Our ballots in odd years typically have fewer ballot measures than in even years. This year Colorado has no statewide ballot issues; across the nation in 2017, there are only 27 statewide ballot measures, the lowest number since 1947.
Using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level formula, Ballotpedia assessed the readability of this year’s 27 statewide ballot issues and concluded that “the average ballot question requires 20 years of U.S. formal education (graduate school-level of education) to read and comprehend.” A study of state ballot issues from 1997 to 2007 determined that Colorado had the second highest variability among states with one issue “at grade level 5 and one at grade level 95.”
https://ballotpedia.org/Ballot_measure_readability_scores,_2017#2017_readability_scores
These readability numbers render resources such as the Colorado Blue Book, the County’s TABOR Notice, the League of Women Voters’ and others’ guides to the ballot issues, and this website so critically important.
Of the nine issues on the ballot for city of Boulder voters, four are tax or debt measures (1A, 2L, 2M, 2N) and you should have received your TABOR notice from the Boulder County Clerk. Two of the issues are “permission” or authorization measures (1C, 2P), one calls for an election before Boulder constructs an electric municipal utility (2O), one is a request to extend term limits (1B), and one is a city charter clean-up measure (2Q).
Municipalization is the focus of 2L, 2O and 2P and receiving the majority of the media attention. Xcel Energy says that it “will not participate in or fund a political campaign for or against these measures.” In 2013 Xcel spent about $772,000 on ballot issues while municipalization supporters spent less than half of that, about $318,000.
The city’s community, culture and safety sales tax extension is the subject of 2M and 2N.
Of the 9 ballot issues, only one of them has never been on the ballot in some form before – 2O for the go/no-go vote before construction starts on a municipal electric utility.
Each ballot issue has its own post if you'd like more information or if you would like to make comments about the ballot issue. Please limit comments on this post to general comments about the process or the election.
In general, the further down the ballot you go, the more your vote counts! Please research the issues and candidates and vote the entire ballot. Encourage your family, friends, neighbors, colleagues and anyone else eligible to vote to do likewise.
At the bottom of this blog entry are other ballot issue websites as well as a link to the Boulder County Clerk’s website. The links will be updated as more information becomes available.
Remember that in Colorado you can register and vote as late as Election Day, Tuesday, November 7th. If you are already registered, you should receive your ballot in the mail. Contact the County Clerk for more information.
VOCABULARY
Referenda - denoted by a number and letter for the county and city.
The governing body (county commission, city council) put these on the ballot.
Ballot Issues = Tax measures
Ballot Questions = Others
COUNTY OF BOULDER
County of Boulder Issue 1A
Worthy Cause Sales Tax Extension
Extends the sales and use tax of 0.05% for 15 years to pay for capital facilities and equipment of local housing authorities and non-profit human services agencies
yes
County of Boulder Question 1B
Sheriff Term-Limit Extension
Allows the sheriff to serve 5 consecutive terms
YES
County of Boulder Question 1C
Authorization to Provide Broadband Services
Requests permission (as required by state law) for the county to provide telecommunication services – in particular, broadband – to residents and businesses
YES
CITY OF BOULDER
City of Boulder Issue 2L
Utility Occupation Tax Extension and Increase
Extends the extra utility occupation tax collected for the city by Xcel and approved by voters in 2011 for 5 years and increases it for 2018 and 2019
leaning
City of Boulder Issue 2M
Extend Community, Culture and Safety Sales Tax
Extends the sales and use tax of 0.3% for 4 years to pay for capital improvement projects for 6 city and 7 non-profit groups
for the measure
City of Boulder Issue 2N
Authorize Debt to Spend Community, Culture and Safety Tax Now
Allows city to borrow against future revenue stream to fund city’s capital improvement projects – See Issue 2M above.
