By Rocky Mountain Voice Staff
On March 25, the Douglas County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to initiate a nine-step process to become a home rule county. If approved, Douglas would join Weld and Pitkin as the only counties in Colorado with a home rule charter.
The vote, however, surprised many residents.
A source reported to the Rocky Mountain Voice that the discussion of home rule barely met the 24-hour state meeting notice requirement before it was added to a Special Business Meeting agenda.
No town halls were held in advance, and no community survey was conducted.
Instead, residents learned about the plan the day before the vote.
Douglas County announced the decision, stating, “Without Home Rule, the Colorado legislature determines both the form and function of county government through state statute.”
Commissioner Van Winkle framed the move as a response to political overreach at the state level. “We must decisively step away from Denver’s misguided leftist policies, which prioritize ideology over practicality, erode individual freedoms and burden our communities with unsustainable costs. It’s time to chart a course rooted in common sense and the values that build this state.”
Under a home rule charter, a county can restructure aspects of its internal government, such as determining whether positions like coroner or treasurer are appointed or elected.
Douglas County officials say the goal is greater flexibility and local control.
“Unlike a statutory form of government, which adheres to state-imposed rules and limitations, a Home Rule Charter provides the flexibility to address local challenges more effectively and innovatively,” the county’s website states.
Home rule offers some local control, but not as much as people often assume.
In Colorado, counties can shape their internal structure—choosing how officials are selected, setting term limits, adjusting pay, and deciding the number of commissioners. But this authority doesn’t let them bypass state law.
Home rule counties must still perform all mandatory functions required by statute and cannot impose taxes, fees, or policies within municipal boundaries without the consent of the municipality’s governing body (CRS § 30-35-103).
They also cannot bypass statewide judicial appointments or constitutional protections like TABOR. While home rule expands local control in some areas, it operates within clearly defined legal limits.
Behind the scenes, party insiders are voicing concern about what a charter could actually allow.
One Republican district captain raised alarm about the process in an email to the party central committee. “The [home rule] charter could make wide-ranging changes in County government, including making some positions (eg, Sheriff) appointed by the Commissioners that presently are elected by the people. The charter could also change the number of Commissioners. If this goes wrong, this could easily lead to Democrat control of our County.”
Douglas County’s process includes two elections. The first, scheduled for June 24, will ask voters whether to form a Home Rule Charter Commission and to elect 21 commission members. If voters approve the commission, the second election on November 4 will determine whether the drafted charter becomes law. If adopted, the charter would take effect on January 1, 2026.
How Eagle County approached the idea of home rule
Douglas County’s approach stands in contrast to Eagle County, where multiple efforts to adopt home rule included more visible public engagement. During a 2019-2020 initiative by the Town of Eagle, officials conducted a community survey.
According to the results made public by the Town of Eagle and later reported on by Vail Daily, 74% of residents supported home rule once they learned it would not raise taxes or bypass voter approval for tax increases.
Though Eagle County voters ultimately rejected earlier charter proposals in 2006 and 2007, the public had opportunities to engage in meetings and weigh in on proposed changes before they went to the ballot.
Those efforts, while unsuccessful, highlight a more measured and participatory process.
What home rule can—and can’t—do
While a charter allows for restructuring internal government, it does not override state mandates or judicial appointments. According to state law (CRS § 30-35-103), counties cannot exercise powers within municipal limits without local consent and must still perform all duties required of statutory counties.
Any assertion that home rule would free Douglas County from all state oversight misrepresents the legal framework.
The real power of home rule lies in the hands of the charter commission. The 21 elected residents will decide what changes to propose, including term limits, salary rules and whether some officials should be appointed rather than elected.
That makes the June 24 election not just a vote on whether to explore home rule, but a decision about who will write the rules that could govern the county for decades to come.
Douglas County invites residents to submit questions or apply to run for the commission via DouglasVotes.com. Public meetings for the commission will be open to residents, with three specifically designated for community comment.
As the process unfolds, Douglas County voters face a simple but weighty question: Will local control serve them better than the statutory system they know?