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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 3, 2021
Colorado Independent Redistricting Commission Releases First Congressional Staff Plan
DENVER -- The first congressional staff plan can be viewed or downloaded at https://redistricting.colorado.gov/content/staff-congressional-1
The congressional staff plan was prepared using 2020 Census Data, public comments and input from the congressional commission. The plan will be presented to the commission on Sept. 6 at 6:00 p.m. with a press conference immediately following the meeting. The congressional commission must approve the final plan by Sept. 28. The first state senate and state house plans will be posted on Sept. 13 and presented to the legislative commission on Sept. 14.
As stated in the Colorado Constitution, the new congressional districts must:
- Have equal population, justifying each variance, no matter how small, as required by the U.S. Constitution;
- Be composed of contiguous geographic areas;
- Comply with the federal "Voting Rights Act of 1965," as amended;
- Preserve whole communities of interest and whole political subdivisions, such as counties, cities, and towns;
- Be as compact as is reasonably possible; and
- Thereafter, maximize the number of politically competitive districts.
Districts cannot be drawn for the purpose of:
- Protecting incumbents or declared candidates of the U.S. House of Representatives or any political party; or
- Denying or abridging the right of any citizen to vote on account of that person's race or membership in a language minority group, including diluting the impact of that racial or language minority group's electoral influence.
The Colorado Independent Congressional Redistricting Commission will hold virtual public hearings Sept. 7-10. Individuals must sign up in advance to testify. These hearings will be the final opportunity for members of the public to speak to the redistricting commissions. Written public comments will remain open and available through the public hearing process and the consideration of final maps.
After the hearings on the congressional staff maps conclude, the commission can approve a final plan and submit it to the Supreme Court at any time up until Sept. 28.
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