Three initial election districts established

As part of Erie’s transition into home rule following the 2023 election, the Erie Town Council has approved establishing the town’s initial election districts.

In November 2023, Erie voters approved the home rule charter, which gives autonomy to the local government rather than following state statutes. The charter required numerous implementations, such as establishing election districts.

Amy Teetzel, director of administrative services and operations, said at the Tuesday meeting that the council’s action will divide the town into three districts, to help ensure the entire community is represented on the council.

The charter states that election districts must be established on or before May 9, or 180 days before the Nov. 5 election.

Erie staff teamed with Magellan Strategies, which has worked on redistricting efforts in Colorado for more than 20 years, according to the council’s agenda packet.

The established boundaries generally place: District 1, southwest of Jay Road and East County Line Road; District 2, northeast of East County Line Road and Weld County Road 6; and District 3, southeast of Lambert Avenue and East County Line Road.

Teetzel said the council is also able to request redistricting any time, when one district is expected to grow dramatically, to ensure that the districts remain proportionate. Erie is expected to have a population of 80,000 residents by 2040, and currently has a population of 38,000.

The charter requires all three districts to have approximately the same population, with the districts to be reconsidered every 10 years, following the release of the federal census.

Changes to districts will be made by ordinance, if the population of any district changes by more than 10%.

The council was also presented with another map, which would divide up neighborhoods like Collier’s

Hill and Erie Highlands. A survey from March asked for resident feedback on the maps, with many residents preferring neighborhoods to stay in the same district and other residents stating that neither map presented was a good option.

Following this year’s election, the council will consist of two council members representing each district and a mayor elected at-large, for a seven-person council.

The council, as currently constructed, also has seven members.