Michael Merrifield (born 1946/47) is an American

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

from

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...

. He served four terms (2002-2010) as a Representative in House District 18. He was chairman of the House Education Committee and also served on the House Transportation and Energy Committee. After leaving the legislature in 2010 due to term limits, he campaigned to serve as an El Paso County Commissioner in District 5, but lost. In 2011, he campaigned for a seat on the Colorado Springs City Council, but was defeated by Lisa Czelatdko. Following his unsuccessful campaigns, he became Colorado state coordinator for Mayors Against Illegal Guns. In 2014, Merrifield was elected to the Colorado State Senate for

District 11 District 11 can refer to: *District 11 (Ho Chi Minh city), Vietnam *District 11 (Zürich), Switzerland * District 11, an electoral district of Malta *Colorado Springs School District 11, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States *District 11 (Hu ...

. He served until end of term in 2019 to which he retired from politics. Merrifield was mentioned as a possible candidate for the office of the Governor of Colorado in the 2018 election, however, he declined a candidacy and endorsed Cary Kennedy for Governor.

Biography

Michael taught music in

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

, and

for over 30 years and has received numerous awards for his outstanding leadership in the field of education. Prior to serving in the Colorado House, Michael served on the Manitou Springs City Council. He received a MA and a BA in music education from the

University of Arizona The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it was the first university in the Arizona Territory. T ...

. Michael is active in the Colorado Music Educators Association (CMEA), American Choral Directors Association, and the

Colorado Education Association The Colorado Education Association (CEA) is a statewide federation of teacher and educational workers' labor unions in the state of Colorado in the United States. The CEA is a voluntary membership organization of 40,000 K-12 teachers and education ...

. He received the Crystal Apple award in 2000 as one of Colorado Springs School District 11's finest educators. Merrifield is an avid mountain biker and backcountry skier. He wrote ''Colorado Gonzo Rides,'' a well-known mountain bike guidebook. He has a son and a daughter. He lives in Colorado Springs.

Legislative career

While serving on the House Transportation and Energy Committee, Merriifield worked to alleviate congestion on Colorado's roadways while also taking steps to combat climate change. His 2008 "Renter's Bill of Rights" legislation granted basic legal rights to Coloradans who live in leased housing to make sure they have safe, habitable living conditions. It also set up tenant responsibilities for care of a residence. He also sponsored the "Rest in Peace" bill, which prohibits protesters from coming within 100 feet (or 150 feet if using a public address system) of mourners."Owens Signs Rest In Peace Bill"
KKTV, May 26, 2006

References

External links

Legislative website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Merrifield, Michael Living people 1940s births Politicians from Colorado Springs, Colorado University of Arizona alumni Colorado city council members Democratic Party Colorado state senators Democratic Party members of the Colorado House of Representatives 21st-century American politicians