Once again showing the flaws in Colorado's vacancy committee system, former Thornton City Council member Julia Marvin has been chosen to represent Colorado House District 31 by just nine votes.

This Thursday night tiny election highlights the undemocratic nature of a system that allows just a few political party insiders to handpick a representative for hundreds of thousands of Coloradans.

Colorado State House Representative-select Julia Marvin

Marvin, who currently serves on the Thornton City Council, won with a 9-7 vote over Jacque Phillips.

The decision by just nine votes that she will now “represent” such a large district demonstrates the flaws in Colorado’s vacancy committee system. Marvin is the 29th member of the current Legislature initially chosen by a vacancy committee.

Under the current system, when a lawmaker leaves their seat in the middle of a term, a vacancy committee comprised of members from the former lawmaker's political party in the district chooses a replacement, without the need for a special election.

This Colorado process begs the question: Are these lawmakers truly representing the tens of thousands of Coloradans in their districts, or are they beholden to a select group of party insiders who installed them in their seats?

With Marvin's appointment, every seat in the Legislature is now filled, reestablishing the Democrats' 46-19 majority.

The vacancy in District 31 became open when former Rep. Said Sharbini resigned in December, citing financial pressures and a difficult work environment in the House. Sharbini, a freshman lawmaker elected in 2022 with over 58% of the vote.

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District 31, which encompasses all of Thornton, is traditionally a stronghold for Democrats. Julia Marvin claims that the cost of living is the primary concern in her district, stressing the need for increased housing stock alongside policies such as rental assistance and tenant protections.

Marvin previously represented Ward 2 on the Thornton City Council for four years but vacated her seat to run for mayor last year. Her bid for mayor ended in defeat as she lost to the incumbent, Jan Kulmann.