Public Comments

I oppose the first staff drawn map due to a lack of rural representation. As presented, Moffat and Rio Blanco counties are included in the same district as Boulder and Larimer counties even though the latter counties are not representative of the needs of Moffat and Rio Blanco counties. I would prefer to keep the western slope third congressional district and eastern plains fourth congressional district as is because these districts are appropriately serving rural communities. Strong rural representation is of the utmost priority. Earlier this year, two former Colorado Commissioners of Agriculture and thirteen organizations, including CCA, sent a letter to the Colorado Congressional Redistricting Commission requesting fair representation of rural Colorado. The letter asked for the redistricting map drawing process to begin by drawing two rural districts from the 53 counties that are not part of the Front Range, from Colorado Springs to Fort Collins. By starting with a goal of two rural seats, congressional representatives would not be forced to choose between rural needs and the issues that matter to suburbia. Additional talking points included in the letter can be found here:

The proposed District 4 map does not meet the stated goals of the commission to preserve communities of interest. Fort Collins’ economic and public policy concerns differ greatly from those of the vast eastern plains and the town of Castle Rock located 93 miles south. Fort Collins is an urban community, the fourth largest in the state of Colorado, with a workforce that attracts established high-tech companies and innovative start-ups. Some of research done at schools within Colorado State University’s does link Fort Collins to companies in eastern Colorado. However, research done by a subsection of a large university is not a compelling reason to define congressional representation. Economic drivers of the Eastern plains including large-scale agriculture, animal husbandry, and mining are very different than Fort Collins’ economic interests. Northern Colorado, with Fort Collins as Larimer County’s governmental seat, is also home to companies developing ground-breaking semi-conductor research and inventive engines, turbines, and control systems. Companies in Fort Collins are working to counter and address climate change through science and engineering. As Fort Collins’ metropolitan area has grown, it has become increasingly attractive to start-ups with ties to Denver, Boulder, Austin-Texas, and Silicon Valley. For similar reasons, our Northern Colorado airport will launch its first flights in years west to Southern California, not east to more agriculturally driven communities. Culturally, Fort Collins differs greatly from communities in the Eastern plains. Cycling, electric vehicle infrastructure, municipal public transit, brewing, and music are huge cultural drivers for our city. When new restaurants pop up in Fort Collins, because of shared regional economic interests it is common for them to have sister-restaurants in Denver and Boulder (see Snooze, Next Door, Jax Fish House, etc.). Our health care systems also create employment ties up and down the front range corridor. Being a city, Fort Collins deals with public policy issues like equity, diversity, wildfire mitigation, homelessness, housing affordability, and income inequality. By lumping Fort Collins together with the Eastern plains, our need for congressional representation to address such pressing issues is no longer prioritized. While I understand that the redistricting process is not an easy task, grouping Fort Collins with the eastern plains, an area spanning over 300 miles away, makes absolutely no sense. Please redraw the map with a better understanding of our overall economic needs, public policy concerns, culture, and community.

Hello Redistricting Commission, My name is Jess Cannon and I live in Las Animas County. I have been looking at the new redistricting map and I am concerned about rural Colorado’s voice. I would like to see a map that has at least two rural areas to keep rural Colorado’s voice from getting squashed by the densely populated areas. For example, Pueblo County has a population of 165,982 and it take 15 smaller counties to equal Pueblo County. The 15 smaller counties populations are – Las Animas County 14,266, Otero County 18,282, Crowley County 5,754, Huerfano County 6,679, Custer County 4,776, Costilla County 3,745, Alamosa County 14,266, Rio Grande County 11,305, Conejos County 8,049, Saguache County 6,592, Archuleta County 13,256, Hinsdale County 857, Mineral County 824, San Juan County 589 and La Plata County 55,617. The numbers are from Colorado Counties by Population (colorado-demographics.com). What I have seen in the past is a hand full of counties that decide elections for all of Colorado. I have grown up in rural Colorado and I would like to see us represented with a bigger voice. Thank you.

Don't quit understand why urban city think they need a say in what rural farming and ranchers are doing. If you don't have a dog in the hunt, set on the side, we don't have a say in your home owners association.

With the new map you have taken away any representation I had to the federal government. I have nothing in common with Boulder and the I 25 corridor. They have different interests in healthcare, transportation, education and water rights. I have tried to contact my representative numerous time and I have never gotten a response. He doesn't have to because he does not need my vote. Please return to the map you presented to summit county in July.