for the measure
City of Boulder Question 2O
Vote Prior to Municipalization Construction Debt
Requires voters to approve the city incurring debt prior to construction for a municipal utility – a go/no-go vote
for the measure
City of Boulder Question 2P
Limited Executive Sessions for Municipalization
Extends authority for city council to meet in executive session to discuss municipalization strategy but not a termination of municipalization efforts
for the measure
City of Boulder Question 2Q
Charter Clean-Up: Petitions and Miscellaneous
Changes procedures for the citizen initiative petition process and eliminates obsolete sections in the city charter
for the measure
GOVERNMENT SITES
Boulder County Clerk and Recorder – Elections Division
http://www.bouldercounty.org/elections/pages/default.aspx
See your sample ballot (when you check your voter or ballot status), register to vote, find a ballot drop-off location and more. You may also contact the Elections Division at 303 413 7740. You can register in person and vote a ballot through Election Day, Tuesday, November 7th.
https://www.bouldercounty.org/elections/information/
See the 2017 TABOR notice for Boulder County and for cities and special districts in the county. Also see what is on ballots for others throughout Boulder County.
County of Boulder 2017 Ballot Issues
https://www.bouldercounty.org/government/county-ballot-issues/
City of Boulder 2017 Election Webpage
https://bouldercolorado.gov/elections
City of Boulder Central Records Webpage
https://bouldercolorado.gov/central-records/document-archive
then click on Browse City Council Records
MEDIA SITES
Boulder Weekly Election Guide 2017
http://www.boulderweekly.com/content-archives/voters-guide/vote-2017/election-2017/
Daily Camera Election Page including a Voter Guide
http://www.dailycamera.com/local-election-news/ci_31375481/daily-camera-voter-guide-2017-boulder-county-broomfield
KGNU Radio - Election Page
http://news.kgnu.org/category/elections/
NON-PARTISAN SITE
League of Women Voters of Boulder County 2017 Election Page
http://lwvbc.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=629866&module_id=272328
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION SITES
Boulder Chamber of Commerce
http://boulderchamber.com/business-advocacy/eye-ballot-2017/
PLAN-Boulder County
http://planboulder.org/city-council/ballot-issues-plan-boulder-county-supports
Using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level formula, Ballotpedia assessed the readability of this year’s 27 statewide ballot issues and concluded that “the average ballot question requires 20 years of U.S. formal education (graduate school-level of education) to read and comprehend.” A study of state ballot issues from 1997 to 2007 determined that Colorado had the second highest variability among states with one issue “at grade level 5 and one at grade level 95.”
https://ballotpedia.org/Ballot_measure_readability_scores,_2017#2017_readability_scores
These readability numbers render resources such as the Colorado Blue Book, the County’s TABOR Notice, the League of Women Voters’ and others’ guides to the ballot issues, and this website so critically important.
Of the nine issues on the ballot for city of Boulder voters, four are tax or debt measures (1A, 2L, 2M, 2N) and you should have received your TABOR notice from the Boulder County Clerk. Two of the issues are “permission” or authorization measures (1C, 2P), one calls for an election before Boulder constructs an electric municipal utility (2O), one is a request to extend term limits (1B), and one is a city charter clean-up measure (2Q).
Municipalization is the focus of 2L, 2O and 2P and receiving the majority of the media attention. Xcel Energy says that it “will not participate in or fund a political campaign for or against these measures.” In 2013 Xcel spent about $772,000 on ballot issues while municipalization supporters spent less than half of that, about $318,000.
The city’s community, culture and safety sales tax extension is the subject of 2M and 2N.
Of the 9 ballot issues, only one of them has never been on the ballot in some form before – 2O for the go/no-go vote before construction starts on a municipal electric utility.
Each ballot issue has its own post if you'd like more information or if you would like to make comments about the ballot issue. Please limit comments on this post to general comments about the process or the election.
In general, the further down the ballot you go, the more your vote counts! Please research the issues and candidates and vote the entire ballot. Encourage your family, friends, neighbors, colleagues and anyone else eligible to vote to do likewise.
