Red County, Blue State

If you’re fairly new to Colorado elections or are still a little fuzzy on why we have the Blue Book, TABOR book, and Ballot Question 200, this is your episode. I explain the Blue Book (it’s a big ol thing this year at 127 pages), the TABOR book, and present information on “Yes on 200” so you can make your own decision. Do I have an opinion? Moi??? Yes. So does my neighbor. Time to be the informed ones in our group chat.

I will vote ✅YES on 200, ✅5 by District on 201, and 🚫NO on 1A

Do your neighbors agree with you on local issues? Get a Yes on 200 yard sign so they can see where you stand. Go here! Or contact me at [email protected]

If you want to ask the Yes on 200 (fka 3 to 5) committee questions, find one of their town halls all over the county.

Sample ballot.

Blue Book should already be at your house via mail, TABOR book is on its way but both are online.

Kyle Clark says the county commissioners are “tanking” the citizen-led 3 to 5.

I’m also voting ✅YES on 5A. This is an MLO (funding) for our public schools. Colorado schools are chronically underfunded, and Douglas County itself is trying to recover from years of damage from almost a decade of BOE’s who wanted to starve public schools. It’s a whole thing. Don’t know what an MLO is and why we have them? Listen to my episode on school finance here.

This ballot is LONG, it’s ok to get help from orgs you already trust:

Bell Policy Center Ballot Guide: short, sweet, gives recommendations.

League of Women Voters - Where the League Stands. Also gives recommendations This whole website is so educational regarding elections.

Indivisible Colorado Ballot Guide

Contact me anytime:

email: [email protected]

on signal: @emilysuyat.87

Text or leave a message at 720-288-0147

Thanks for listening! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review for me on Apple Podcasts to drown out the fella telling me to move to Denver. (No 💅 ) Douglas County is my home and if you live here, it’s yours too.

Hi! What a sh*t week for news! Let’s vote in some good people, shall we? My guest today is Dan Smith, candidate for Douglas County treasurer. What does a county treasurer do? Why is it important? Dan will explain it all, including why the county waiving $19 million in taxes for a data center probably should have had more public input and input from other Douglas County elected officials. If you’re a money nerd or not, this episode is for all who want transparency.

Check out candidate Dan Smith’s tax transparency tool and see how your property taxes compare to other taxpayers in Douglas County.

Visit https://www.dan4dougco.com/ to donate, get a yard sign, volunteer or contact Dan.

Ballots are mailed on Oct 2, Election Day is Nov 3. Sample ballot here.

Visit the Yes on 200 - 3 to 5 website to find out more about your ballot and voting yes on 200. I’ll also do an episode on this. Yard sign link here.

Contact me anytime, I’d love to hear from you:

email: [email protected]

on signal: @emilysuyat.87

Text or leave a message at 720-288-0147

Thanks for listening!

Irene Bonham may be running as a Democrat but she joins us in a conversation about values that matter to most of us when it comes to public officials: integrity, accessibility, and transparency. Irene talks about why she wants a seat where she will be outnumbered and likely ostracized (if not worse), what smart growth looks like, the dangers of dark money and consolidated power, and dun dun dunnnnn “is she a socialist?” (No.)

Get to know the candidate endorsed by Rep Jason Crow, Rep Joe Neguse, Rep Brittany Petterson and Senator Michael Bennet.

2:35 - Irene’s background and why she’s running

4:55 - Why run after knowing allegations of bullying by former commissioner Lora Thomas?

7:25 - How she plans to address trust and transparency

10:16 - Data centers and AI

14:30 - Why she’s not taking donations from developers doing business in the county

16:45 - The jaw-dropping dark money supporting her opponent.

19:42 - The top county concern for voters

22:15 - Is she a socialist?

Volunteer, get a sign, donate, meet Irene: https://www.irenebonham.com/

TRACER - the CO Secretary of State’s searchable campaign finance site

Booker banners are back: DougCoFReadom defenders on Instagram and Facebook (private group).

New residents compared to locusts, featuring Irene’s opponent Jake Bockenfeld.

My guest Angela Thomas, leader of the 3 to 5 effort, tells us about the hearing last Thursday, who actually signed the 3 to 5 petition, and what the plan is to get 3 to 5 to pass November. She’ll also tell us how the 5 districts will be drawn if the voters choose to be represented by district.

The news coverage of the commissioner’s interference with 3 to 5 was right on the money, so if you need a basic explainer to share, Kyle Clark of 9News and Olivia Young of CBSColorado have you covered as do many other local news outlets.

