Colorado voters consider amendment tightening mid-decade congressional redistricting

Colorado voters will decide in November whether to adopt Amendment 86, a constitutional amendment that would make mid-decade congressional redistricting more difficult. Under the proposal, the Independent Redistricting Commission must reconvene, conduct at least three public hearings, and approve any new congressional map drawn outside the standard ten-year census cycle, which is next scheduled for 2031. The Colorado Supreme Court would also have to review and endorse the map, rejecting any plan that fragments "communities of interest" or is drawn to advantage a party.

The amendment originated as a Republican counter to a Democratic ballot measure that aimed to redraw districts for the 2028 and 2030 elections, a measure the state Supreme Court struck down for breaching the single-subject requirement. Advance Colorado, a conservative nonprofit, leads the effort, with backing from Fair Redistricting Colorado and contributions from the American Revival PAC. Opposition is limited, though the Democratic group Colorado Draws the Line has pledged to fight the amendment. If passed, the amendment would lock in additional procedural safeguards for any future mid-decade redistricting in the state.