Douglas County Commissioners Emphasize Local Control Without New Home Rule Election

By Noah Festenstein | The Denver Gazette

The future of Douglas County chasing “home rule” status may not be in the hands of commissioners, but rather by residents who are considering placing the issue back on the ballot, according to one commissioner.

Last March, Douglas County commissioners proposed to become a home rule county. The three Republican commissioners asserted that home rule status would allow the county to gain “local control” within a Democratic-controlled state.

Commissioners said future efforts to gain local control are still a possibility, despite voters overwhelmingly rejecting the proposal in June.

Different from municipal home rule charters, home rule counties are rare in Colorado. Out of 64 counties, only four have adopted home rule: Pitkin and Weld counties; and Denver and Broomfield, which are also both cities and counties.

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