Public Comments

Looking at the proposed congressional redistricting plan, it it abundantly clear that the plan will put urban/metro areas in control of the congressional districts without regard to the voice of rural Colorado. I am strongly opposed to the latest plan that was released last Friday (before a long holiday weekend). This drastic change is detrimental to agricultural and oil and gas enterprises in Colorado, both of which provide a great deal of revenue in Colorado. For example, it makes no sense that voters in Boulder will make decisions for northwest Colorado. Likewise, why should Ft. Collins and Greeley voters override decisions on needs that will be made for eastern Colorado or Grand Junction voters make decision that will affect the totality of western Colorado. This plan waters down the rural vote in Colorado, and I suspect that this is the purpose of this redistricting map. This is UNFAIR representation and it is meant to override the votes of rural Coloradans. Please do not accept this redistricting map as proposed.

I live in Douglas County and am very concerned that the Congressional Redistricting Commission is currently planning to draw Douglas County into the same congressional district as Limon, Kiowa, and Sterling (again!) This line that situates DougCo with the Eastern Plains does NOT adequately represent who we are as a county. We are a Front Range metro area, and our leadership (legislative and congressional) should represent us as such.

I am a 4th generation Colorado native, my family came to Colorado in 1870. That being said, there are issues which affect certain parts of the state that require a legislative district to encompass a section of the state to address those issues in a reasonable and efficient manner with the least amount of red tape possible. The Western Slope is such a district and needs to be in one legislative district. A peach grower in Palisade has different needs and issues than a student in Boulder. It was set up this way for a reason and changing it will only further change Colorado forever for the worse. Thank you.

The revised map is an obvious plan to remove non socialist opinion from Colorado policy. The metro Denver precincts are obvious 'BALLOT GATHERING' systems. We have 60 more counties in Colorado that the dumocrats, How do WE do our own ballot gathering?

I had the opportunity to speak to the commission and recommend that parts of Douglas County not be combined with Jefferson County in a single district. Constituents in both counties differ so dramatically on key issues that it would be incredibly difficult for a single Congressperson to adequately represent any. I am in favor of this latest map, and thank you for your consideration. Hannah Gay Keao, City Councilwoman, Edgewater Colorado

Rural Colorado already struggles to be recognized politically. Please do not change Congressional districts which will only cause the urban areas to decide how Colorado should be run even more. Urban Colorado deserves to have a voice.

To whom it may concern, I would like to briefly comment on the current proposed congressional map. I do not support the latest version and would like to see the Commission revert back to the Preliminary Congressional map. The current map waters down the rural vote by incorporating major, urban population centers into nearly ever district. The population density of those urban areas do not understand, nor do they particularly care about rural issues... which by the way are significant. As an example, some cases are literally a matter of life and death (due to significant suicide rates among farmers, ranchers, veterinarians and youth). It is also the difference between making a living in agriculture or not. What do people from generational agriculture operations do when they lose the farm? What do all the people who depend on the farm for their employment do (fuel companies, truckers, farm labor, grocers, parts dealers, restaurants... the list goes on....)? Rural voters need to be heard through their votes, we are struggling to make it and we need our elected officials to hear us without urban white noise. Thank you, Scot Dutcher

I am from Pueblo and the first map that was released had me very concerned. I believe the latest map to be released is a better representation or the Pueblo Region in that we have the Arkansas River in common. The cultures of Pueblo and the San Luis Valley are interwoven and we need representation in congress that has that in mind. Putting Pueblo with Douglass County or Weld County would likely produce representation from one of those two counties and it is my belief they would be looking out for the best interest of their respective regions more so than Pueblo. While the current map isn't exactly what I would like to see, I do believe it's a fair representation of our region. Thank you for your time and work on this important issue.

This is a take over by political party. It would put the front range in control of the western slope. Not a good thing. We are doing just fine the way things are at the present time.

To split up the Western slope is unfair to the people living there. The people on the Western slope live there and appreciate the freedom and rural cultural as opposed to the urban way of living. Why is there a need to control that? Democracy allows for difference. Thank you.