Democrats would hold edge at Colorado statehouse under latest redistricting map

The latest projected maps for recently drawn authorities legislative districts springiness Democrats an borderline akin to the 1 they clasp now.

But the maps, released Monday, aren’t needfully final. The autarkic committee tasked with reviewing them has until Oct. 11 to taxable caller territory lines to the Colorado Supreme Court, and the committee tin inquire nonpartisan unit to taxable much projected maps earlier then.

“I deliberation it’s precise apt that we would get to astatine slightest a second, if not a 3rd version,” said Jessika Shipley, the legislative redistricting commission’s unit director.

Democrats, who presently clasp a 20-15 bulk successful the authorities Senate, would support an borderline successful 22 authorities Senate districts nether the latest proposal, based connected however voters tilted during Colorado’s 2020 U.S. Senate contest. Notably, 4 districts nether the caller connection would beryllium competitory capable to beryllium considered fundamentally toss-ups.

Democrats would support their 41-24 vantage successful the authorities House, with astatine slightest 11 apt competitory districts.

Monday’s maps travel the archetypal preliminary set from June, which lawmakers successful agrarian and municipality areas alike criticized for breaking up communities, including the San Luis and Roaring Fork valleys oregon Denver-area neighborhoods with important non-white populations.

Multiple lawmakers said Monday day that they were inactive reviewing the maps to spot if those concerns had been addressed, thing Shipley said unit did its champion to do.

“Obviously there’s a commercialized off,” she added. “You tin support immoderate (communities) unneurotic and that means others are divided up.”

For instance, nether this caller map, Garfield and Mesa counties would each beryllium breached into 2 Senate districts astatine Interstate 70 and Larimer County would beryllium breached into 3 antithetic Senate districts, 1 of which would screen Fort Collins.

The nationalist is invited to springiness feedback connected these maps during 3 virtual sessions (6-9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday and 6-9 p.m. Saturday). Anyone who wants to talk is asked to sign up successful advance.

Shipley said the committee won’t OK immoderate maps astatine slightest until that commentary comes in.

Fair contention is the constituent of this once-a-decade redistricting process. Colorado voters asked for that by approving 2 ballot measures successful 2018 that ensured panels comprising adjacent numbers of Democrats, Republicans and unaffiliated members would redraw congressional and legislative maps.

Monday’s maps volition beryllium submitted Tuesday to the Colorado Independent Legislative Redistricting Commission, which tin o.k. them with a two-thirds supermajority oregon petition nonpartisan unit to gully a different connection and merchandise it Sept. 23. If necessary, unit would merchandise yet different connection Oct. 3.