DENVER — Latino advocacy groups, Colorado Common Cause and national Democratic groups are objecting to a new Colorado U.S. House map on the grounds that it would unconstitutionally dilute the influence of the state’s Latino residents, according to documents filed with the Supreme Court Friday, Oct. 8.

“The Latino community in Colorado has been growing quickly, and the new maps this year need to reflect that,” said Mark Gaber, senior director of redistricting at the national Campaign Legal Center, which is representing the League of United Latin American Citizens. “The map adopted by the Commission fails that standard and should be rejected by the Colorado Supreme Court.”

The map also received objections about splitting Jefferson and Eagle counties, as well as criticism that the commissioners were too focused on political competitiveness over higher constitutional priorities, such as representing communities with shared interests.

The Colorado Neighborhood Coalition, which lobbied the commission on behalf of Republicans, didn’t object to the proposed map, which Democrats have said favors the GOP more than it should.

The challenges filed Friday, the deadline for submissions to the court, come as the Supreme Court begins its review of the proposed congressional map. While Colorado’s highest court has typically been the final step in the redistricting process, this year is the first time the map-drawing process has been overseen by an independent commission under rules created by Amendment Y, which Colorado voters passed in 2018.

Read more at ColoradoSun.com.