ALSO, What do Sonny Crockett and George Teal have in common? Listen to find out!

email: [email protected]

on signal: @emilysuyat.87

Text or leave a message at 720-288-0147

Sources:

Keep up with 3 to 5 here: website, Facebook

3 to 5’s petition data

Convict Coffee episode

3 to 5 in the media—

CBS Colorado

Denver Gazette

Denver7

Share on social media:

Olivia Young with CBSColorado on Instagram

Kyle Clark on threads

Kyle Clark on Facebook

Kyle Clark on youtube

Thank you for listening!

The commissioners appointed themselves judge and jury over a ballot fight they started — and then wrote misleading language for their own competing measure. In this episode, I talk about the missing a “at-large” language in the commissioners’ stand-alone ballot measure, the 3-5 committee's protest, and what's at stake before Thursday's hearing. Come to the hearing if you can: September 3 at 3pm at 100 Third Street.

Contact me anytime:

email: [email protected]

on signal: @emilysuyat.87

Text or leave a message at 720-288-0147

Video clips taken from this meeting.

9news: https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/local-politics/douglas-county-commissioners-ballot-issues-affect-future/73-dc19da4d-7a58-48bc-bd96-6afb82856a91

Westword: https://www.westword.com/news/douglas-county-battle-over-commissioners-ballot-measure-40929581/

Denver Gazette: https://www.denvergazette.com/2026/08/28/dougco-commissioners-set-ballot-language-for-initiative-to-expand-board-from-3-to-5-members/

Douglas County News Press: https://www.douglascountynewspress.com/news/local-government/article_71a8a27f-ddf7-4e75-85a1-ac6e3cc07767.html

Timeline on Commissioner’s website with all of their resolutions and ballot language: https://www.douglasco.gov/board-county-commissioners/transparency/3-to-5-commissioners-voter-initiated-measure/).

3 to 5 press release: https://www.3to5dougco.com/post/20-000-voters-signed-for-a-simple-question-douglas-county-commissioners-rewrote-it

Most ballot measures are just…put on the ballot. Not in Douglas County. On Friday, August 28, the three Douglas County commissioners added their own biased language to the citizen-led ballot measure that over 20k residents signed. On top of that, the commissioners plan to add their own separate competing ballot measure this Monday, August 31. It’s quite unhinged. Listen to hear how it went down, why it’s important, and what’s next.

Bottom line: 3 to 5 will be on the ballot and it’s more important than ever to vote for it.

Watch the commissioners’ special business meeting on August 28

3 to 5 organizer’s response.

Episode 63 of this podcast: 3 to 5 explained, with organizer Angela Thomas.

Resolution #1 adding to the ballot language. Redlined version so you can see exactly what they added.

Resolution #2: the commissioners’ competing ballot measure will be discussed Monday, August 31 at 8:30am at 100 Third St in Castle Rock. The caption in the video said 8am, it’s 8:30am. Public comment will be allowed, but may be limited according to the emotions of Commissioner Teal. If you don’t want to comment, be a butt in a chair and bring a friend. It’ll be a masterclass on gaslighting but it will educate you on what the commissioners really value (themselves). Take care of yourselves. Blast a Dolly song about hypocrisy. Stream the meeting here if you can’t be there in person.

Contact me anytime:email: [email protected]

on signal: @emilysuyat.87

Text or leave a message at 720-288-0147

Thank you for listening!

Hi there! Candidate Christian Schilder joins me to talk about what a state legislator does, how infrastructure holds us together, housing, water, and his short stint on the Douglas County planning commission (get ready for some commissioner tea). Thanks for listening/watching!

Watch this interview on youtube.

Contact me anytime!

email: [email protected]

on signal: @emilysuyat.87

Text or leave a message at 720-288-0147

* SHOW NOTES AND SOURCES: RSVP for Democracy Now meeting on August 24 with Sheri Davis (location provided after RSVP):

https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/998829/?source=indivisible&medium=web

* County Commissioner Meeting is on Aug 25th at 1:30pm, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock. No RSVP necessary.

* 3to5dougco has not put out a statement, I will let you know when and if they do.

