Reapportionment

Repportionment Maps Sent back to Commission

In a 4-2 decision on Nov 15th, the CO Supreme Court ruled against the submitted house and senate district reapportionment maps drawn by Mario Carrera, chairman of the Reapportionment Commission. Carrera was an outspoken proponent of competitive districts (designed to be roughly 1/3 Rep, 1/3 Dem and 1/3 Unaffiliated voters) even though the criterion is not mentioned in any of the statutory guidelines governing the process. He also spoke often of drawing districts to enhance representation of hispanics.

Republican members Mario Nicolais and Rob Witwer, along with many citizens who testified at the public hearings, consistently argued that the constitutional guidelines giving priority to county lines and communites of interest were being forced to take a backseat to the fabricated criteria championed by a majority of the commission members. Apparently the Supreme Court agrees.

The Commision now has until Dec 6 to submit redrawn maps.

Learn more by clicking on the Issues>Reapportionment menu item above.