Public Comments

Dear Commissioners: In my opinion, the fairest redistricting scheme would be one likeliest to represent the political make-up of the state as a whole. For example, imagine that Colorado will be allowed 10 Representatives in Congress. And imagine that in the state as a whole, 50% of Coloradans are registered as Democrats, 30% as Republicans, and 20% unaffiliated. Then the best scheme would create 5 districts that are likely to elect Democrats, 3 that are likely to elect Republicans, and 2 that are complete toss-ups. Cordially and respectfully, Richard Ware

I am David Brewster and I moved from Evergreen CO to Dillon CO about 3 years ago. I was surprised by how different to concerns and policy issues in the mountain communities are. We love our natural surroundings and rely heavily on tourism which brings a whole host of issues not seen in other types of communities. How to manage forests, low income housing, unusual traffic problems, bigger climate and weather concerns, and how to meet the needs of a geographically diverse population for a few. Even Evergreen, being a suburb, is very different from a true mountain community. Any redistricting that ignores these concerns will not represent the views of the voters. Please consider mountain communities and those that rely heavily on tourism when redistricting. Thanks David Brewster

I am a Colorado native living in huge Moffat County (Craig). Please be sure that you provide fair and adequate representation here in Northwest Colorado. Thank You. Kenny Wohl 1270 Schrader Avenue Craig, Colorado 970-826-0390 kennywohl67@gmail.com

My name is Wendy Howell, and I am a resident of northeast Park Hill, in Denver. I love my neighborhood and my city, but I have seen both undergo significant change in the last ten years. My neighborhood was once a prediomonantly Black and working-class community. In many ways, it still is- but more and more people are moving out and into surrounding communities that are more affordable, because housing costs have skyrocketed here. In my family's case alone, the rent for our house has gone from $1500 to $2200 in just five years, and I am seeing the houses around me sell for $350,000 or more when ten years ago they would have sold for half that amount. Many of the people who are leaving my community are going to Commerce City or Aurora in search of more affordable housing. And, I understand from my friends on the North & West Sides of Denver that they are experiencing a similar dynamic- many people there are moving across the border into Lakewood or Thornton/ Westminster for similar reasons of affordability. What I also see, though, is that even those who move out maintain strong ties to and identity with the neighborhoods they have had to leave. This is why I think you should consider efforts to connect the communities in Denver with those who have left them - particularly in terms of Black and Latinx populations that are shifting, and undoubtedly will continue to for the next ten years as well. Doing so would preserve both identity with the neighborhood and connection to it. Additionally, it may be important to maintaining the power of communities of color rather than dividing them up as they shift across county lines. Thank you for your consideration of these comments and please feel free to reach out with any questions.

Dear Congressional Commission, My name is Russ Chitwood and I am a 22 year resident of Boulder, CO. I have always found our District map to be strange geographically and not representative of interests spread across the district. Boulder County has little in common, commerce-wise and in terms of community needs, to central mountain towns. We are tied more closely, geographically, economically and in population density, with Denver Metro counties and Larimer County. Please let the mountain and western slope communities have their own voices heard more independently of us, and lend our voices to those of our nearby neighboring counties. Thank you for the opportunity to submit this feedback on behalf of my community. If you have any questions regarding my testimony, please contact me. Russ Chitwood

I have lived in Telluride and the Telluride region since 1986. Telluride is a mountain resort town that shares many interest with other mountain communities in Colorado. Please keep these communities intact as you proceed with redistricting. Regards, Steve Johnson

My name is Jane Williams. I am a resident of the Francis Heights Seniors ApartmentsComplex here in West Denver. I love my city for her cherished views of our Colorado Mountains and many protections for our clean air, water and wildlife preservation. Our access for good health care here in Mercy Housing is wonderful and we continually are in the process of expanding on benefits for Seniors. Here near our beloved Sloan's Lake we wish to be protected by the redistricting process.

Dear Congressional Commission, My name is Margaret Schnipper and I live in the thriving and growing mountain town of Frisco, Colorado. I am writing to emphasize the attributes of my town in regard to its tightly knit community. Whether it be skiing, mountain biking, hiking the trails, road biking, snowshoeing, or boating on Lake Dillon, the natural attractions within Frisco's boundaries are why we live here. They must be prioritized as essential to the character, future wellbeing and growth of Frisco. This "bang for buck," i.e. so much here to take advantage of, is Frisco's pride, and keeps the community close knit. Please prioritize Frisco's boundaries over those of any outside considerations in both the Congressional and Legislative redistricting processes. Thank you for the opportunity to submit this feedback on behalf of my community. If you have any questions regarding my testimony, please contact me. Best regards,

Dear Colorado Independent Redistricting Commissioners, Thank you for your service and dedication to our state. When Colorado voters approved Amendments Y & Z, creating the Independent Commissions, voters took redistricting out of the hands of partisan politicians and established robust public input requirements for the entire redistricting process. Public participation is a critical component to ensuring that the maps you draw are fair, equitable, and prioritize communities of interest. The delays in the release of the 2020 Census data have made your jobs more difficult by requiring the adjustment of multiple deadlines and the use of estimate data to draw preliminary maps. Despite these obstacles, you all have committed to maintaining the robust public input process established in Amendments Y & Z. By committing to hold seven additional public hearings on the staff maps drawn using 2020 Census data, you are ensuring that the public has adequate input on maps drawn with accurate data. Without those hearings you risk compromising the legitimacy of this critical process. Thank you for your commitment to public participation. These maps will define outcomes for communities across Colorado for a decade, the people deserve to have a say in how the lines are drawn. Sincerely,

Dear Colorado Independent Redistricting Commissioners, Thank you for your service and dedication to our state. When Colorado voters approved Amendments Y & Z, creating the Independent Commissions, voters took redistricting out of the hands of partisan politicians and established robust public input requirements for the entire redistricting process. Public participation is a critical component to ensuring that the maps you draw are fair, equitable, and prioritize communities of interest. The delays in the release of the 2020 Census data have made your jobs more difficult by requiring the adjustment of multiple deadlines and the use of estimate data to draw preliminary maps. Despite these obstacles, you all have committed to maintaining the robust public input process established in Amendments Y & Z. By committing to hold seven additional public hearings on the staff maps drawn using 2020 Census data, you are ensuring that the public has adequate input on maps drawn with accurate data. Without those hearings you risk compromising the legitimacy of this critical process. Thank you for your commitment to public participation. These maps will define outcomes for communities across Colorado for a decade, the people deserve to have a say in how the lines are drawn. Sincerely,