Public Comments

Fort Collins should NOT be separated from the rest of Larimer County. Fort Collins should be in the 2nd district and not the 4th as this map is currently drawn. The 4th district is rural with agriculture and ranching which does not resemble an urban area like Fort Collins in most ways. The County seat is Fort Collins in Larimer County. The 4th district could make up this loss in population by incorporating more of southeastern Colorado which does resemble the same interests and concerns as the northeastern farmers and ranchers. The north and central Front Range of Colorado should be put together in the same district due to the similar circumstances and concerns people face in these areas.

I am only concerned with District 2, where I live. Why would an "independent" commission change this district to be so blatantly Democratic when we used to be safely Republican? Those of us on the west Slope have nothing in common with the people, especially Boulder, on the Front Range! Yes, we have some liberal pockets, Steamboat Springs, but for the most part are very conservative. We are the complete opposite from the Front Range. All this does it disenfranchise voters on the West Slope. Why vote when there is no chance we can get more votes than 2 Front Range counties? I sincerely hope this is not the final map that's chosen and that future maps will not be so blatantly liberal! Colorado is conservative, other than the I-25 and I-70 corridors, and should have some chance to show the rest of our values without being outvoted by the cities. We are rural, conservative and agricultural while the Front Range is liberal and urban. We don't share concerns on firearm ownership, social "safety nets" or "social justice" issues. Here, we believe that if you are doing something illegal, you should be arrested and jailed. Not quite how Boulder thinks! Thank you, Nick Janota

The western slope should not be divided.

The non urban areas are always an afterthought. They are underrepresented in the US. Just as Illinois forgets the people outside Chicago Colorado does the same outside of Denver/Boulder

I wrote some comments - But I do not think they went through, so I am re-writing my comments. Regarding the Public Meeting on September 8 Concerning CD4 and Douglas County... I agree with the assessment from Dennis Sands that most, if not all, of Douglas could be mapped into a Rural CD (as it was before). Parker, for example, holds onto its early rural heritage with its "historic downtown," annual Xmas Carriage Parade, and ties to the Colorado Horse Park south of town. The Douglas County County Fair still emphasizes its Rodeo, home crafts competition, and 4H. While the letter and Map the Democratic CD4 Exec committee submitted in June did suggest that the "cities" in Douglas should be mapped to a metro CD, they could also stay rural. As Dennis said, Douglas tends to vote rural, except for maybe Highlands Ranch. While the Preliminary Staff Map, supported the initial comments from the CD4 Exec Committee better than than the First Staff Map, where Douglas was split between rural and urban, all (or most) of Douglas could be left in CD4, where it has been for the last 10 years. The CD4 Exec Committee was also very much in favor of keeping urban out of a rural CD to the degree possible and liked the Preliminary Staff Map that added more counties to CD4 in order to increase the population without adding Douglas or Boulder Cities into the mix. It did leave in Greeley, but Greeley, as a "big city" is likely more rural than any of the other "big cities" that could be include in a Rural District. As mentioned at the meeting, it has more of a rural economic base. So I am inclined to go along with other's that said to build off staff's preliminary map, building up the population numbers off those edges rather than using the First Staff Map. I have attached the letter we submitted in June for your reference.

I am writing to you as a Colorado Native. I am outraged over the new redistricting map proposed. This looks like another way for democrats to cheat to gain total control of another state. The last redistridcting left me with Dianna DeGette. Her former district was Denver. Denver has nothing in common with South JEFFCO/Columbine/Ken Caryl and Douglas County. She did not represent us. Numerous occasions I contacted her to relay my concerns over issues. I got a typical response letter she sent to everyone thanking me for my contacting her OR I never got a reponse at all. I felt left out and just a number in the census counted for her. This new redistricting will not represent any of the counties outside of Denver/Boulder. There will be NO representation for the western slope being added to Boulder. Boulder has a total different agenda than farmers on the western slope. This particale redistricting is obvioulsy an attempt to remove Lauren Boebert. This new district map clearly denies the existence of the suburbs, farm lands, recreational parks (both community and national parks), vacation areas and more. This new map is clearly giving Boulder and Denver priority. It's unfair to counties that do not come close to the heavily populated Denver/Boulder. The majority of Colorados population reside in Denver/Boulder voting dominatly democratic. It clearly displays no one counts expect the two most populated counties. As for my county, South Jefferson/Douglas County, there are major employers such as Lockheed Martin, Charles United Launch Alliance, Arrow and more. Their employess reside across both JEFFCO and DOUGCO. These residents have the same suburban community interests. As it is now, these counties/communities have NO representation now. This new redistricting will guarantee we will NEVER have the represention we want, deserve or need. Many Coloradoans, including natives, are moving out of this beautiful state because Denver/Boulder are governing the entire state. I My family (5 generations of Colorado Natives), and friends are furious, as am I, about this obvious proposal fo democratic domination in Colorado. Sandi Ahlstrom Current JEFFCO resident of 40 years.

As a rural Coloradoan I feel underrepresented by this proposed map. I want to make sure my rural vote is not watered down by the urban vote. This will only make the rural-urban divide even greater. I find it interesting that this map was proposed late Friday before a long weekend with only 4 days to provide feedback. Sincerely, Cheryl DiPaolo

Just leave the districts alone all ready. We all know the only reason y'all are doing this is so the liberals can cheat more so than they already do & us citizens are sick and tired of this crap from the liberal elites!!!!!

There is absolutely no reason why Parker should be split between two districts. Parker is a solid, all for one town with no social issues, and it should remain that way. It is a community of interest. The boundary should follow the county line as this is the most logical way to create one district..

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Colorado Independent Congressional Redistricting Commission; I am writing, today, to strongly urge you to include the wants, needs and desires of all the people of Colorado when discussing and deciding any pending congressional redistricting plans and/or options that may be under consideration. Recent public information indicates that you appear to have neglected and ignored the interests of all of rural Colorado by giving Front Range inhabitants priority and a stronger voice in deciding statewide concerns and issues. This is blatantly wrong and unfair to the whole of the rest of this state's residents. One example of the inequity created by the proposed redistricting would directly affect every citizen's Second Amendment rights by allowing anti-gun, anti-2A candidates to have the distinct, unfair advantage of a greater 'reach' in their campaigning efforts. Ultimately, pro-2A, pro-1A, and pro-life candidates would be unfairly dis-advantaged in their campaigning efforts if these redistricting plans are sanctioned. Therefore, I respectfully request that you all work to draw the fairest, most equitable redistricting maps that truly consider and strive for the greatest benefit to ALL of Colorado's citizens. Thank you.