Governor Polis’ Reddit AMA Left Redistricting Questions Unanswered

Governor Jared Polis recently held a Reddit AMA (“Ask Me Anything”) where Coloradans had the chance to put questions directly to him. It was a lively discussion that touched on a range of issues, but one topic stood out because of its absence in his replies: redistricting.

In the AMA thread, users raised the issue of Colorado’s redistricting process, which has been under debate since the passage of Amendments Y and Z in 2018. The only question asked in the original post was about redistricting. Yet, it was one of the questions that the Governor left unanswered.

This silence matters. Other states are already redrawing their maps mid-decade, and Colorado voters are beginning to ask whether our state should consider similar powers to protect fair representation. Governor Polis has made openness to dialogue one of his trademarks, but when it comes to redistricting reform, the conversation has yet to begin at the highest level.

Our issue committee believes that Colorado cannot afford to wait until 2030 to even discuss the issue. Whether through the legislature, citizen initiative, or modification of Amendments Y and Z, we must start talking about how to defend fair representation in a political environment where other states are moving the goalposts.

Polis’ AMA shows that people are already asking these questions. Now it is up to Colorado’s leaders to answer them.