The Colorado Supreme Court on Monday rejected three proposed ballot measures that sought to change the state\u2019s congressional redistricting process ahead of the 2028 elections. The proposals, backed by a group called Coloradans for a Level Playing Field, were aimed at temporarily suspending Colorado\u2019s independent redistricting commission\u2014created by voters in 2018\u2014and allowing voters to approve a new congressional map for the 2028 and 2030 election cycles.
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Two companion measures would have separately paused the commission and implemented new district boundaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Had the initiatives qualified for the November ballot and been approved by voters, the revised congressional map would have taken effect for the 2028 elections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Supporters argued the changes were necessary to redraw district lines, while opponents contended they would have significantly altered the state\u2019s current redistricting process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In three separate opinions, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that each proposed measure violated the state\u2019s constitutional \u201csingle subject\u201d requirement, preventing them from moving forward, NBC News reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cChanging the constitutionally mandated frequency of redistricting \u2014 however temporary the change \u2014 is not merely a mechanism to administer the new congressional district map,\u201d Chief Justice Monica Marquez wrote in one unanimous decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cInstead, it represents a seismic shift to Colorado\u2019s longstanding redistricting process enshrined in the state constitution,\u201d her opinion noted further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a second unanimous opinion, the Colorado Supreme Court concluded that dividing the original proposal into two separate ballot measures still failed to satisfy the state\u2019s single-subject requirement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A spokesperson for Coloradans for a Level Playing Field did not immediately comment on the rulings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The legal challenge comes amid a broader national debate over mid-decade congressional redistricting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The issue gained momentum last year after President Donald Trump encouraged Republican-led states to consider redrawing congressional maps in an effort to strengthen the GOP\u2019s narrow majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Democrats have faced additional hurdles in pursuing similar efforts in states where independent redistricting commissions control the map-drawing process, including Colorado.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Virginia Democrats advanced a comparable ballot measure this year that sought to bypass the state\u2019s independent redistricting commission and adopt a new congressional map.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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