AURORA | Arapahoe County is asking for residents’ help redrawing the boundaries of commissioner districts, giving voters a say in how county commissioners will be elected starting in 2024.
County commissioners in Arapahoe County are elected from five districts, which according to state statute must contain roughly the same number of people, with no more than a 5% difference between the most and least populous district.
The once-per-decade redistricting process gives the county the ability to realign district boundaries based on population growth, quantified using U.S. Census Bureau data.
Nine citizens — including three voters registered with the state’s most popular political party, currently the Democratic Party; three with the second-most-popular party, currently the Republican Party; and three unaffiliated voters — will be chosen by commissioners to serve on an advisory committee.
The Citizens Redistricting Advisory Committee and county staff will draft no fewer than three district maps, after which current commissioners will take public comments and decide which map to adopt.
Applications for the committee are being accepted now online. To be eligible, a person must be a county resident and their current voter registration must be the same as their 2020 registration.
The appointment will last from December 2022 through September 2023. Candidates should be able to attend one or two monthly meetings lasting between an hour and an hour and a half in person starting in December. There will also be at least three public engagement activities lasting the same amount of time.
County spokesman Luc Hatlestad said there is currently no deadline for applications, but that the county wants to have finished the selection process by December.
According to a county news release, finalists will be chosen by commissioners based on party affiliation as well as:
- Civic interest .
- Willingness to listen to, respect and understand diverse viewpoints.
- Experience working with others to reach outcomes or decisions.
- Commitment to a fair and equitable process.
- Geographic and demographic diversity.
- Commitment to attending all meetings as required by law.
Applications are available at bit.ly/3QoR9Fr.
