Former Obama administration Attorney General Eric Holder will speak in Denver on Saturday about redistricting, a thorny mess nationwide that voters in Colorado sought to untangle just last year.

Holder and President Obama are part of a campaign called All On The Line to push for a less-political approach to drawing district boundaries, to make races more competitive and weaken the influence of the major parties.

In the past that duty has fallen to the legislature. The party with a majority attempts to ensure its party holds on to incumbents by diffusing the voting power of the opposition. It does this by drawing boundaries that loop in its supporters and exclude neighborhoods that might vote against it.

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Last year voters passed amendments Y and Z to move the job of drawing the lines for state lawmakers and the seven congressional districts to independent commissions, ideally freer from political self-interests.

On Saturday, Holder is expected to talk about the impact of gerrymandering – the shady practice of drawing lines for political gain –  at Servicios de la Raza, 3131 West 14th Ave. in Denver from noon to 1:30 p.m.

“The conversation will be focused on the importance of voting rights, especially in communities of color,” All on the Line said in a media advisory. “The roundtable will also discuss the need for an accurate census in 2020 and fair redistricting in 2021.”

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The census is seen as a critical tool for communities of color to flex their muscle at the ballot box and receive their fair share of federal money for services such as schools and transportation.

Former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb sponsored a job fair Tuesday in Five Points to sign up census takers in the city.

Holder made news in the state last week for endorsing Omar Montgomery, who is running for mayor in Aurora.

Montgomery’s campaign has not announced public events with the former Obama official.