They way the proposed map is drawn out does not make sense. Denver and Boulder does not and should not speak for the rural/agricultural/energy counties of this state. There should be a bipartisan committee that should oversee this. Turning this great state into California junior. Should be ashamed of whomever thinks this is a good thing. Most of the commission is either CU grads and have ties to Boulder or the university in one way or another, then the others in the commission are from out of state. How about finding people that have a vested interest in this state instead of trying to change it into something that 5th generation Coloradoans, like myself, do NOT want?

Summit and Eagle Counties have far more in common than the other redistricting suggestions. We are resort, second home communities and should not be separated. Please out of convenience, or population count or political affiliation, do not try to lump us into Boulder or Jefferson Counties with which we have nothing in common.

To whom it may concern: I am a fifth generation rancher in Moffat County & my ancestors homesteaded here in 1915. My son is the sixth generation on both sides of his family. We are Centennial Ranchers, meaning we still have the original family homestead in agriculture production for over 100 years. I am writing to oppose the proposed map which includes Moffat County as part of Boulder and the northern front range. As I put my initial anger aside and try to answer your questions, I am confused as why you would even consider Moffat County could be fairly represented by Boulder County. We have no shared interests and will only further divide our communities. Moffat County loves our wide open spaces, blue skies and fresh air. We have made a good living from our clean burning power plant and environmentally responsible coal plants. Now that COVID has introduced the front range to Moffat County we are over ran with tourists, bike riders and solar panels. While Moffat County was know for it's great hunting, front range supported policies including the ballot voted Wolf Initiative will have far reaching impacts on our wildlife and local economy. Moffat County was also a responsible partner in oil and gas and economic development. Again, front range politics has shut down the oil and gas industry in Colorado. The proposed map is another BLATANT ATTEMPT at DESTROYING MOFFAT COUNTY and the livelihoods we work hard for and enjoy. We are proud of our community and will fight to protect it from the LIBERAL OVEREACH of the FRONT RANGE AND GOVERNOR POLIS'. PLEASE RECONSIDER THE PROPOSED REDISTRICTING! WESTERN COLORADO SHOULD BE REPRESENTED BY THOSE WHO LIVE AND WORK HERE. GOD BLESS AMERICA & MOFFAT COUNTY!

I looked with dismay at the map this commission has created for voting districts. I have lived in Larimer County for 30-some years, and this is the first year I can remember that Democrats have been elected to a position of control in the County Commissioners race —a result of population growth and changing political attitudes. Weld County has always been ultra-conservative —to the point of attempting to succeed from the state when they didn’t get what they wanted from state government. So why are you carving Fort Collins out of Larimer County and positioning those voters against the voters in Weld County? It appears to be a win-win for “conservative” voters: removing the city from Larimer County increases the ”conservatives” odds in Larimer County, returning it to conservative control, while at the same time, diluting the progressives influence by forcing them into the ultra-conservative Weld County district where their votes can be absorbed into the overwhelmingly conservative district, thus depriving progressives of having any political impact. In fact, it appears that this redistricting is accomplishing the very gerrymandering that it is supposed to be preventing! Please try again

I am very concerned about the proposal to move Ft. Collins into the 4th Congressional District. This appears to not serve either the current citizens of District 4 nor Ft. Collins or other citizens of District 2, such as myself. This can create division and conflict in District 4 and, regardless of the motive, this can have the appearance and effect of gerrymandering in both districts. This change would shift a significant block of left leaning voters to a district where their voice will be overwhelmed by the very right leaning District 4 and removing disproportionately left leaning voters from District 2, which has a more balanced population at this time, thereby skewing the balance to the right via moving boundaries rather than representing real demographic changes. The needs, expectations, priorities and perspectives of Ft. Collins citizens and those of District 4, reflect the differences of the two areas. District 4 is largely agrarian, with agriculture, food processing and oil extraction and like similar areas elsewhere, their expectations of government tend to prioritize decreased regulations, limited social programming and limited environmental regulations and are supportive of those industries. In contrast, Ft. Collins is an urban area and their industrial base is largely manufacturing and service related. Ft. Collins has primary connections to the south, with the Denver metro area and Boulder County, rather than that of District 4. Their expectations of government tend to prioritize a more progressive social agenda, higher value of environmental practices, such as oil extraction and not concerned about the industries of District 4. They rank with the cities highest in environmental regulation and related practices in Colorado. District 2 represents the needs expectations of government and perspectives than that of largely rural District 4. Citizens should have their desires, needs and perspectives fairly represented. Given that District 4 has very different desires, needs and perspectives than that of Ft. Collins, there appears to be little to gain in terms of having desires met and more to lose by moving Ft. Collins into Congressional District 4. Thank you for your consideration, Sincerely, Philip Bolduc