Government and politics Colorado

1 government , politics

1.1 state government
1.2 counties

1.2.1 metropolitan areas


1.3 municipalities
1.4 unincorporated communities
1.5 special districts
1.6 federal politics
1.7 significant bills passed in colorado

government , politics



state government

like federal government , other u.s. states, colorado s state constitution provides 3 branches of government: legislative, executive, , judicial branches.

the governor of colorado heads state s executive branch. current governor john hickenlooper, democrat. colorado s other statewide elected executive officers lieutenant governor of colorado (elected on ticket governor), secretary of state of colorado, colorado state treasurer, , attorney general of colorado, of whom serve four-year terms.

the seven-member colorado supreme court highest judicial court in state. state legislative body colorado general assembly, made of 2 houses, house of representatives , senate. house has 65 members , senate has 35. of 2014, republican party holds 18 17 majority in senate , 31 34 minority in house.

most coloradans native other states (nearly 60% according 2000 census), , illustrated fact state did not have native-born governor 1975 (when john david vanderhoof left office) until 2007, when bill ritter took office; election previous year marked first electoral victory native-born coloradan in gubernatorial race since 1958 (vanderhoof had ascended lieutenant governorship when john arthur love given position in richard nixon s administration in 1973). in 2016 election, democratic party won colorado electoral college votes.

counties

an enlargeable map of 64 counties of state of colorado

the state of colorado divided 64 counties. counties important units of government in colorado since state has no secondary civil subdivisions such townships. 2 of these counties, city , county of denver , city , county of broomfield, have consolidated city , county governments.

nine colorado counties have population in excess of 250,000 each, while 8 colorado counties have population of less 2,500 each. ten populous colorado counties located in front range urban corridor.

metropolitan areas

map of 14 core based statistical areas in state of colorado.

the united states office of management , budget (omb) has defined 1 combined statistical area (csa), 7 metropolitan statistical areas (msas), , 7 micropolitan statistical areas (μsas) in state of colorado.

the populous of 14 core based statistical areas in colorado denver-aurora-broomfield, co metropolitan statistical area. area had estimated population of 2,599,504 on july 1, 2011, increase of +2.20% since 2010 united states census.

the more extensive denver-aurora-boulder, co combined statistical area had estimated population of 3,157,520 on july 1, 2011, increase of +2.16% since 2010 united states census.

the populous extended metropolitan region in rocky mountain region front range urban corridor along northeast face of southern rocky mountains. region denver @ center had estimated population of 4,495,181 on july 1, 2012, increase of +3.73% since 2010 united states census.

municipalities

the state of colorado has 271 active incorporated municipalities, including 196 towns, 73 cities, , 2 consolidated city , county governments.

colorado municipalities operate under 1 of 5 types of municipal governing authority. colorado has 1 town territorial charter, 160 statutory towns, 12 statutory cities, 96 home rule municipalities (61 cities , 35 towns), , 2 consolidated city , county governments.

the skyline of downtown denver speer boulevard in foreground



unincorporated communities

in addition 271 municipalities, colorado has 187 unincorporated census designated places , many other small communities.

special districts

the state of colorado has more 3,000 districts taxing authority. these districts may provide schools, law enforcement, fire protection, water, sewage, drainage, irrigation, transportation, recreation, infrastructure, cultural facilities, business support, redevelopment, or other services.

some of these districts have authority levy sales tax , property tax , use fees. has led hodgepodge of sales tax , property tax rates in colorado. there street intersections in colorado different sales tax rate on each corner, substantially different.

some of more notable colorado districts are:

the regional transportation district (rtd), affects counties of denver, boulder, jefferson, , portions of adams, arapahoe, broomfield, , douglas counties
the scientific , cultural facilities district (scfd), special regional tax district physical boundaries contiguous county boundaries of adams, arapahoe, boulder, broomfield, denver, douglas, , jefferson counties

it 0.1% retail sales , use tax (one penny on every $10).
according colorado statute, scfd distributes money local organizations on annual basis. these organizations must provide enlightenment , entertainment of public through production, presentation, exhibition, advancement or preservation of art, music, theater, dance, zoology, botany, natural history or cultural history.
as directed statute, scfd recipient organizations divided 3 tiers among receipts allocated percentage.

tier includes regional organizations: denver art museum, denver botanic gardens, denver museum of nature , science, denver zoo, , denver center performing arts. receives 65.5%.
tier ii includes 26 regional organizations. tier ii receives 21%.
tier iii has on 280 local organizations such small theaters, orchestras, art centers, , natural history, cultural history, , community groups. tier iii organizations apply funding county cultural councils via grant process. tier receives 13.5%.


an 11-member board of directors oversees distributions in accordance colorado revised statutes. 7 board members appointed county commissioners (in denver, denver city council) , 4 members appointed governor of colorado.


the football stadium district (fd or ftbl), approved voters pay , build denver broncos stadium sports authority field @ mile high
local improvement districts (lid) within designated areas of southeast jefferson , boulder counties
the metropolitan major league baseball stadium district, approved voters pay , build colorado rockies stadium coors field
regional transportation authority (rta) taxes @ varying rates in basalt, carbondale, glenwood springs, gunnison county

federal politics


treemap of popular vote county, 2016 presidential election.

colorado considered swing state in both state , federal elections. coloradans have elected 17 democrats , 12 republicans governorship in last 100 years. in presidential politics, colorado considered reliably republican state during post-world war ii era, voting democratic candidate in 1948, 1964, , 1992. however, became competitive swing state turn of century, , voted consecutively democrat barack obama in 2008 , 2012, democrat hillary clinton in 2016.

colorado politics has contrast of conservative cities such colorado springs , liberal cities such boulder , denver. democrats strongest in metropolitan denver, college towns of fort collins , boulder, southern colorado (including pueblo), , few western ski resort counties. republicans strongest in eastern plains, colorado springs, greeley, , far western colorado near grand junction.

the state of colorado represented 2 united states senators:

united states senate class 2 – cory gardner (republican) 2015–
united states senate class 3 – michael bennet (democratic) 2009–

colorado represented 7 representatives united states house of representatives:

colorado s 1st congressional district – diana degette (democratic) 1997–
colorado s 2nd congressional district – jared polis (democratic) 2009–
colorado s 3rd congressional district – scott tipton (republican) 2011–
colorado s 4th congressional district – ken buck (republican) 2015–
colorado s 5th congressional district – doug lamborn (republican) 2007–
colorado s 6th congressional district – mike coffman (republican) 2009–
colorado s 7th congressional district – ed perlmutter (democratic) 2007–



significant bills passed in colorado

on november 8, 1932 ballot, colorado approved repeal of alcohol prohibition more year before twenty-first amendment united states constitution ratified.

in 2012, voters amended state constitution protecting personal use of marijuana adults, establishing framework regulate cannabis in manner similar alcohol. first recreational marijuana shops in colorado, , extension united states, opened doors on january 1, 2014.