Colorado Lawmakers Send Redistricting Reforms To Ballot
DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Legislature is sending voters two ballot measures aimed at preventing partisan gerrymandering.
Top lawmakers on Wednesday signed the referred measures in an afternoon ceremony. They previously passed both chambers unanimously.
If voters approve in November, the measures would amend the state constitution to prohibit gerrymandering. That's the practice of drawing political district boundaries to favor a particular party at the ballot box.
The measures would establish new criteria for map drawers to promote competitive elections, while seeking to keep communities intact.
They also would reshape the state redistricting commission to boost the influence of political independents.
An Associated Press analysis found that Colorado's current district maps benefit Democrats. They won a majority of state House seats in 2016 despite winning fewer statewide votes than Republicans.
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