Public Comments

I am writing to support two full rural districts as part of our new eight congressional districts. Rural areas, such as ours in Yuma County, need full representation in Washington DC that will support our interests and listen to our issues. Rural residents and businesses are unlike those in urban and suburban areas of our state. Counties on the Eastern Plains have nothing in common with our urban neighbors such as Fort Collins and Castle Rock. Our economy is driven by agriculture production and energy which the more populated areas do not deal with. Without proper representation for even just our economic needs, we will not be able to stand firmly for our way of life that we all know and love. The Eastern Plains and the Western Slope have both been historically recognized as communities of interest, in which both should be taken seriously with people that will continue that path to what makes Colorado so special. Colorado is not just a huge city. The majority of our state is rural America, which is why making two large rural districts would make the most sense and then compact the other six within our urban areas. Please consider these points when redistricting our congressional seats which were originally made to represent all of America in all states and the different regions within those states.

I am in favor of the redistricting of eastern Colorado into a Congressional district as proposed by Representatives from Action 22.  I have seen first hand how the higher population counties can change the focus of meetings such as at the State Central Committee meetings, where bonus members are allowed for some counties but only 3 votes for my rural county.  I am so in favor of the elected representatives being accessible to their constituents in the way the founding fathers expected.  Every voter should have the opportunity to meet their State Congressman and speak their opinions.  Our family owned and agriculture related business has unique interests and challenges and I would appreciate it if the cities did not influence the elections of my representative. In our small town, the businesses that thrive are like ours, the businesses necessary to support farmers and ranchers.  The way politics is now working, I expect fuel to become the biggest concern we have in eastern Colorado and so I support having Weld county included as part of the new redistricting.   Even a small county has diversification and struggles, these differences need to be worked out locally without any input from urban communities. Whether it be land use regulations or water rights struggles etc. we have skilled and highly intelligent residents to help us sort out what is best.

Please keep Larimer County and Boulder County together in the same district. More specifically, please do not create a new district with Larimer and Weld county together. We are of similar population and geographical area but that's where the similarities end. The communities in Larimer track much closer identity wise with other communities along the front range and Weld county fits in well with the eastern plains. Fort Collins and Greeley are almost as political opposed as Boulder and Colorado Springs at this point.

I feel that the counties on the eastern Plains have little in common with the front range counties from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs. The eastern Plains have historically been recognized as a community of interest. The Western Slope is historically recognized as a community of interest. Making two large rural districts allows for the other six to be compact. Please give thought and consider to this worthy request.

First off I have a bias, I do not believe this will be a fair and honest process, never has before why now ? While there is a supposed evenly distributed representation in the the commissioners, I am sure that the legislative personal guiding the process are democratic leaning and appointed by the current governor. But I digress I live in Conifer we have been moved three times by redistricting . Once to Colorado Springs, once to Grand Junction and now we are in district 2. We have no representation because it a safe district around the Boulder, Longmont area. According to our representatives web site he has been south of I-70 for 2 hours in his last term. What is the solution? Balance all district's by political leaning only. All districts should (based on the last election) have 1/3 democrats 1/3 republicans and unaffiliated the balance. Area is no longer important . Having all districts competitive each and every election is the goal of this process, safe districts should not be created. I am willing to have a larger or smaller geographic area to get competitive districts. With safe district 50% or more of the constituents are not represented at all. Good Luck

As the Chairman of the Logan County Republican Central Committee, redistricting should be looking for the counties that have the same types of common interests. Logan county, being a county that produces farm commodities and have some of the larger cattle production lots in the area, and produces a substantial amount of gross revenues for the State of Colorado, needs to be grouped with counties of similar interests. Even the smaller businesses in the community have interests that differ from those in the larger communities. Energy production in the county has produced an increase in the economy to help boost revenues for the county and school districts. The front range has their similar interests, as does the eastern plains and the western slop. As lines are developed, please consider the interests of the smaller communities and the problems they have with receiving support from other groups that do not understand the rural way of life.

4-28-2021 Dear Redistricting Commissioners: Strengthening the Middle of Colorado: When most people think of Colorado’s population base, we think of the Denver metro area, which is for the most part correct, however that is not the only portion of Colorado that has a significant population base. The South-Central Portion of Colorado has a growth that requires its own Congressional District. Your job as redistricting commissioners consists of two criteria, analyzing population and arranging that population into geographically coherent congressional districts without concern to political, economic, and cultural bias. Where people live is where their representation must be based. In reference to the proposed South-Central Colorado Congressional District, we wish to provide the following facts. First of all this area was traditional for many decades the 3rd Congressional district, however since gerrymandering in 1982 shifted the 3rd Congressional District to primarily the Western Slope of Colorado (western side of the Continental Divide) , you may wish to call this newly proposed district the Colorado 8th Congressional District, and although this differs from our original proposal, the relative facts pertaining to population and geographical consistency remain. The revised proposal within this document was changed slightly to adhere with population requirements and we had to add Otero and Crowley counties to our original proposal. The new 8th Congressional District of Colorado should consist of: 50% of El Paso County – 368,518 (although we would like to see the US Highway 24, Pikes Peak Ave, and Colorado Highway 94 boundary through El Paso County be maintained, we realize that by using 50% of the county’s population this boundary may have to be moved north to perhaps a line from Woodman Road and CUD Highway 24 East of Colorado Springs); Pueblo County – 169,426; Fremont County-47321; Chaffee County – 19557; Otero County- 18,252 ;Alamosa County-16107, Las Animas County 14,266; Rio Grande County -11.305; Conejos County – 8,185; Lake County 7,751; Huerfano County -6678; Saguache County – 6592; Crowley County – 5754; Custer County – 4776; Costilla County - 3444; Hinsdale (in areas on the eastern side of the Continental Divide) 857; Mineral County (in areas only on the eastern side of the Continental Divide -) 834. Total Proposed 8th Congressional District (or proposed 3rd if you want to designate as such ) with have an approximate population of 710,258 which exceeds the congressional requirement of 710,000 population and all counties are with in a 31,944 Square Mile radius as compared to the current approximately 80,000 square mile radius of the current 3rd Congressional. District If you have any questions of concerns about this revised proposal please contact Thomas McKenna, 999 Fortino Blvd, Lot 53, Pueblo Co 81008, telephone 719 557 0784, of email tmck1946@gmail.com Thank You Tom McKenna – Pueblo

My strongest concern is that my district remain diverse economically and ethnically. I hope this is inevitable since I live in central Denver.

Right now the rural, agricultural, energy production communities basically have no meaningful say on anything in Colorado. The front range and southwest area that have been overtaken by liberals(mostly Californians trying to get out of the mess there), and the population is in total control of the state with absolutely no regard for the highly productive and important other areas of the state. Maybe this could be a first step in doing something about this.

there is a proposal to make Eastern Colorado and Western Colorado each their own Congressional districts. I am very much in favor of this proposal. As a life long resident of Eastern Colorado we would like to have a representative that really understands and appreciates our way of life in the rural areas. We are very much a community of interest, with Agriculture and energy our main economic drivers, in each of the two mentioned districts. Please give very thoughtful consideration to this proposal. Thank you Steve Young