Public Comments

It has come to my attention that tonight you will be voting on legislative redistricting and are considering map SA.010. Adoption of this map would put my solidly democratic-voting town of Lyons into a republican district, effectively silencing our voice in the state legislature. We are a part of Boulder County and always have been, and we rely on Boulder County for all of our services. Besides being unconstitutional, this to me seems like apparent voter suppression and blatant gerrymandering. I am more than deeply concerned and urge you to instead consider the Third Staff Plan. Thank you.

I am writing you on behalf of the Town of Lyons as its current Mayor. I am deeply concerned that the proposed map SA.010 will effectively remove the voice of the Town of Lyons from the state senate. Under this proposal, we, along with Nederland, Ward, Jamestown and Allenspark, will be placed into Senate District 15, dominated by towns outside of Boulder County. Together, our mountain communities will only comprise 16% of the District's population. This alignment violates the constitutional requirements to preserve whole political subdivisions as well as whole communities of interest. Lyons residents are residents of Boulder County and we work, receive health care, and send our children to school in Boulder County. We rely on Boulder County for firefighting, public safety, natural resource management, transportation services, human services and more. Perhaps most importantly, this alignment disenfranchises voters in these communities. No map will be perfect. But SA.010 is a radical shift from preceding plans and will be extremely detrimental to the Town of Lyons, silencing the voices of our residents in effectively removing our sacred right to vote. The town of Lyons urges the Commission to adopt a final plan consistent with the approach of the Third Staff Plan.

Please see attached comments from the Boulder County Commissioners regarding the current state senate maps that are under consideration, in particular their serious concerns with the SA.010 plan. Thank you for your consideration.

I wish you to reject maps being pushed by Commissioners Barnett and Kottwitz, and support maps drawn by nonpartisan staff. Thank you.

Reject maps being pushed by Commissioners Barnett and Kottwitz and support maps drawn by nonpartisan staff.

Reject maps being pushed by Commissioners Barnett and Kottwitz and support maps drawn by nonpartisan staff.

I fervently disagree with combining eastern Montezuma county with La Plata and Archuleta counties. Montezuma will never have another say.

Reject maps being pushed by Commissioners Barnett and Kottwitz and support maps drawn by nonpartisan staff!!!!!!! We're at a Red Alert. Republican Commissioners Hunter Barnett and Aislinn Kottwitz, who are members of the Legislative Redistricting Commission, are attempting to gerrymander the Colorado Senate and House, ensuring Republican control of the state assembly for the next decade. On Tuesday, nonpartisan, neutral redistricting staff submitted their final set of legislative maps to the commission, which would ensure fair representation for the people of Colorado, as they wanted. But Republican legislative Redistricting Commissioners Hunter Barnett (R) and Aislinn Kottwitz (R) are working with non-disclosing and unregistered GOP operatives lobbying to shove through a last-minute set of maps to the Supreme Court that would fundamentally alter the make-up of the state senate and house, almost certainly ensuring control for Colorado Republicans over the next decade. This is a mockery of everything that Independent Redistricting Commissions are meant to stand for.

I want to know that the legislative redistricting is open and transparent. I have heard rumors that Republican legislative Redistricting Commissioners Hunter Barnett (R) and Aislinn Kottwitz (R) are working with non-disclosing and unregistered GOP operatives try to change the maps with last minute and non transparent moves. This sort of illegal and illegitimated maneuver should be called out and no such changes should be included. Please assure us voters that all the discussion and changes are open and disclosed. Thanks for all on the commission who have worked on open and transparent work on behalf of the people of Colorado! Joanne Brothers

Please reject the last minute gerrymandering play by Republican legislative Redistricting Commissioners Hunter Barnett and Aislinn Kottwitz. It would fundamentally alter the make-up of the state senate and house, almost certainly ensuring control for Colorado Republicans over the next decade. This is a mockery of everything that Independent Redistricting Commissions are meant to stand for. Thank you, Bruce Norikane Boulder 80304