A U.S. District judge this week ordered Adams County to exclude the district attorney from a November ballot where voters will be asked to allow elected officials to run for a third four-year term.
Adams County District Attorney Don Quick, who has three years remaining on his second and final term, couldn’t be happier.
“It’s a relief and I’m glad it’s over,” he said Friday.
Broomfield and Adams counties make up the 17th Judicial District, but Broomfield does not have a term-limit extension question on its November ballot. And so, Judge Phillip A. Brimmer ruled, including the Adams County DA in a general ballot question only in Adams County violates the constitutional rights of Broomfield voters.
By state law, both counties must have the same language on their ballots and in the same year. “The Colorado Supreme Court made that requirement clear . . . in a DA term-limit opinion for judicial districts that span more than one county,” Quick wrote in a letter explaining the decision.
The case was brought by three plaintiffs who argued the ballot issue violated the constitutional rights of voters in the city and county of Broomfield.
Quick sided with the plaintiffs.
“In many ways, the decision would have already been made for Broomfield, depending on how Adams County voted,” Quick said.
Adams County Attorney Hal Warren couldn’t be reached for comment Friday. Adams County Clerk and Recorder Karen Long said she will remove the DA’s office from the ballot, adding she hasn’t heard if the county plans an appeal.
One of the plaintiffs — Broomfield’s Kevin Kreeger — said he was stunned when he learned Adams County wanted to put the DA’s office on the ballot.
“Once they were educated on the fact that this was clearly illegal, why would they do it anyway?” Kreeger said. “To go through with this would have put the entire election at risk.”
Monte Whaley: 720-929-0907 or mwhaley@denverpost.com
