Colorado voters reject Amendment 86 to clarify congressional redistricting process

Voters in Colorado have rejected Amendment 86, which would have clarified the congressional redistricting process in the state.   

The amendment was put on the ballot by a conservative nonprofit after both the Democratic and Republican parties tried to manipulate redistricting maps. 

Redistricting is the process of drawing the boundaries for congressional districts. In 2018, Coloradans passed Amendment Y to make that process fairer.

It happens every 10 years after the U.S. Census is taken. The state's population is evenly distributed among the districts. 

Amendment Y required an independent commission to draw the boundaries, so they don't favor one party over another. But after Republicans redrew districts in half a dozen states this year to benefit their party, Democrats in several states, including Colorado, decided to fight back.

A ballot measure here would have redrawn our eight districts to give Democrats an outsized advantage in all but one of Colorado's congressional districts in 2028 and 2030.

While the Colorado Supreme Court blocked the measure, it was a wake-up call for Republicans.

Conservative nonprofit Advance Colorado put Amendment 86 on the ballot to make sure no one will try to rig the map again.

The measure would require the Independent Redistricting Commission and Colorado Supreme Court to approve any changes to congressional districts that happen off cycle (not after a census).

The commission would have to hold three public hearings and could not make changes that intentionally favor a political party or unnecessarily divide communities.

Opponents claim Amendment 86 removed the ability to counter Republican redistricting in other states and prevents Coloradans from changing districts in off-cycle years if they disagree with the commission's map.

Proponents claim they can still redraw districts; they just have to be fair. Amendment 86, they say, keeps partisan politics out of the redistricting process and is in line with voters' intent when they passed Amendment Y.