Amendment 86 – Requirements for Off Cycle Congressional Redistricting

Every 10 years after the decennial census, Colorado’s two independent redistricting commissions – one for congressional seats and one for state legislative seats – redraw district boundaries to account for changes in population. In 2025 President Trump encouraged Texas to conduct mid-decade congressional redistricting to gain more Republican seats. California responded by asking voters to approve redrawing its congressional districts. The gerrymandering wars had begun!

This amendment would require Colorado’s Independent Congressional Redistricting Commission to approve any new mid-decade maps and would prohibit any off-cycle changes that purposefully advantage a political party or unnecessarily split a community of interest.

Multiple initiatives with opposite goals were filed with the Title Board, some by Advance Colorado and some by Coloradans for a Level Playing Field. The Supreme Court prevented more redistricting initiatives from getting on the ballot.

Recommendation: No

The best solution to the gerrymandering wars is passage of the U.S. Fair Representation Act—not likely in the near future – or another bill that would institute proportional representation, rendering this amendment moot.

Let’s not tie Colorado’s hands by putting restrictions in the constitution.

Website for the Yes Side – Brighter Colorado
https://brightercolorado.org/yeson86/
Two Advance Colorado designated reps https://www.advancecolorado.org/

Website for the No Side – Colorado Draws the Line
References initiative #256, now Amendment 86
https://coloradodrawstheline.com/


Approved Ballot Language
Amendment 86 (CONSTITUTIONAL)

Shall there be an amendment to the Colorado Constitution concerning congressional redistricting, and, in connection therewith, reenacting the current process for congressional redistricting in the Colorado Constitution and prohibiting modifications to a final map unless at least three public meetings are held, the modifications do not have the effect of dividing communities of interest or purposefully favoring one political party, and are approved by the congressional redistricting commission and the Colorado Supreme Court?

YES/FOR ___
NO/AGAINST ___

Amendment 86 initiative language filed with the Secretary of State
https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/elections/Initiatives/titleBoard/filings/2025-2026/256Final.pdf