During this campaign season, candidates and voters alike are clamoring that democracy is not being served, our election system is rigged, and the will of the people is not being represented.
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Consider that in Colorado we elect 22 district attorneys every four years. These public officials serve as the chief prosecutors of our counties. For some reason, though, in 12 of these districts there is only a single candidate running for the job.
In four districts, more than one Democrat is running, so there are primary contests to be decided in June. This includes the three-way Democratic race in Denver. But, as things stand right now, a Republican will square off against a Democrat in just six of the 22 districts in November.
While 46 other states also elect their DAs, Coloradans might ask whether it would make more sense to have these offices appointed instead, like they are in Alaska, Connecticut and New Jersey. Would appointed DAs be less political and better public servants than our elected ones? Would law enforcement become more respectable and ethical?
Jeffery Moser, Aurora
This letter was published in the May 14 edition.
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