Disgruntled residents of Weld County, Colorado, are working to get a measure on the state’s 2021 ballot that would begin the process of seceding from Colorado to become part of Wyoming.
A political committee called Weld County Wyoming, led by Christopher Richards, wants the county commissioners to “engage and explore the annexation of Weld County with the State of Wyoming’s Legislature,” its website stated.
“Weld County, WY is a group of Weld County citizens who have a common desire to maintain their way of life,” according to the committee’s website.
A newsletter issued by the committee cited Colorado’s increasingly liberal demographic shift, particularly in urban centers such as Denver and Boulder.
“Colorado is moving faster and faster to becoming a little sister of California,” the newsletter stated. “The Denver/Boulder liberals continued their relentless attacks on the rural communities throughout Colorado. The urban/rural divide is larger than ever.”
Colorado was once a reliably red state, only going for three Democratic presidents between 1940 and 2008, according to 270toWin. The state hasn’t elected a Republican governor since 2002, when then-Gov. Bill Owens was elected to a second term.
The committee’s online petition noted a number of policy decisions that it said have a negative effect on Colorado’s rural population.
“Denver/Boulder have drove weapons manufacturers out of the state,” it said. “Rural schools, hospitals and all rural communities are getting ignored. Denver/Boulder only cares about Denver/Boulder. Weld County’s values align more with Wyoming then Denver/Boulder.”
The petition to make Weld County’s more than 300,000 residents into Wyomingites has roughly 8,500 signatures.
“Can this be done? Yes, it can be done. Is it going to be easy? No,” Richards said during a committee meeting posted to YouTube.
This is not the first time Weld County has attempted to secede from the state. In 2013, representatives from 10 rural Colorado counties met to discuss a bid to split from Colorado and form a 51st state. Five counties voted in favor of the measure. Weld County rejected the measure, 58% to 42%.
The Washington Examiner reached out to Weld County Wyoming for further comment.
