NO on 5 Commissioners
Vote NO on Question 200
Bigger isn’t better
Supported by outside money
Non-inclusive
Budget-irresponsible
Fact checks don’t stand up
Before you vote on November 3, get the facts about Ballot Question 200.
Claim
More voices mean better representation.
Facts
Fifty-eight percent (58%) of the $104,739 raised by supporters of this measure through July 2026 came from donors outside of Boulder County, and just four donors raised 88% of the funds.
Who raised the money?
Twenty-seven percent (27%) of $90,377 spent through July 2026 went to firms based outside Colorado, and 69% went to firms outside of Boulder County.
Who got the money?
Source: TRACER (Colorado Secretary of State)
Claim
Spending $500,000 each year for salaries and benefits for two new commissions is a “tiny” amount.
Facts
Boulder County is already cutting staff, programs, and services that Boulder County residents rely on.
“...the county will need to find $30 million to $40 million in savings over the next three years.”
The 2026 cuts alone led to:
delays in services that help Boulder County older adults remain in their homes
less funding for preschoolers from low-income Boulder County families
cuts to behavioral health and homeless services for Boulder County residents
reduced funding for job-finding assistance for Boulder County workers
cuts to criminal justice programs and a substance use disorder program
Half of a million dollars might seem “tiny,” but it has a big impact on Boulder County’s residents, businesses, workers, and staff.
Source: Boulder County’s budget cuts target social services as $13 million shortfall drives layoffs (Boulder Reporting Lab, October 2, 2025)
“This proposal is fiscally irresponsible and out of step when the County and its residents, workers, and businesses are struggling with affordability challenges.”
Claim
With five commissioners, the County Commission will be more diverse and inclusive.
Fact
There are structural changes that are proven to increase diversity and inclusion on elected bodies, such as proportional representation. Adding more elected officials is not one of them.
“Changing to five commissioners will not inherently result in a more diverse County Commission.”
Boulder County elected its first Latina County Commissioner in 2020 — a long overdue step toward improving representation on our County Commission.
Moving to 5 districts will fracture communities, making it harder for people of color, working class residents, and rural residents to get elected in Boulder County.
Adding two at-large seats will further advantage candidates with longstanding access to the two-party system and wealthy donor networks.
“If we want everyone in Boulder County to feel they have a representative on the County Commission, we should be talking about proportional representation, multimember districts, and other proven electoral reforms.”
Source: It’s time to talk about election reform (Center for American Progress, January 31, 2023)
Claim
Colorado counties with populations and budgets as large as Boulder County have five commissioners.
Facts
Half of the eight largest counties in Colorado have three commissioners and the other half have five.
Colorado Counties with 3 Commissioners
Colorado Counties with 5 Commissioners
“Bigger isn’t better for timely executive decision-making. County Commissioners function predominantly as county executives; five commissioners would only make decision-making more cumbersome and time-consuming.”
Claim
The County Commissioners would redraw the new districts if Boulder County voters approved these changes.
Facts
Colorado law states that any county-level redistricting after June 3, 2026, requires an independent commission to redraw districts, not the current Board of Commissioners.
Moreover, the law’s competitiveness requirement will force the independent commission to draw districts that are artificially balanced by political party, even if that means splitting cities, rural areas, and working‑class neighborhoods.
Source: HB26-1038 County Commissioner Redistricting (Colorado General Assembly)