Although ostensibly an election to determine the structure of county government, Douglas County has engaged in a debate that will have consequences in future elections not only in the county but statewide.

Douglas County voters will be voting on June 24 whether to create a commission to write a charter that would institute “home rule” in county government. If voters approve the creation of a charter commission, a second vote will be held in November on the proposed charter.

The all-Republican Board of Douglas County Commissioners contends that under “home rule” the county will have broad latitude to resist state policies and laws that its citizens oppose. Bipartisan opponents say the benefits of “home rule” are being exaggerated and they contend the process has been rushed without public input.

Whatever the benefits or problems of “home rule,” there is no doubt there are political implications for a county that was a perennial Republican stronghold but which is now getting more competitive for Democrats.

For decades, Republican statewide candidates enjoyed a huge advantage in Douglas County getting well more than 60% of the vote, which helped power statewide Republican victories.

Stay up to speed: Sign up for daily opinion in your inbox Monday-Friday

But the influx of more than 800,000 people into the state over the past 15 years dramatically changed the Colorado electorate including in Douglas County.

Unaffiliated voters now make up 49.4% (144,384) of Douglas County voters while Republicans are at 31.6% (92,527), and Democrats at only 17% (49,851).

Even though Democrats are vastly outnumbered by Republicans by more than 14 percentage points, unaffiliated voters have tilted toward Democratic candidates in the last few election cycles, making Douglas County much more competitive.

President Donald Trump carried Douglas County over Vice President Kamala Harris by just 7 points, 52.3% (127,451) to 45.3% (110,408). Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert narrowly carried the county 48.23% (112,701) to 47.6% (111,358) over Democrat Tricia Calvarese.

Douglas County is only 17% Democratic but the Democratic candidate for president got 45.3% and the Democratic candidate for Congress got 47.6% in 2024.

The debate over “home rule” seems to be focused less on the attributes of such a dramatic change to county government and more on allegations of a rushed process that failed to adequately get public input.

The all-Republican board of county commissioners voted in March to schedule the election for a “home rule” charter commission, just three months ago. There were no public meetings leading up to that vote. Since then, the three Republican commissioners have hosted one public meeting that they limited to just one hour.

Anti-Trump sentiment in Colorado has driven unaffiliated voters away from Republicans since 2018 so “home rule” proponents must be able to separate the merits of the issue from that political dynamic.

The danger for Douglas County Republicans is that unaffiliated voters, who already are recoiling from supporting Republican candidates, will see the “home rule” effort as being a partisan Republican power play rammed through a truncated process that seems to bypass public input.

Make no mistake about it, the three Republican county commissioners put the “home rule” charter commission on the June 24 ballot. “Home rule” is owned by Republicans even though there are several Republican leaders who oppose the proposal.

The challenge for the commissioners is to make compelling arguments on the advantages of “home rule” that transcend partisan trends in the county.

Even if the “home rule” proposal passes, the margin of victory matters. If it narrowly passes, it will suggest that the trend toward Democrats is continuing.

A convincing victory for “home rule” could reassert the Republican advantage in the county. A loss could be yet another blow to the notion that Douglas County is the Republican bastion of yesteryear.

For better or for worse, Douglas County Republicans will own the aftermath of this “home rule” debate.

Dick Wadhams is a former Colorado Republican state chairman who managed campaigns for U.S. Sens. Hank Brown and Wayne Allard, and Gov. Bill Owens.  He was campaign manager for U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota when Thune unseated Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle in 2004.