* Agenda for the commissioner meeting: https://douglascounty.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=1374597&GUID=EF425757-A659-4E27-A236-3FE75005654D

* Proposed commissioner resolution: https://douglascounty.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=15799264&GUID=448CD55B-6550-4056-9A4F-9C7BF9D056EA

* Rep Bradley gun law repeal: https://coloradotimesrecorder.com/2026/02/republican-denies-gun-rights-bill-was-a-pr-stunt-hours-after-calling-it-a-bid-for-attention/76771/

* Rep Bradley calling for arrest of two 9news journalists:https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/local-politics/colorado-legislator-social-media-post-arrest/73-30aa10ea-0dcf-4123-8fff-527466dcb5a4

* Rep Bradley formally reprimanded:

https://gazette.com/2026/06/06/colorado-house-minority-leader-reprimands-rep-brandi-bradley-for-reprehensible-behavior/

https://www.coloradopolitics.com/2026/06/03/colorado-house-minority-leader-reprimands-rep-brandi-bradley-for-reprehensible-behavior/

* Rep Bradley calls for reading budget aloud:

https://www.cpr.org/2026/04/11/colorado-budget-brandi-bradley-delay-tactic/

…and it cost an estimated 10k

https://coloradosun.com/2026/04/14/brandi-bradley-colorado-budget-bill-read-aloud/

* RSVP to Christian’s town hall: https://www.christian4co.com/event-details/hd39s-first-town-hall-of-2026

* Christian’s FB post: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1419486906752500

This is one of those interviews where you need to hear the voice behind the candidate. Every time I hear Eileen Laubacher speak, I am struck by her sincerity. In this episode, Rear Admiral Eileen Laubacher, Democratic candidate for Congressional District 4 (CD4) sits down to talk about water, AI, data centers, and the corruption that plagues both sides of the aisle. Her campaign has generated much enthusiasm among folks (including Republicans) who not only want Lauren Boebert gone but want to be represented by a leader with integrity who understands service.

* EileenforColorado.com

* Detailed map of CD4

* Among the eight congressional districts in Colorado, CD4 has the highest median household income at $120,070.

* In 2024, Lauren Boebert won her race against Democratic opponent Trisha Calvarese by 11 points.

3 to 5 is on the ballot: press release. Learn more about the Vote Yes effort at 3to5DougCo.com

Barrett Rothe’s Douglas County Lantern piece on the $19,000,000 tax break for Flexential data center in Parker. ←read the comments here. The Lantern’s Opinion piece on repealing the Business Personal Property Tax.

Contact me anytime, I’d love to hear from you:

email: [email protected]

on signal: @emilysuyat.87

Text or leave a message at 720-288-0147

It’s 89 days til election day, do you know where your ballot is? Don’t worry, you shouldn’t. Not yet. But in this episode, we’ll start gently approaching our ballots so we can make friends with it. Your ballot is going to be your BFF by November 3rd. Allow yourself to dream: What if we elected someone who actually wanted to hear from you and govern rather than spend taxpayer money posing for glamour shots while cosplaying cowboys?

Ahhhh.

We have outstanding non-MAGA candidates up and down the whole dang ballot. I’ll be interviewing some of these candidates so we know who they are and what they’re running for. Candidate Kara Garr (kara4dougco.com) joins me today to talk about what the Douglas County assessor does, why it’s an elected office and what her goals are if she’s elected. I knew nothing about this office and now I do. Let’s feel smart together!

I also pop off a little bit about the Douglas County org chart and how our current assessor was involved in the disastrous planning of home rule.

Contact me anytime! I’d love to hear from you. email: [email protected]

on signal: @emilysuyat.87

Text or leave a message at 720-288-0147

Guess who’s back, back again…it’s Crowsnest. The proposed development in unincorporated Douglas County has been rejected by Parker and Castle Pines and now the developer is seeking to amend Douglas County’s Comprehensive Master Plan so it can land there. The first step is submitting an application with the planning commission. I’ll explain what the process is, what happened at the July 20, 2026 planning commission meeting, and what residents (and the town of Parker) had to say. Traffic and water, as usual, are the main sticking points.

Land use is complex! This podcast is my opinion on the proceedings.

SHOW NOTES:

Contact me with feedback, I’d love to hear from you. email: [email protected]

on signal: @emilysuyat.87

Text or leave a message at 720-288-0147

Colorado Times Recorder: Dougco Petition Effort to Add Two County Commissioners Turns In Nearly 23,000 Signatures. Learn about 3 to 5 here.

July 20, 2026 meeting (watch here, agenda packet here with Town of Parker’s referral letter on page 77 and DCSD’s on page 68)

Role of the Douglas County Planning Petition

Facebook groups: Douglas County Residents Against the Annexation of Crowsnest and People Against Annexing Crowsnest (created by Castle Pines residents)

9News reporting on non-urban vs urban designation.

Denver Gazette: Parker mayor says Parker can’t support potential annexation of Crowsnest in 2025

Find Ventana donations by searching Yes on Local Control committee and candidate Jake Bockenfeld.

County commission candidate Irene Bonham is not taking developer donations.