Douglas County commissioners reject challenge to ballot language for 3 to 5 petition

Colorado Politics September 3, 2026

This is an excerpt from the complete article.

Douglas County commissioners denied a challenge Thursday to the language of a ballot initiative that would expand the board from three to five members.

Following a contentious hearing that saw multiple audience members escorted out by police for disruptions, commissioners concluded that the challengers “failed to demonstrate that the ballot title does not meet the requirements” of state law.

The hearing stems from a citizen-organized petition to expand the number of county commissioners. Petition signatures were certified in August, and on Aug. 25, county commissioners designated themselves as the title board, which sets ballot language and hears protests on approved ballot titles.

This is the first citizen-initiated ballot measure in Douglas County in 32 years, according to county staff.

What is next

Thomas told The Denver Gazette after the hearing that the contentious meeting “went exactly the way I expected it to go.”

“They did not act impartially,” Thomas said. “They would not hear that their actions were outside the statutes they cited and used for justification.”

When asked what comes next, Thomas said her focus is now turning to the November election.

“We fought and won against the home rule ballot measure last year, and we will win on this measure too,” Thomas said.

Another protest hearing will be held Friday concerning the county-led ballot that would elect all five commissioners on a countywide election voting system.