Key facts
- Colorado Democrats' plans to redraw congressional districts for the 2028 elections have been blocked by court rulings.
- The timing of the decisions makes it impossible to place redistricting measures on the upcoming fall ballot.
- The court ruled unanimously against the proposed remapping efforts.
- Democrats had hoped to gain as many as three House seats through redistricting in Colorado.
- The court cited violations of the state constitution's single-subject provision and significant changes to long-settled law.
Colorado Democrats' aspirations to redraw congressional districts for the 2028 elections were dashed by two unanimous rulings from the state's Supreme Court. The timing of the decisions means it is now impossible to place any redistricting measures on the ballot this fall, effectively ending the party's hopes of potentially picking up as many as three House seats. These rulings represent the latest setback for Democrats in their nationwide gerrymandering efforts, following a similar fate for their proposed map in Virginia and weakened protections under the Voting Rights Act. Chief Justice Monica M. Márquez, writing for the court, stated that altering the state's established redistricting process would constitute a significant departure from the proponents' stated goals. In a separate opinion, the court found that the proposed ballot measures violated a constitutional provision requiring them to focus on a single subject.