Colorado Redistricting of Congressional Districts Initiative (2018)

Colorado Redistricting of Congressional Districts Initiative
Election date November 6, 2018
Topic Redistricting measures
Status Not on the ballot
Type State statute	Origin Citizens
List of Colorado measuresColorado Amendment AColorado Amendment VColorado Amendment WColorado Amendment XColorado Amendment YColorado Amendment ZColorado Amendment 73Colorado Amendment 74Colorado Amendment 75Colorado Proposition 109Colorado Proposition 110Colorado Proposition 111Colorado Proposition 112Submit

The Colorado Redistricting of Congressional Districts Initiative (#50, #69) was not on the ballot in Colorado as an initiated state statute on November 6, 2018.

The measure would have created an independent congressional redistricting commission to redraw congressional district boundary lines following each federal census. It would have prohibited the commission from drawing district lines to purposefully advantage or disadvantage any political party or person, a practice known as gerrymandering. As of 2018, congressional lines were drawn by the state legislature. The newly created redistricting commission would have consisted of 12 commissioners, four registered with the state’s largest political party, four registered with the state’s second largest political party, and four not registered with either of the state’s two largest political parties.

Multiple versions of this initiative were filed with the secretary of state.

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for version #50 of this initiative is as follows:

Ballot title for version #50

Shall there be a change to the Colorado Revised Statutes concerning federal congressional redistricting, and, in connection therewith, establishing a congressional redistricting commission to perform the responsibility of the state legislature to redraw congressional boundaries following each federal census; specifying the qualifications and methods of appointment of members of the commission; providing for the appointment of 12 commissioners, 4 of whom are registered with the state’s largest political party, 4 of whom are registered with the state’s second largest political party, and 4 of whom are not registered with either of the state’s two largest political parties; establishing criteria to be used in drawing districts, including political competitiveness; prohibiting drawing plans to purposefully advantage or disadvantage any political party or person; developing procedures to be followed by the commission, including requiring that the commission’s work be done in public meetings and requiring nonpartisan staff of the commission to prepare and present plans; requiring the agreement of at least 8 of 12 commissioners to approve any action of the commission; and specifying procedures for the finalization and approval of a plan?

Ballot title for version #69

Shall there be A change to the Colorado Revised Statutes concerning congressional redistricting, and, in connection therewith, establishing a congressional redistricting commission to perform the responsibility of the state legislature to redraw congressional boundaries following each federal census; specifying the qualifications and methods of appointment of members of the commission; providing for the appointment of 12 commissioners, 4 of whom are registered with the state's largest political party, 4 of whom are registered with the state's second largest political party, and 4 of whom are not registered with either of the state's 2 largest political parties; establishing factors for the commission to use in drawing districts; requiring the commission to consider political competitiveness after all other factors; prohibiting drawing redistricting plans to purposefully advantage or disadvantage any political party or person; specifying procedures that the commission must follow, including requiring the commission's work be done in public meetings and requiring the commission's nonpartisan staff to prepare and present plans; requiring the agreement of at least 8 of 12 commissioners to approve any action of the commission, and additionally requiring the affirmative vote of at least 2 commissioners not affiliated with either of the state’s 2 largest parties to approve or adopt a redistricting plan?

Full text

• The full text of version #50 of the measure is available here.
• The full text of version #69 of the measure is available here.

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing the initiative process in Colorado

The state process

In Colorado, the number of signatures required to qualify an initiated state statute for the ballot is equal to 5 percent of the total number of votes cast for the office of Colorado secretary of state in the preceding general election. State law provides that petitioners have six months to collect signatures after the ballot language and title are finalized. State statutes require a completed signature petition to be filed three months and three weeks before the election at which the measure would appear on the ballot. The Constitution, however, states that the petition must be filed three months before the election at which the measure would appear. The secretary of state generally lists a date that is three months before the election as the filing deadline.

The requirements to get an initiated state statute certified for the 2018 ballot:

• Signatures: 98,492 valid signatures were required.
• Deadline: The deadline to submit signatures was August 6, 2018.

The secretary of state is responsible for signature verification. Verification is conducted through a review of petitions regarding correct form and then a 5 percent random sampling verification. If the sampling projects between 90 percent and 110 percent of required valid signatures, a full check of all signatures is required. If the sampling projects more than 110 percent of the required signatures, the initiative is certified. If less than 90 percent, the initiative fails.

Details about this initiative

Version #50:

Kathleen Curry and Toni Larson submitted the initiative to the Colorado Legislative Counsel for review and comment. On September 18, 2017, the counsel offered comments. Compliance with these recommendations is not required. Next, proponents submitted a draft to the Colorado secretary of state. On October 4, 2017, the secretary of state determined that the initiative met the single-subject rule required by the state of Colorado and set a ballot title. The ballot title was challenged to the Colorado Supreme Court. This version was withdrawn following the supreme courts ruling.

Version #69:

• Bill Hobbs and Kathleen Curry submitted this version of the initiative to the LRC and received comments.
  • Compliance with the LRC's suggestions was not mandatory.
• Hobbs and Kathleen Curry submitted version #69 to the ballot title setting board of the secretary of state's office on November 3, 2017.
• A title was set on November 15, 2017.
• The title was challenged to the Colorado Supreme Court.
• On December 15, 2017, the supreme court ordered that the challengers and defenders (the proponents and members of the ballot title setting board in their official capacity) file briefs.
• The supreme court confirmed the ballot title for version #69 on February 2, 2018.
• Version #69 was withdrawn after the supreme court's ruling.

See also

2018 measures

• 2018 ballot measures
• Redistricting measures on the ballot
• 2018 petition deadlines

Colorado

• Colorado ballot measures
• Colorado initiative laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls
• Ballot measure signature costs

External links

• Initiative #50 full text
• Initiative #69 full text