Vacancy committees undermine democracy
Another empty seat in the state legislature, House District 32, has been filled by a vacancy committee (Adams County Democrats pick Manny Rutinel for House vacancy). In 2023 alone, seven of 100 legislative seats have been vacated, as well as one seat on the nine-member state Board of Education.
State Rep. Dafna Michaelson-Jenet, D-Commerce City, left to take the place of former state Sen. Dominick Moreno, D-Commerce City. He resigned to take a position in Mike Johnston's administration, and a vacancy committee selected Michaelson-Jenet to replace him. So now a vacancy committee has appointed Manny Rutinel to replace Michaelson-Jenet.
In February, Denver's Fox31 reported on this topic and at that time "found the 74th General Assembly includes 24 lawmakers... who were appointed to the job, not elected. FOX31 first told you about the number of lawmakers appointed by vacancy committee in 2020, when 20 lawmakers were elected by committee, not through an election. Colorado uses this side door entrance to the Capitol, called a vacancy committee, to replace lawmakers."