Confused about the Colorado 2020 ballot measures? You are not alone. Read on and become an informed voter!
The election is upon us, Yikes! In just a few weeks, ballots will be mailed. There are ELEVEN, yes 11, statewide ballot initiatives this year. It is an unusually long ballot, so now is the time to prepare. Here is the short version of the Colorado blue book. There is oh so much more information to be had if you are inclined to read it thoroughly. You will find info on judges, fiscal impact statements for these 11 issues, the complete text of the issues, and contact numbers for county election offices! It is a wealth of info.
Legislative Council Analyses
Amendment 76: Citizenship Qualification of Voters
Amendment 76 proposes amending the Colorado Constitution to:
- specify that “only a citizen” of the United States rather than “every citizen” of the United States is eligible to vote in Colorado elections.
What Your Vote Means
A “yes” vote on Amendment 76 will change the constitutional language to specify that only U.S. citizens age 18 and older are eligible to participate in Colorado elections.
A “no” vote on Amendment 76 means the current constitutional language allowing every U.S. citizen to vote in Colorado elections will remain unchanged.
Amendment 77: Local Voter Approval of Casino Bet Limits and Games in Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek
Amendment 77 proposes amending the Colorado Constitution and the Colorado statutes to:
- allow voters in the three gaming cities − Black Hawk, Central City, and 4 Cripple Creek − to increase or remove current bet limits and approve any new casino games in each city; and
- expand the current use of casino tax revenue for community colleges to include student retention and completion programs.
What Your Vote Means
A “yes” vote on Amendment 77 means that the voters of Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek will be allowed to increase or remove casino bet limits and approve new casino games.
A “no” vote on Amendment 77 means that current casino bet limits and games will remain in the Constitution, and a statewide vote will continue to be required to make any changes to these restrictions.
Amendment B: Modify Property Taxes
Amendment B proposes amending the Colorado Constitution to:
- remove the requirement that the taxable portion of residential property value be adjusted so that residential and nonresidential property make up constant portions of total statewide taxable property over time; and
- repeal the requirement that fixes the taxable part of the nonresidential property value at 29 percent.
What Your Vote Means
A “yes” vote repeals sections of the Colorado Constitution related to property taxes, including the mechanisms for setting the residential assessment rate used to calculate property taxes. As a result, the residential assessment rate will remain constant, and expected future decreases will not be required by law.
A “no” vote leaves constitutional provisions related to property taxes in place, maintaining current mechanisms for setting the assessment rates used to calculate property taxes. This is expected to result in a decreasing residential assessment rate over time.
Amendment C: Conduct of Charitable Gaming
Amendment C proposes amending the Colorado Constitution to:
- reduce the number of years a nonprofit organization must operate in Colorado to apply for a bingo-raffle license from five to three; and
- ease compensation and organization membership restrictions for bingo-raffle workers.
What Your Vote Means
A “yes” vote on Amendment C allows nonprofit organizations operating in Colorado for three years to apply for a bingo-raffle license, permits these games to be conducted by workers who are not members of the organization, and allows workers to receive compensation up to minimum wage.
A “no” vote on Amendment C maintains the current requirements that nonprofit organizations must operate in Colorado for five years before applying for a bingo raffle license. Workers must be unpaid volunteers who are members of the nonprofit organization.
Proposition EE: Taxes on Nicotine Products
Proposition EE, if approved, would:
- increase taxes on cigarettes and tobacco products;
- create a new tax on nicotine products, including vaping products; and
- distribute the new revenue to expanded preschool programs and 5 K-12 education, rural schools, affordable housing, eviction assistance, tobacco education, and health care.
What Your Vote Means
A “yes” vote increases taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products and creates a new tax on nicotine products, including vaping products. The new tax revenue will be spent on education, housing, tobacco prevention, health care, and preschool.
A “no” vote on Proposition EE means taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products will stay the same, and there will be no new taxes on nicotine or vaping products.
Proposition 113: Adopt Agreement to Elect U.S. President By National Popular Vote
Proposition 113, if approved, would:
- enter Colorado into an agreement among states to elect the President of the 3 United States by a national popular vote once enough states join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact.
What Your Vote Means
A “yes” vote on Proposition 113 approves a bill passed by the legislature and signed by the Governor joining Colorado with other states to elect the President of the United States by national popular vote if enough states enter the agreement.
A “no” vote on Proposition 113 rejects a bill passed by the legislature and signed by the Governor. It retains Colorado’s current system of awarding all of its electors for the President of the United States to the winner of the Colorado popular vote.
Proposition 114: Reintroduction and Management of Gray Wolves
Proposition 114 proposes amending the Colorado statutes to require the state to:
- develop a plan to reintroduce and manage gray wolves in Colorado;
- take necessary steps to begin reintroduction by December 31, 2023; and
- pay fair compensation for livestock losses caused by gray wolves.
What Your Vote Means
A “yes” vote on Proposition 114 means that the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission will develop a plan to reintroduce and manage gray wolves west of the Continental Divide.
A “no” vote on Proposition 114 means that Colorado will not be required to reintroduce gray wolves.
Proposition 115: Prohibit Abortions After 22 Weeks
Proposition 115 proposes amending the Colorado statutes to:
- prohibit abortion after 22 weeks gestational age of the fetus, except when an abortion is immediately required to save the life of a pregnant woman;
- create a criminal penalty for any person who performs a prohibited abortion; and
- require that the state suspend the medical license for at least three years of any physician who violates it.
What Your Vote Means
A “yes” vote on Proposition 115 prohibits abortions in Colorado after 22 weeks gestational age, except when an abortion is immediately required to save a pregnant woman’s life.
A “no” vote on Proposition 115 means that abortion in Colorado continues to be legal at any time during a pregnancy.
Proposition 116: State Income Tax Rate Reduction
Proposition 116 proposes amending the Colorado statutes to:
- reduce the state income tax rate from 4.63 percent to 4.55 percent for the tax year 3 2020 and future years.
What Your Vote Means
A “yes” vote on Proposition 116 reduces the state income tax rate to 4.55 percent for 2020 and future years.
A “no” vote on Proposition 116 keeps the state income tax rate unchanged at 4.63 percent.
Proposition 117: Voter Approval for Certain New State Enterprises
Proposition 117 proposes amending the Colorado statutes to:
- require voter approval for new state government-owned businesses, called enterprises, if the enterprise’s revenue from fees over its first five years 4 exceeds $100 million; and
- require that specific language be included on the ballot when voters are asked to approve enterprises.
What Your Vote Means
A “yes” vote on Proposition 117 requires voter approval for new state government enterprises with fee revenue over $100 million in the first five years.
A “no” vote retains the state legislature’s authority to create new enterprises as under current law.
Proposition 118: Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program
Proposition 118 proposes amending the Colorado statutes to:
- create a paid family and medical leave insurance program for Colorado employees administered by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment;
- require employers and employees in Colorado to pay a payroll premium to finance paid family and medical leave insurance benefits beginning January 1, 2023;
- allow eligible employees up to 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave insurance benefits annually starting January 1, 2024; and
- create job protections for employees who take paid family and medical leave.
What Your Vote Means
A “yes” vote on Proposition 118 means the state will create an insurance program to provide paid family and medical leave benefits to eligible employees in Colorado funded by employers and employees’ premiums.
A “no” vote on Proposition 118 means the state will not create a paid family and medical leave insurance program.