Approved Colorado congressional map preserve incumbent advantages

Colorado’s Supreme Court on Monday unanimously approved redrawn congressional district lines that are to stand for the next decade.

The map the court approved was workshopped by an independent redistricting commission comprised of four Democrats, four Republicans and four unaffiliated voters. That was a new model for the state, and it was meant to reduce the chance of partisan gerrymandering.

This map preserves partisan advantages for all seven of Colorado’s incumbent members of Congress: Republicans Lauren Boebert, Ken Buck and Doug Lamborn, plus Democrats Jason Crow, Diana DeGette, Joe Neguse and Ed Perlmutter.

Colorado will also have a new, eighth congressional district awarded as a result of population growth over the last decade. That district will cover the north Denver suburbs, with no strong advantage likely for either major party in the 2022 cycle.

The independent commission published an interactive map, into which Coloradans can plug their addresses to see which district they now live in.

The Supreme Court heard from some who argued the new map is unfair in that it dilutes Latino voting power. Others argued it’s not right for a state where Democrats are so dominant — they control all levels of statewide politics — to have a congressional map that could plausibly split 4-4 after next year’s election.

The court’s ruling took note of the new process for creating the map: “For the first time, the state’s congressional district map is not the product of politics or litigation; it is instead the product of public input, transparent deliberation, and compromise among twelve ordinary voters representing the diversity of our state. The Plan surely will not please everyone, but again, the question before us is not whether the Commission adopted a perfect redistricting plan.”

The Supreme Court is in the process of reviewing two other proposed maps — one for new state House district lines, and another for new state Senate district lines. The court’s decision on the legislative maps is expected by Nov. 15.

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