League of Women Voters of Greeley, Weld County, Inc. v. Board of County Commissioners.

2025 CO 8. No. 24SC394. Home Rule Counties—Colorado Constitution—Redistricting Statutes—Standing—Private Right of Action—County Commissioners—Redistricting Process—Elections—Election Maps.

February 24, 2025

In this case, the supreme court addressed whether the plaintiffs had standing to sue under the redistricting statutes, whether the redistricting statutes contain an implied private right of action, and whether a home rule county, such as Weld County, must comply with Colorado’s redistricting statutes when conducting its county commissioner election redistricting process. The court answered each of these issues affirmatively. The court determined that while article XIV of the Colorado Constitution empowers home rule counties to determine the organization and structure of county government, it still requires them to comply with any mandatory statutory county functions, including the duties laid out in the redistricting statutes. Accordingly, the court ordered Weld County’s Board of County Commissioners to complete its redistricting process and adopt a district map in accordance with the redistricting statutes’ procedures in time for Weld’s next county commissioner election.