In his final State of the Union address, President Obama lamented that partisan division and polarization had increased during his tenure. He laid part of the blame on gerrymandered congressional districts, stating, “In America, politicians should not pick their voters; voters should pick their politicians.”

Here in Colorado, a bipartisan group of leaders has come together to end gerrymandering. The result is newly filed Initiative 107. If approved by voters this fall, this measure would put in place a best-in-the-nation system for redrawing political districts. As former legislators representing both political parties, we urge Coloradans’ to support this initiative.

Every 10 years following the Census, the states’ major political parties meet behind closed doors in their respective corners to redraw congressional and legislative districts. Using sophisticated software, party leaders draw creative maps that, first and foremost, maximize their chances for victory and protect incumbents from competition.

This lack of transparency and the perception that party leaders decide the fates of their preferred candidates breeds mistrust.

One needs to look no further than the past couple redistricting efforts. Remember the 2003 “Midnight Gerrymander,” when Colorado Republicans rammed through a new congressional map with no warning? Or the partisan 6-5 legislative maps rammed through by the Colorado Reapportionment Commission at the last-minute in 2001 and 2011? Bitterness, a public outcry, and claims of favoritism are their enduring legacy.

And who wins under the current system? The members of Congress and legislators who get safe seats. Incumbents feel little obligation to be responsive to voters outside the base of their parties. Polarization ensues. The resulting gridlock is nearly as prevalent here in Colorado as it is in Washington, D.C.

Just as the president said, it’s time to give the power back to the voters. Initiative 107 does just that by creating a system designed to ensure transparency, guarantee neither political party can hijack the process ever again, and reduce judicial intervention in the process. How does Initiative 107 do it?

Bipartisan accomplishments have become a rarity in recent years, not just in Washington, D.C., but also right here in Colorado. The advocates of Initiative 107 — Democrats, Republicans and those who aren’t affiliated — deserve credit. Not only could this be a breakthrough for bipartisanship but Initiative 107 could become a national model for fair and transparent redistricting. The alternative, more gerrymandering, is a recipe for failure.