Your Home Rule Ballot Guide

Special Election ballots were mailed on June 2nd and should be arriving in your mailbox. Last month the Executive Committee passed a resolution encouraging a NO vote. Should the initiative pass, we want candidates who will advocate for good governance on the commission. Below we have a list of candidates who have indicated they are against Home Rule or have demonstrated leadership in Douglas County. You can read more about the candidates on the Stop the Power Grab website. Ballots are due back June 24th.

At Large (Vote for 3):

Angela Thomas*

Steve Johnson*

Steven Arthur Boand*

District I (Vote for 6):

Matthew M. Lunn*

Emily Roth Suyat*

Jason Hamel*

October Ann Levy*

Irene Bonham*

Julie Gooden*

Mary Lynch

District II (Vote for 6):

Kevin Leung*

Barrett Rothe*

Juli Watkins*

Julian Bouquet*

Charles O’Reilly

Douglas John Gilbert

District III (Vote for 6):

Bob Marshall*

Michael Lees*

Alicia Jean Vagts*

Gordon B. (Spud) Van De Water*

Lee Hudson Frame*

Susan Meek

SuJeanne Foster

*= Candidates on slates recommended by the Stop the Power Grab issue committee.

Please note this list contains all Democrats and Left Leaning Unaffiliated candidates who are running.

Activism and Volunteer Activities for June

Here is an up-to-date list of protests and events you can participate in, in and near Douglas County:

·      Monday, June 2nd, 12:00 Noon to 2:00 PM Castle Rock

No on Home Rule Rally.Come peacefully protest the first day of Home Rule mail ballots going out. We'll be on the sidewalk at 3rd & Wilcox. Best sign wins a free Vote No t-shirt! 

·     Wednesday, June 4th, 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM over Zoom

Join us to hear from Shad Murib, Chair of the CO Democratic Party, share his vision for the future of the party and how they plan to fight back in the upcoming elections. This is the time for us to work together to defeat the authoritarian regime and its efforts to institutionalize Project 2025! Hosted by Indivisible Colorado. Register here: https://www.mobilize.us/indivisiblecolorado/event/794425/

·      Sunday, June 8 2:00 pm, Highlands Ranch Library - Skills Building Disagreeing Better

Want to be able to communicate better with the other side? The Indivisible groups in Douglas County are hosting a free workshop, developed and facilitated by Braver Angels, to help people understand the values and concerns of those who differ from them politically and teaches essential skills for communicating across differences and finding common ground. Register here: https://secure.everyaction.com/ZFQc2mB7gkW0icdEDOJ-Cw2... 

Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 13th, 14th and 15th Parker Days Festival - O'Brien Park, Parker

Volunteers are needed for the DougCo Dem's booth. Hand out information, provide sign up sheets to visitors, introduce candidates, answer questions. Give out dog treats and more! Register here: https://www.dougcodems.org/event-details/parker-days-2025

Saturday, June 14th 2:30 - 4:30 No Kings Protest and March - East Plum Creek Parkway, Castle Rock

Douglas County, we're joining the No Kings National Day of Action to make our collective voices heard in protest of the increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption from Trump and his allies. (And yes, that includes the little wanna be kings right here is DougCo, too!!). We will meet at the upper parking lot of the Douglas County Fairgrounds, and march on the sidewalk from there to Festival Park in the center of town. This event is hosted by the Douglas County Colorado Activism Task Force. Register here:

https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/event/792014/?force_banner=true&share_context=event_details&share_medium=copy_link

Sunday, June 22, 2:00 Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser Town Hall - Highlands Ranch Library

Join the Indivisible Groups as we welcome A.G. Weiser to a town hall in Highlands Ranch. Register here: https://secure.everyaction.com/GXoNULhxHUGf-G23XlKb_A2...

The DougCo Activism Task Force is a collective of groups focused on providing a safe place for participants to voice their concerns and objections to the state of affairs with the current administration. While the focus is on national issues, the task force is also involved with Douglas County and Colorado initiatives and elections.

Smart Voting Starts Here: Making Sense of Douglas County’s Home Rule Study Ballot Questions

HD43 Outreach is proud to co-host this non-partisan forum on Wednesday, May 21, at 6:30 p.m. Our goal is to educate all voters in Highlands Ranch and Douglas County on this critical issue.

RSVP Here

A little history of this event. As many of you know, we tried to get the County Commissioners to come to our April Outreach to help us understand Home Rule. They declined but said they would attend our meeting on May 21st. They even put us on the BoCC Calendar.

HD43 Outreach on the BOCC Calendar

When our Chair followed up to confirm, they responded with the following:

BoCC is Rescinding their RSVP.

We know that one or more County Commissioners have attended four partisan GOP events to talk about Home Rule. We also know that the Commissioner declined to meet with Lone Tree Votes and the Libertarian Party. Why are they afraid to talk to 70% of their constituents?

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Nevertheless, We Persisted.

Since we already had the room reserved to hear from the BOCC, we invited Dr. Robert Preuhs, a panelist from the Douglas County Citizenry forum, to help everyone make sense of this complicated issue.

A Free Public Event for Informed Voters

Confused about the upcoming Home Rule ballot in Douglas County? You're not alone. This free, nonpartisan event is designed to help voters understand what’s at stake beyond a simple yes or no vote this June.

Special Guest: Dr. Robert Preuhs, Professor of Political Science, will join us to break down this complex but critical issue and answer your questions.

You’ll leave this event understanding:

• What County Home Rule really means for Douglas County residents

• What powers the Charter Commission would have if the measure passes

• What a Home Rule Charter should include to protect transparency, accountability, and community voice

• If it passes, what the Home Rule timeline looks like, and if two months is enough time to do it well.

• What questions you should be asking your county leaders right now

Smart voting starts with informed choices. Join us and bring a friend.

All candidates will be invited to meet with attendees after the forum.

Robert Preuhs, Ph.D, is the chair of the Political Science Department at Metropolitan State University of Denver. He currently teaches democracy: U.S. and Third World, conducting political analysis and applied political research lab.

RSVP Here