to keep the counties united for accurate representation of both. Glad to see this revision that seems to serve the West Slope and Eastern Plains best. I am hopeful that the Commission will adopt one of these two maps.

I live in Broomfield, which has been part of Congressional District. Broomfield has been in the very SE corner of this district which includes Superior, Boulder, Mountain communities and towns in the Front Range to the north. Broomfield is a fairly new suburban community which is made up of numerous neighborhoods. As someone who has taken a strong interest in Broomfield government in the last six years, I want you to know that it is important to not divide Broomfield into two different districts with different representation in Congress. It is extremely important for the continuity of this town to remain in one district. To me, it is preferable to keep the district as close as possible to District 2. We like Joe Neguse and he has don't a lot for Broomfield. Mr. Neguse often participates in local events. We don't want to lose him, nor do the majority of residents want to be mixed in with communities which we have nothing in common. As an example, Colorado Senate District 23, has Broomfield combined with locations on either side of Interstate 25 going north, which is rural and mostly farming areas, very unlike Broomfield itself. Broomfield has much more in common with communities to the west and north than it does to communities to the east and south. But most of all, keep Broomfield as a whole, in one district. Thank you.

the voices of numerous voters are being silenced by this redistricting. please don't do this!!

The current preliminary map is absolutely appalling to consider. Once again, rural Colorado sees ourselves being forced into urban and suburban communities with which we have nothing in common. Rural and frontier Colorado have unique interests and issues. We are all Coloradans. We are all Americans. We deserve to be heard, which never will happen when our voice is diluted by those noisier communities surrounding us. Out here, we enjoy cattle drives instead of light rail. We shop at mom-and-pop businesses instead of megamalls. We smell the life-giving soil instead of the choking smog. When our Congressional representatives are urban, they cannot characterize and exemplify a lifestyle they can’t understand. They will side with urban every time, because that’s where their voter base is. Joining Jefferson County and other urban or suburban communities is not in our best interests. Rather, I urge you to reconsider the June preliminary plan, which included two distinct rural districts so we have a voice. We may live in the wilderness, but we don’t want to be lost and forgotten here. I urge you to return to that June map; at the very least, slide Fremont, Teller, Park, and Chaffee Counties in with the Third Congressional District instead of with our urban cousins. Thank you.

I just want to thank the redistricting committee for their hard work developing the legislative districts. I live in Larimer county and am happy to see that the committee has worked to fairly divide the area, ensuring that a broad range of voices and interests are represented. I know it's not an easy task, and I appreciate your commitment to equity. Thank you.