State institutional reform: Colorado success story

For much of 1981, the minority Democrats in the Colorado General Assembly battled the Republicans over congressional redistricting. After three gubernatorial vetoes, the districts had to be drawn by a federal court. In marked contrast was the realignment of state legislative seats. The Colorado Reapportionment Commission assembled at the beginning of August and by the following spring agreed unanimously on a plan. The commission brought a new element to Colorado legislative politics