Colorado 2020 ballot measures

Elections in Colorado, 2020

• Election date: Nov. 3
• Registration deadline(s): Nov. 3 (in person); Oct. 26 (online; by mail)
• Online registration: Yes
• Same-day registration: Yes
• Recount laws

• Early voting starts: Oct. 19
• Absentee/mail voting deadline(s): Nov. 3 (received)
• Processing, counting, and challenging absentee/mail-in ballots
• Voter ID: Non-photo ID
• Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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2020 Colorado Ballot Measures
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2020 U.S. state ballot measures
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Eleven statewide ballot measures were certified for the ballot in Colorado for the election on November 3, 2020. Nine were approved and two were defeated.

HIGHLIGHTS

Voters decided on eight citizen-initiated measures, of which seven were approved and one was defeated. The legislature referred the other three measures. Two were approved and one was defeated.

Colorado was the first state to ever vote on following proposals:

• • Proposition 113 - whether to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC) a
  • Proposition 118 - whether to enact a paid medical and family leave program a
  • Proposition 114 - whether to reintroduce wolves into the state a

Proposition 113 was the first veto referendum to be certified for the Colorado ballot since 1932.

On the ballot

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment B	Taxes and Property	Repeals the Gallagher Amendment of 1982, which limited the residential and non-residential property tax assessment rates so that residential property taxes amounted to 45% of the total share of state property taxes and non-residential property taxes amounted to 55% of the total share of state property taxes	a
LRCA	Amendment C	Lottery	Requires charitable organizations to have existed for three years before obtaining a charitable gaming license instead of five years; allows charitable organizations to hire managers and operators of gaming activities so long as they are not paid more than the minimum wage	d
CICA	Amendment 76	Suffrage	Amends the Colorado Constitution to state that “only a citizen” of the U.S. who is 18 years old or older can vote in federal, state, and local elections, instead of the existing language that says “every citizen” who is 18 years old can vote	a
CICA/SS	Amendment 77	Gambling	Allows voters in Central City, Black Hawk, and Cripple Creek to vote to expand allowed gaming types and bet limits	a
LRSS	Proposition EE	Tobacco and Taxes	Increases taxes on tobacco, creates a new tax on nicotine products such as e-cigarettes; dedicates funds to education and health programs	a
VR	Proposition 113	Elections	Joins Colorado into the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, awarding Colorado's electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote	a
CISS	Proposition 114	Forests and parks and Environment	Reintroduces gray wolves on public lands	a
CISS	Proposition 115	Abortion	Prohibits abortion after 22 weeks gestational age	d
CISS	Proposition 116	Taxes	Decreases the state income tax rate from 4.63% to 4.55%	a
CISS	Proposition 117	Taxes	Requires voter approval of new enterprises that are exempt from TABOR if their revenue is greater than $50 million within its first five years	a
CISS	Proposition 118	Healthcare	Establishes a program for paid medical and family leave	a

Summary of campaign contributions

See also: Ballot measure campaign finance, 2020

Ballot Measure	Support Contributions	Oppose Contributions	Outcome
Colorado Amendment 76, Citizenship Requirement for Voting Initiative (2020)	$1,446,689.09	$59,825.18
Colorado Amendment 77, Allow Voters in Central, Black Hawk, and Cripple Creek Cities to Expand Authorized Games and Increase Maximum Bets Initiative (2020)	$4,022,609.10	$0.00
Colorado Amendment B, Gallagher Amendment Repeal and Property Tax Assessment Rates Measure (2020)	$7,848,712.10	$722,140.10
Colorado Amendment C, Charitable Bingo and Raffles Amendment (2020)	$0.00	$0.00
Colorado Proposition 113, National Popular Vote Interstate Compact Referendum (2020)	$5,453,011.14	$1,784,350.10
Colorado Proposition 114, Gray Wolf Reintroduction Initiative (2020)	$2,403,079.01	$1,060,184.14
Colorado Proposition 115, 22-Week Abortion Ban Initiative (2020)	$785,819.66	$9,794,256.44
Colorado Proposition 116, Decrease Income Tax Rate from 4.63% to 4.55% Initiative (2020)	$1,556,208.33	$3,193,676.40
Colorado Proposition 117, Require Voter Approval of Certain New Enterprises Exempt from TABOR Initiative (2020)	$2,175,026.19	$3,258,177.40
Colorado Proposition 118, Paid Medical and Family Leave Initiative (2020)	$9,039,577.89	$799,926.02
Colorado Proposition EE, Tobacco and E-Cigarette Tax Increase for Health and Education Programs Measure (2020)	$4,722,266.09	$4,545,670.20

Referral of 2020 ballot measures

The following table illustrates the vote requirements for the legislative referrals certified for the ballot, the votes that the referrals received, and how Democrats and Republicans voted on the referrals in each legislative chamber:

