Colorado’s independent redistricting commissioners got an earful Tuesday night in Arvada — from the biggest crowd yet at a public input hearing — about the preliminary draft maps unveiled in June.

It was the first public input hearing in a metro area, after the first three, held over the weekend in rural, eastern parts of the state.

The purpose of the public input hearings that will be held across the state in the coming weeks is to get input from the public on the preliminary draft congressional and legislative maps.

A Flourish map

After the map roadshow, the state constitution requires the independent congressional and legislative redistricting commissions to adjust the draft maps, based on the public input, balanced with the various redistricting requirements like equal population, contiguity and compliance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965, respecting communities of interest, political subdivisions and geographic divisions and promoting competitiveness where possible.

The clear message from the public speakers at the Arvada hearing: Keep Jefferson County whole when it comes to the congressional map, and keep Arvada whole when it comes to the statehouse districts.

Speaker after speaker hammered the idea that Jefferson County, where Arvada is located, needs to be undivided for a variety of reasons, including the single school district, public health and public safety agencies, unifying industries and intergovernmental cooperation.

A Flourish map

The preliminary draft congressional map splits Jefferson County, with Arvada, in the northwestern part of the county, drawn into the preliminary draft map’s Congressional District 8, which is designed to empower the northern Denver metro area, with an emphasis on the growing Hispanic community there.

The preliminary draft map also combines the remaining part of Jefferson County with northwestern parts of Douglas County. That combination also rubs many the wrong way, with attendants commenting on the differences between the two counties’ population. They argued that Douglas County is more aligned with the rural parts of the state, whereas Jefferson County is suburban, with areas extending into the front range mountain areas.

A Flourish map

The preliminary draft legislative maps would split Arvada into two state senate districts, and three state house districts, which several attendants also lamented at the meeting. 

The commission will next meet Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the state Capitol, to again gather public input on the preliminary draft maps.