DENVER – Two years made all the difference for a plan hatched in Southwest Colorado to allow small counties to elect their commissioners by district.
The Senate passed a bill Monday by Sen. Ellen Roberts, R-Durango, to allow county voters to make the change, if they wish.
Currently, voters throughout the county elect commissioners, even though the commissioners represent different geographic districts.
Roberts’ Senate Bill 84 passed 35-0.
In 2012, a Senate committee shot down a nearly identical bill when it was sponsored by Roberts and former Rep. J. Paul Brown, R-Ignacio.
Colorado Counties Inc., a statewide group that advances the interest of county commissioners, stood strongly opposed to SB 84.
Roberts said she wasn’t surprised at Monday’s vote, but she is gratified that it was unanimous. She wasn’t sure of the bill’s fate when she introduced it earlier this year.
“I felt like it was a big climb, given CCI’s strong opposition to it,” she said.
SB 84 now goes to the House. If it succeeds in that chamber and is signed into law by Gov. John Hickenlooper, then counties with populations of 70,000 or less would be able to hold a vote to elect future commissioners by district, instead of at-large. Either the commissioners or citizen petitioners could refer the idea to the ballot. Counties that did not have a successful vote in favor of the plan would continue with the current election system.
jhanel@durangoherald.com
