Public Comments

Why have a commission? If you wanted California, left dominiated politics, you should have just proposed the latest proposal from the beginning! The commission spent a lot of time coming up with their map, and from my view it is the most fair...representing both rural and urban areas, and keeping areas with similar interests together. We don't do congressional districts by race...Sorry! That is not what our founders intended. Hispanic farmers want the same as non-hispanic farmers. While this all sounds great and "equitable"...it is sooooo obvious what is being attempted by the latest proposal...more CA style politics. Sad.

The current draft of the map puts the interests of the urban Front Range first by diluting the voice of rural Colorado and completely changing the map from the first preliminary Congressional maps released in June that were the subject of 36 hearings across the state. This map also prioritizes the interests of the Denver Metro area (other than Douglas County) and targets the voices of rural Coloradans. The commission also chose to split up the Western Slope, despite the voices of the people who live there.

I would like to see a map that represents the different areas of the state. Each area is different the Western Slope has at least three separate areas Eastern Slope has at least five separate areas each area needs representation. You can't go by population content. Denver and Colorado Springs Fort Collins and that area all have different needs and objectives while the Western Slope and some of the Eastern Slope as rural communities needs are specific as livestock and farming and hunting. We feel here on the Western Slope that we have been bullied by the population around Denver and Colorado Springs because they have no interest in the Rural Life. Thank you

Comment on “The "First Staff Plan" map: Please recognize rural Colorado as a distinct community of interest with the same public policy concerns based on agriculture, employment, and water needs and supplies. These are very different than urban and suburban communities and that are captured in the "Preliminary plan." The “First Staff Plan” Is a non-starter for rural Colorado; 1. ignores agriculture and rural Colorado's unique community of interest by combining it with urban and suburban populations; 2. fails to reflect the differences in water administration, ag industry makeup, and social landscape between eastern and western parts of the state; 3. ignores testimony from around the state regarding desired district lines.

I like the current configuration of pooling Routt County with Larimer and Boulder Counties. My reason is because of healthcare opportunities. In Routt County we have a corporate hospital, UC Health. UC Health also has hospitals in Larimer and Boulder Counties. As well, we have similar behavioral health issues. Our community members have to be transported to the Front Range when in crisis - e.g., in need of detox or extended care. Thus, I think it would behoove our counties to work together with its representatives as we have similar needs with the same providers.

I live on the western slope of Colorado. I believe it is wrong to combine the rural western slope towns with the front range of Boulder and Larimer counties. The people of the western slope will loose their voice and all voices will be dominated by Boulder and Fort Collins. Having lived in Boulder County for 30 years before moving to Garfield country 3 years ago, I can tell you things are different in the mountains. People value family, religion, supporting each other regardless of political affiliation, are more conservative by nature and believe in live and let live. Taking that away is wrong. To be dominated by Boulder thinking is the wrong thing to do.

To Whom it may Concern, We are a North Front Range urban area that is home to high tech companies, a tier one research university, and a robust Multi Modal Transportation system that includes transit, EV infrastructure, and Bus Rapid Transit. We would have very little in common with neighbors to the East, and especially those in the extreme Southeast Corner of our state. Fort Collins is over 300 miles away from Campo in Baca county, and our needs as communities are so very different. In Larimer County we are focused on issues like wildfire mitigation, watershed restoration, multi-modal connections, climate action, equity and diversity, and dealing with urban issues like homelessness, high population growth, ozone nonattainment, and air quality issues, etc. We have much more in common with counties like Boulder County. Our economies are so different and Fort Collins in no way would represent the population center of such a rural, agricultural district. Please reconsider this plan and create divisions that are equitable and have more common ground. The only thing Fort Collins has with those rural areas is that we are all in Colorado!

I don't want Redistricting in our state.

The proposed redistricting is including larger cities in with rural Colorado. This is not going to be a fair representation of the needs for rural Colorado and governing votes will be swayed in favor of the larger cities. The map should keep rural districts separate from larger cities and split the state on a more east to west representation rather than a north to south split as the front range has different needs in all aspects than the western slope does.

Shame on you. You are twisting the maps like a pretzel to intentionally incorporate large urban population areas with vast rural areas. The population density of the urban areas will drown out the needs of the rural. Once again proving that Democrats only care about large urban population centers. The rest of the country be damned.