Opinion ID: 2638703
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 13

Heading: Drawing Districts On Remand

Text: On remand, the Commission must start with whole district assignment to counties that qualify for them. [13] When necessary to meet equal population requirements, the Commission may make county and city divisions. When divisions of counties must be made, the Commission may employ the other criteria of Section 47 in their preferential order: minimizing city divisions (Article V, Section 47(2)), compactness and contiguity (Article V, Section 47(1)), and preservation of communities of interest (Article V, Section 47(3)). See Colo. Const. art. V, § 47; In re Reapportionment 92-I, 828 P.2d at 190. While these criteria are neutral, they do involve policy choices that we will defer to if accompanied by an articulated reasonable rationale. [14] Because we remand the Adopted Plan for other reasons, we also require the Commission to reexamine the Adams, Arapahoe, and Mesa County divisions. If it is still necessary to make one, some, or all of them, then the Commission must make an adequate factual demonstration and articulate its rationale for the divisions, upon resubmission. We are aware that, in designing the Denver metropolitan area districts and complying with the constitutional criteria as set forth in this opinion, the Commission must make additional adjustments and determinations that most probably will involve some county and city splits. We hold that the Adopted Plan does not comply with the substantive and procedural requirements of the Colorado Constitution. The Commission shall formulate an Adopted Plan which does so and resubmit it to us with supporting materials by 5:00 p.m. on February 15, 2002. See § 2-2-506(1)(a.5)(I). [15]