Public Comments

Being from Phillips County I oppose the first draft of the redistricting map. Phillips county is a rural community, and redrawing the districts would limit our lack of representation even more so than it is now. Keeping the western slope as the 3rd congressional district and the eastern plains as the 4th congressional district will continue to provide those rural communities with the appropriate voice they need. The Eastern plains are a tight knit area. Each county is connected by a family-like mindset. Yes, we are each our own county, but we still go help a neighbor in need. The Eastern Plains is all connected by 3 things: Farming, Ranching, and Agriculture in general. Redrawing the map to include counties like Boulder, Larimer, and Douglas to the Eastern Plains is not giving our small counties on the Eastern side of the state fair representation. We have smaller populations out here, and including those bigger counties with larger populations will take our voices away. We deserve that fair representation! Keeping Eastern Colorado as one district is the correct thing to do as we are all like-minded counties. We all have the same interests: Farming, Ranching, and Agriculture!

To: Colorado Independent Redistricting Commission: I would like to thank you for the opportunity to share my views on the First Staff Plan – Congressional Map. First allow me to express my sincere gratitude for the tireless work of the Colorado Independent Redistricting Commission staff. It is my understanding that the First Congressional Staff Plan was prepared by the “nonpartisan staff” in hopes of achieving a supermajority vote of approval from the commission as required by the Colorado Constitution. Per your website, it states that you are especially interested in what Coloradans view as their communities of interest1. In addition, Sections 44 through 44.6 of Article V of the Colorado Constitution defines “community of interest” which is what I will be addressing in my remarks. As a former Mayor in Douglas County and as a long-standing resident of Elbert County, I believe that experience allows me to offer you a unique perspective pertaining to the overall fairness and effective representation of the First Staff Congressional Map. The voices in rural Colorado communities proudly express their deep appreciation for the neighboring communities that share their economic industries and share their rural way of life. With the expansion of the 2nd Congressional District 2 stretching out to the western Colorado border, I am deeply concerned about the overall fairness and effective representation of the voices of Routt, Moffat, Rio Blanco and Garfield Counties. The potential of federal legislative action within this district is real and could do irreparable harm to Colorado as it will only further intensify the division between the rural Colorado way of life and the Urban Corridor way of life. The mindset and way of life of the people living in heavily populated urban centers is vastly different than the mindset and way of life of the people living in scarcely populated rural areas. I believe that the people of Colorado would be better served by the Colorado Independent Redistricting Commission were to direct staff to revise the map to better incorporate those two very important elements.

Most of the front range communities come to the west slope to recreate. We have nothing in common. Keep the east slope on the east slope and the west slope on the west slope. The east slope population centers should not be allowed to hold sway over the west slope. Thank you.

Leave the district encompassing Larimer County alone! We don’t have as much in common with Weld County as for the proposed changes to make sense. Our economy in Fort Collins is largely service & education based, as opposed to agrarian and the oil industry. Thanks for your consideration. Do more for BIPOC, as well, please!!

I do not agree that Fort Collins should be in the eastern rural district. We have different needs and different perspectives and should be grouped together as though we are the same. It doesn’t make sense for Fort Collins to be separated from the rest of Larimer county. Also the rural communities deserve to have their own voice so their needs are addressed. Neither Fort Collins nor the rural communities should have their voices drowned out by the other. Each community should be represented and heard equally.

I am concerned and opposed to the current redistricting plan that carves out Fort Collins from Larimer County and pushes it into Weld County. I have lived in both counties and can assure you they are nothing alike. Weld County is an agricultural community, and aligns itself more with the ranches of the plains in eastern Weld County. It is more conservative not just politically but philosophically. It has a “good old boys” system in place that directs much of what happens in the county. As a former public health nurse in Weld County the majority of the population on the eastern plains are not interested in activities to the west but prefer to remain on the plains for ranching and hunting activities. Fort Collins, is the county seat of Larimer County so I can’t imagine why you would pull it away from the rest of the county. With it’s proximity to the mountains, Fort Collins has a larger tourist industry, a more physically active population that enjoy hiking in the Poudre Canyon, water sports on Horsetooth Reservoir, and enjoyment of activities in Rocky Mountain National Park. Larimer County is more progressive: focused on environmental issues, climate issues, equity and diversity and has a strong connection with CSU and their programs. Fort Collins will not be adequately represented if incorporated into the Weld County Congressional District and in fact this plan will probably do economic damage to Fort Collins. Please listen to the residents of the city and revise your plans.

I am so totally saddened regarding any redistricting Rio Blanco County and Garfield County and Moffat County into the Boulder area. We are so much different than that area, we are total opposites. Our votes will be eradicated from existence, I'm positive that this is what the total plan is today. We all know it, we all feel it. You will kill off a culture of people and totally destroy this state. I beg you to not allow this to happen, please!! I love my Colorado but I am ready to move from here, or maybe our next step is to ask Wyoming if we could be part of them..........it is about time!!! Our country is so corrupt!! God bless Western Colorado!!

To all members of the Redistricting Committee, This is an appeal to the committee members to do the right thing by all the state constituents. Common sense and honest reasoning will determine how the boundaries should be fixed. Honest and fair apportionment across the state will be a boon for everyone. Decisions made that lend the most positive support and the least disruption consequences to rural or urban living, should be the primary goal. When the people see that every effort has been put forth to do that, they will know that each one has done his very best to accomplish his representative duty. If not, then it will be affixed on the record that other measures were put in place that rendered benefit to the populace as secondary. Many statewide will be watching with interest to measure your standards in this redistricting effort. Thanks for your consideration. Sharon Scutti 719 248-8193

Are you serious? The new map is as unfair as can be. The districts should have the same interest in common. Boulder is as opposite as Rio Blanco county can be! They oppose the oil and gas industry! They voted to introduce wolves to OUR backyard NOT theirs! I oppose this redistributing!

As a resident of Grand County, I do not want to be represented by Lauren Boebert. She supported the treasonous actions taken on the US Capitol and, as a result, cost several law enforcement officials their lives. She believes in dangerous and delusional QAnon theories, that actively encourage people to go out and target their family, friends, and neighbors with differing political beliefs. Just a few weeks ago, a father in California killed his two children due to this entirely false and patently absurd conspiracy theory. I do not want someone who is fundamentally incapable of distinguishing fact from fiction to be representing us. Boebert's belief in this shows that she lacks the appropriate judgement to do what's in our community's best interests. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/california-dad-killed-his-kids-over-qanon-serpent-dna-conspiracy-n1276611 https://www.npr.org/2021/08/13/1027133867/children-dead-father-claims-qanon-conspiracy-led-him-to-kill https://people.com/crime/matthew-coleman-case-father-allegedly-killed-kids-qanon-conspiracy/ https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/boebert-gop-qanon-congress-democrats-b1819868.html https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/11/us/politics/republicans-capitol-riot.html