Colorado Proposition EE, Tobacco and E-Cigarette Tax Increase for Health and Education Programs Measure				Democrats	Republicans
Senate:	Required: 18	Yes votes: 20 (57.14%)	No votes: 13 (37.14%)	Yes: 19; No: 0	Yes: 1; No: 13
House:	Required: 33	Yes votes: 41 (63.07%)	No votes: 19 (29.2%)	Yes: 38; No: 0	Yes: 3; No: 19
Colorado Amendment B, Gallagher Amendment Repeal and Property Tax Assessment Rates Measure				Democrats	Republicans
Senate:	Required: 24	Yes votes: 27 (77.14%)	No votes: 7 (20.00%)	Yes: 19; No: 0	Yes: 8; No: 7
House:	Required: 44	Yes votes: 51 (78.5%)	No votes: 14 (21.5%)	Yes: 41; No: 0	Yes: 10; No: 14

Local ballot measures

See also: November 3, 2020 ballot measures in Colorado

In 2020, Ballotpedia covered local measures that appeared on the ballot for voters within the top 100 largest cities in the U.S. and a selection of notable police-related and election-related measures outside of the top 100 largest cities. Ballotpedia also covered all local measures in California and all statewide ballot measures. Click here to see the scope of Ballotpedia local ballot measure coverage by year.

Click here for more information about local ballot measures on the November 2020 ballot in Colorado.

Getting measures on the ballot

See also: Signature requirements for ballot measures in Colorado and Laws governing the initiative process in Colorado

Deadlines and signature requirements

In Colorado, citizens have the powers of initiative, both statute and constitutional, and veto referendum. To get an initiated state statute or initiated constitutional amendment on the ballot in 2020, proponents needed to collect 124,632 valid signatures. On May 17, 2020, Colorado Governor Jared Polis (D) signed Executive Order D 2020 065, which removed individual initiative signature deadlines of 6 months after ballot language finalization and instead required that signatures for all initiatives are due by August 3, 2020.

Colorado is one of 23 states that allow citizens to refer an enacted bill to the ballot as a veto referendum. As with initiatives, a veto referendum required 124,632 valid signatures. A referendum petition must be filed within 90 days following the Colorado General Assembly's final adjournment of the session in which the bill was passed.

The Colorado General Assembly may also propose amendments to the people as legislatively referred constitutional amendments. A two-thirds vote of each chamber of the legislature is required to refer an amendment to the ballot.

Proposing measures and applying to petition

Initiative proponents must submit the original text of the measure to the directors of the legislative council staff and the office of legal services for review and comment. The results of the review are presented in at least one public meeting. The proponents may then make revisions in response to the recommendations given at the meeting. If the revisions go beyond the recommendations, the revised language must be resubmitted. If no further recommendations/comments are required an additional hearing is not required. Compliance with these recommendations is not mandatory.

Once the proposed measure has been reviewed, the original, amended and final drafts must be filed with the Colorado secretary of state. The secretary must then convene a "title board," which includes the secretary of state, the Colorado attorney general, and the director of the Office of Legislative Legal Services or the director's designee. At a public meeting, the board selects a title for the measure by majority vote. The title must be phrased in the form of a "yes" or "no" question. The board may also reject a measure if it fails to comply with the state's single-subject rule. If the proponents or any registered voter are unsatisfied with the title board's chosen title or single-subject ruling, a motion for a rehearing may be filed. If objections remain after the rehearing, the proponents or any registered voter may file an appeal with the Colorado Supreme Court.

Changes to Colorado ballot initiative process due to COVID-19: On May 17, 2020, Colorado Governor Jared Polis (D) signed Executive Order D 2020 065, which authorized the Colorado Secretary of State to establish temporary rules allowing for ballot initiative petitions to be signed through mail and email. The order also temporarily suspended the state law requiring signatures to be submitted six months after ballot language finalization. Under the order, signatures for 2020 Colorado initiatives were due by August 3, 2020. Legal challenges were filed against the order, specifically challenging the mail and email signature gathering provisions. Those provisions of the order were ultimately struck down by the Colorado Supreme Court on July 1, 2020, meaning proponents needed to collect signatures in person.

Historical facts

See also: List of Colorado ballot measures and History of Initiative & Referendum in Colorado

• A total of 108 measures appeared on the statewide ballot in Colorado during the 20-year period between 1999 through 2019.
• Through all years between 1999 and 2019, odd and even, the approval rate for measures appearing on Colorado's ballot (all types) was 42%.
• From 1999 through 2019, the number of measures on statewide ballots ranged from zero to 14.
• From 2000 through 2018, an average of about nine measures appeared on the statewide ballot during even-numbered years. The approval rate for measures on the ballot in even-numbered years was about 41%.
• During odd years, an average of 1 measure appeared on the statewide ballot.
• From 1999 through 2019, about 42% (45 of 108) of the total number of measures that appeared on the statewide ballot were approved, and about 58% (63 of 108) were defeated.

