Colorado

Activities to Understand Redistricting

• Review population trends with Coloradans On the Move, an interactive demonstration of population movement in the state over three time periods.
  • Demographic Summary 2022, Colorado State Demography Office, February 13, 2022
  • Pre-assessment for Colorado (for use in classrooms)
  • General questions about redistricting
• Discuss how to prioritize redistricting criteria using Flashes of Insight cards or an online game.
  • Local Redistricting in Colorado: Laws and Criteria (background)
  • More States Move to Nonpartisan Redistricting to Limit Gerrymandering, Jessika Shipley, Colorado Legislative Council Staff, Here and Now, March 13, 2020
  • Electoral Redistricting 101: A panel discussion about redistricting in the state of Colorado and the city of Colorado Springs
    • Sponsored by the College of Letters, Arts & Sciences and the Center for the Study of Government and the Individual at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs
• Describe and map your community with online tools from Representable.org to understand what issues are important in your neighborhood and region. Use both written and geographic descriptions to explain your community.
• Practice using geospatial technology tools in preparation for drawing sample electoral district lines with accessible, step-by-step instructions.
  • What Is a Gerrymander? Esri GeoInquiries for Government 
  • Colorado ArcGIS Online Redistricting Exercise (2010 census data)
    • Colorado Redistricting Instructions for ArcGIS Online Exercise 
• Draw electoral districts with 2020 Census data using open-source geospatial technology tools.
  • Explore Districtr and District Builder.
  • Examine the "Notable Maps" detailed in Dave's Redistricting App to investigate different approaches to drawing electoral district lines.
  • Check here to see approaches to drawing the Colorado Congressional District map.
  • Review this sample explanation for an approach to submitting your own map (prepared for the El Paso County Commission).
• Analyze redistricting maps, including any maps you created, the existing approved state maps, and various proposed maps in Dave's Redistricting App.
  • Read Colorado in Context: Ensemble Analysis and Data Science for Fair Redistricting in Colorado by a group of mathematicians, statisticians, and computer scientists
  • Visit maps of the Colorado House and Senate districts.
  • Read In re Colo. Indep. Cong. Redistricting Comm'n, Colorado Supreme Court, November 1, 2021
  • Evaluate the fairness of electoral district maps using PlanScore, from the Campaign Legal Center.
  • Explore the partisan lean data from FiveThirtyEight to consider which party might benefit from a particular map.
  • Investigate the Redistricting Report Card, from the Princeton Gerrymandering Project.
• Learn about issues in your community that are affected by people who represent you at the local, state, and national levels.
  • Who else do you vote with?  Who are your elected representatives?  How did the lines change from the previous districts?  How do your city, county, school board, state, and congressional districts fit together?  Did your districts grow or shrink in area?  How would you describe your districts (competitive, gerrymandered, representative)?
  • Recall the information you identified while describing your community.  What else do you need to consider when drawing districts?  What watershed do you live in?  What school districts serve your area?  What issues are decided by state legislatures and local elected bodies that you care about?
  • County and municipal jurisdictions are also important to monitor.
    • Arapahoe County Commissioner Redistricting
      • Map-making tool amplifies public voice in redistricting process, March 14, 2023
    • City of Colorado Springs Redistricting
      • City Council District Process Advisory Committee
        • Districting Process Advisory Committee Member List
      • Americans Are Leaving Both Parties. This Colorado City Shows Why. David Sides, Politico, June 6, 2024
    • Denver Redistricting Resources
      • 2022 Redistricting Summary Report
      • Community Engagement Sessions
    • El Paso County Commission
      • El Paso County Redistricting Website
        • El Paso County Redistricting Tool, Esri
          • For background about using geospatial technology to create online redistricting maps, explore resources on the GeoCivics website
          • For a sample of a proposed map and explanation about its construction, explore this material prepared by Carlos Perez.
      • El Paso County Redistricting Commission finalizes new commission districts; not all pleased, Brooke Nevins, The Gazette, August 15, 2023
      • Last chance for feedback: El Paso County Redistricting Commission expected to adopt final map next week, Brooke Nevins, The Gazette, August 6, 2023
      • El Paso County Commissioner Redistricting Commission announces more meeting dates for redrawing maps, The Colorado Springs Business Journal, July 20, 2023
      • Amid gerrymandering concerns in El Paso County, door could open to rare Democratic seat, Brooke Nevins, The Gazette, July 18, 2023
      • Redistricting dilemma: County commission explores ways to consolidate 'communities of interest', including southeast Colorado Springs, Brooke Nevins, The Gazette, July 14, 2023
      • El Paso County Redistricting Open House, July 5, 2023
      • Hands-on workshop at UCCS will focus on redistricting, mapping software, Brooke Nevins, The Gazette, July 3, 2023
      • County commission redistricting, Pam Zubeck, Colorado Springs Independent, June 28, 2023
      • El Paso County redistricters view proposed maps as residents push to prevent racial, community divides, Brooke Nevins, The Tribune, June 23, 2023
      • Residents raise 'gerrymandering' concerns as county Redistricting Commission holds first meeting, Brooke Nevins, The Gazette, June 13, 2023
      • Protest Planned During El Paso County Redistricting Meeting, Brooke Nevins, The Gazette, June 12, 2023
      • News Roundup, Pam Zubeck, Colorado Springs Independent, June 9, 2023
      • El Paso County Commissioner Redistricting: a modest proposal, Tom Cronin and Bob Loevy, The Gazette, May 27, 2023
        • "The significance of how one proposed district fits in with the other four is the topic that needs to be discussed."
        • County launches redistricting process, Brooke Nevins, The Gazette, May 13, 2023
        • County commissioners appoint themselves to panel to redraw their own district boundaries, Pam Zubeck, Colorado Springs Independent,  April 25, 2023
    • Jefferson County
      • Meet the Faces of Democracy: George Stern, Michael Beckel and Mia Minkin, Fulcrum, August 16, 2023 
    • Weld County Redistricting
      • Weld judge: County commissioners' redistricting failed to comply with Colorado law, Chris Bolin, Greeley Tribune, March 5, 2024
      • Weld County commissioners approve new commissioner districts in what some say is violation of state law, Trevor Reid, Greeley Tribune, March 2, 2023
    • What suggestions do you have for the people who will draw the lines in 2030?
    • Locations hosting National Geographic's Giant Map of Colorado
      • A User's Guide to Giant Floor Maps: A Colorado Case Study, Rebecca Theobald, The Geography Teacher, Volume 18, 2021, Issue 1, pages 55-72
      • Watch students on this video and learn about materials, logistics, and lessons for state giant maps.
      • Map of Giant Maps in Colorado