Press Room
Senator Heath says Republicans are trying to rig congressional districts again
Monday, May 9 2011
Map introduced today is another plan “deliberately tweaked” by Republicans to favor their party in future elections
DENVER— Today, Colorado House Republicans introduced another congressional redistricting map which will give them a 10-year majority in the state. This follows their admission in April that they had “deliberately tweaked” maps to favor the Republican Party in future elections. The admission was reported in the Denver Post in a story entitled “GOP admits skewing Colorado redistricting maps.” This revelation came even after legislators had formed an historic bipartisan redistricting committee to take on the constitutionally mandated task of redrawing Colorado’s congressional lines. Legislators are charged with redistricting every 10 years following the U.S. Census to account for population shifts.
On the map introduced today, Redistricting Committee Co-chair Senator Rollie Heath (D-Boulder) made the following comment:
“In April, Republicans admitted to deliberately drawing districts to give their party an unfair political advantage and solidify their majority for the next decade. Colorado does not want Congressmen or women for life. The map introduced by House Republicans today again ‘deliberately tweaks’ Colorado’s congressional lines in a way that will likely create five permanent congressional seats. Colorado voters deserve fair and competitive congressional districts that allow them to hold their elected representatives accountable.”
Last week, Senate Democrats introduced the “Colorado Compromise” redistricting map. The Colorado Compromise map came together by taking public input given at meetings around the state, and it incorporates ideas advanced by both parties. The Colorado Compromise map includes districts that are competitive (five out of seven districts have less than a seven point difference between registered Republicans and Democrats) and that protect communities of interest such as city and county boundaries and transportation corridors.
Below is a copy of the Colorado Compromise redistricting map and the correlating voter registration numbers for each congressional district:
(Click to enlarge map)
Congressional
District
|
Democratic
Voter
Registration
|
Independent
Voter
Registration
|
Republican
Voter
Registration
|
1
|
45.60%
|
33.45%
|
20.95%
|
2
|
33.27%
|
36.55%
|
30.17%
|
3
|
31.87%
|
32.38%
|
35.75%
|
4
|
28.19%
|
36.10%
|
35.70%
|
5
|
23.18%
|
33.03%
|
43.79%
|
6
|
31.54%
|
31.71%
|
36.75%
|
7
|
34.46%
|
34.87%
|
30.67%
|
Below is a Metro area map of the “Colorado Compromise”
(Click to enlarge map)
Points of Compromise:
Below are points of compromise between “The Colorado Compromise” map released today and previous maps, both Democratic and Republican:
CD2-Does not put Grand Junction and Boulder in the same district. Central Mountain Community and tourism-based economy whole while other maps put Eagle County with parts of Weld County.
CD3- Does not put Grand Junction and Boulder in the same district. Keeps Western Slope whole to the same extent that Republican maps do.
CD4-Keeps Northern Colorado together and is more compact; while other maps have put Fort Collins and Baca County (South Eastern corner of Colorado) in the same district.
CD5-Keeps El Paso County whole based upon Republican requests. 5 military bases are kept together while other maps put Park (a Central Mountain County) with Elbert (an Eastern Plains County) in the same district.
CD6-Preserves E-470, C-470, I-225 transportation corridors while alternate maps put Parker with East Colfax in the same district.
CD7-Protects city integrity while alternate maps have split cities like Arvada, Westminster and Littleton.