Not on the ballot

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
VR	Early Childhood Development Districts Referendum (HB 1052)	Education and Public works	Seeks to block the creation of special districts to provide early childhood development services for children from birth through 8 years of age
CISS	Limits on Housing Growth Initiative	Housing	Limits privately owned residential development to 1% growth annually for 2021 and 2022
CISS	Farm Animal Confinement Standards Initiative	Treatment of animals	Establishes confinement standards for certain farm animals including egg-laying hens, breeding pigs, calves raised for veal; creates fines for violations of confinement standards
CICA	Prohibit Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission from Making Certain Rules Less Stringent Initiative	Natural resources	Prohibits the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission from making certain rules— including those regarding safety, aesthetics and noise control, reporting, and emissions— less stringent
CISS	Minimum Distance Requirements for New Oil, Gas, and Fracking Projects Initiative	Fracking	Provides setback requirements for new oil, gas, and fracking development projects
CICA/SS	Graduated Income Tax Initiative	Taxes	Repeals the flat tax and creates a graduated income tax rate
CICA	Prohibit Laws Limiting Use and Installation of Natural Gas Initiative	Utilities	Prohibit laws limiting use and installation of natural gas
CICA	Colorado Initiative to Require Fiscal Impact Statement with Ballot Question	Direct democracy	Requires fiscal impact statement to appear on the ballot preceding an initiative's ballot question
CISS	$40 Tax Credit for Voting Initiative	Taxes and Suffrage	Establishes a refundable $40 tax credit for those who vote in primary and/or general elections
CISS	Establish Approval Voting System Initiative	Elections and campaigns	Establishes an approval voting system for state and local elections in Colorado
CISS	General Elections as State Holidays Initiative	Elections and campaigns	Establishes the day of a general election (the Tuesday following the first Monday in November in even years) as a state holiday in Colorado
CISS	Vouchers for Campaign Contributions Initiative	Elections and campaigns	Provides for "nontransferable personalized monetary vouchers" to be used for making contributions to candidates for office in Colorado
CISS	Tobacco and Nicotine Tax Increase Initiative	Taxes and Tobacco	Increases taxes on tobacco; creates a new tax on nicotine products such as vapes/e-cigarettes
CICA/SS	Tobacco Tax Revenue for Preschool Program Initiative	Taxes, Tobacco, and Education	Creates a new preschool program using existing tobacco tax revenues
CICA	TABOR Repeal Initiative	Taxes	Repeals Section 20 of Article X of the Colorado Constitution, the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR)
CISS	Permanent Daylight Saving Time Initiative	Time standards	Makes daylight saving time the year-round standard time in Colorado, which is one hour ahead of Mountain Standard Time (MST)
CISS	Establish "Expanded Learning Opportunities Program" Initiative	Education and Taxes	Establishes an "Expanded Learning Opportunities Program"; some versions include funding the program through a new tax on nicotine
CISS	Limit Corporate Tax Deductions to Fund Out-of-School Programs Initiative	Education and Taxes	Increases taxes on corporations through limiting corporate tax deductions; establishes an "Out-of-School Learning Opportunities Program"
CISS	Financial Assurance Requirement for Oil and Gas Operators Initiative	Natural resources	Requires oil and gas operators to provide $270,000 in financial assurance to cover "future closure, remediation, and restoration" of oil and gas wells
CICA	Changes to Tax Policy Initiative	Taxes	Amends constitutional tax policy to state that taxpayers "are entitled to a fair and just tax system" and require that each taxpayer shall pay an equal percentage of income in taxes
CICA	Require Voter Approval for Tax Increases Initiative	Taxes	Requires voter approval for certain state tax increases
CICA	Changes to Initiative Process Measure	Direct democracy	Makes changes to the state's initiative process
CISS	Out-of-School Learning Program Initiative	Education and Taxes	Creates an out-of-school learning program to be funded through an income tax credit
CISS	Tax Deduction for Limited Driving Initiative	Taxes and Transportation	Creates tax deductions for driving a personal vehicle a limited number of miles ($10,000 deduction for driving nine thousand miles or less; $5,000 for driving 12,000 miles or less) per tax year
CICA	Delegate Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Regulatory Authority to Counties and Municipalities	Natural resources	Delegates the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission's regulatory authority to counties and municipalities
CISS	Publish and Allow Public Comment on Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Rules Initiative	Natural resources	Requires the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to publish new rules and specify the authority through which they may adopt such a rule, allow public comment on rules, and publish certain impacts of the rules
CICA	Extend Time to File Independent Ethics Commission Complaints Initiative	Government accountability	Extends the time a person may file a complaint with the Colorado Independent Ethics Commission to the preceding 8 years rather than the last one year
CICA/SS	Require Independent Oil and Gas Board to Set Minimum Distance Requirements for New Oil and Gas Projects Initiative	Natural resources	Replaces the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission with an independent oil and gas board; requires the board to set a statewide minimum distance requirement for new oil and gas development projects
CISS	Change Political Candidate Ballot Access Requirements Initiative	Elections and campaigns	Repeals political party assemblies as a method of candidate nomination; changes candidate petition signature requirements
CISS	Changes to Fees and Processes for Expungement of Criminal Records Initiative	Civil and criminal trials	Concerns eligibility criteria for expunging criminal records and associated fees

See also

• 2020 ballot measures
• List of Colorado ballot measures
• Laws governing the initiative process in Colorado
• History of Initiative & Referendum in Colorado

External links

• Colorado Secretary of State Proposed Initiative Status
• Initiatives Filed with the Colorado Legislative Counsel