At the bottom of this blog entry are other ballot issue websites as well as a link to the Boulder County Clerk’s website. The links will be updated as more information becomes available.
Remember that in Colorado you can register and vote as late as Election Day, Tuesday, November 7th. If you are already registered, you should receive your ballot in the mail. Contact the County Clerk for more information.
VOCABULARY
Referenda - denoted by a number and letter for the county and city.
The governing body (county commission, city council) put these on the ballot.
Ballot Issues = Tax measures
Ballot Questions = Others
COUNTY OF BOULDER
County of Boulder Issue 1A
Worthy Cause Sales Tax Extension
Extends the sales and use tax of 0.05% for 15 years to pay for capital facilities and equipment of local housing authorities and non-profit human services agencies
yes
County of Boulder Question 1B
Sheriff Term-Limit Extension
Allows the sheriff to serve 5 consecutive terms
YES
County of Boulder Question 1C
Authorization to Provide Broadband Services
Requests permission (as required by state law) for the county to provide telecommunication services – in particular, broadband – to residents and businesses
YES
CITY OF BOULDER
City of Boulder Issue 2L
Utility Occupation Tax Extension and Increase
Extends the extra utility occupation tax collected for the city by Xcel and approved by voters in 2011 for 5 years and increases it for 2018 and 2019
leaning
City of Boulder Issue 2M
Extend Community, Culture and Safety Sales Tax
Extends the sales and use tax of 0.3% for 4 years to pay for capital improvement projects for 6 city and 7 non-profit groups
for the measure
City of Boulder Issue 2N
Authorize Debt to Spend Community, Culture and Safety Tax Now
Allows city to borrow against future revenue stream to fund city’s capital improvement projects – See Issue 2M above.
for the measure
City of Boulder Question 2O
Vote Prior to Municipalization Construction Debt
Requires voters to approve the city incurring debt prior to construction for a municipal utility – a go/no-go vote
for the measure
City of Boulder Question 2P
Limited Executive Sessions for Municipalization
Extends authority for city council to meet in executive session to discuss municipalization strategy but not a termination of municipalization efforts
for the measure
City of Boulder Question 2Q
Charter Clean-Up: Petitions and Miscellaneous
Changes procedures for the citizen initiative petition process and eliminates obsolete sections in the city charter
for the measure
GOVERNMENT SITES
Boulder County Clerk and Recorder – Elections Division
http://www.bouldercounty.org/elections/pages/default.aspx
See your sample ballot (when you check your voter or ballot status), register to vote, find a ballot drop-off location and more. You may also contact the Elections Division at 303 413 7740. You can register in person and vote a ballot through Election Day, Tuesday, November 7th.
https://www.bouldercounty.org/elections/information/
See the 2017 TABOR notice for Boulder County and for cities and special districts in the county. Also see what is on ballots for others throughout Boulder County.
County of Boulder 2017 Ballot Issues
https://www.bouldercounty.org/government/county-ballot-issues/
City of Boulder 2017 Election Webpage
https://bouldercolorado.gov/elections
City of Boulder Central Records Webpage
https://bouldercolorado.gov/central-records/document-archive
then click on Browse City Council Records
MEDIA SITES
Boulder Weekly Election Guide 2017
http://www.boulderweekly.com/content-archives/voters-guide/vote-2017/election-2017/
Daily Camera Election Page including a Voter Guide
http://www.dailycamera.com/local-election-news/ci_31375481/daily-camera-voter-guide-2017-boulder-county-broomfield
KGNU Radio - Election Page
http://news.kgnu.org/category/elections/
NON-PARTISAN SITE
League of Women Voters of Boulder County 2017 Election Page
http://lwvbc.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=629866&module_id=272328
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION SITES
Boulder Chamber of Commerce
http://boulderchamber.com/business-advocacy/eye-ballot-2017/
PLAN-Boulder County
http://planboulder.org/city-council/ballot-issues-plan-boulder-county-supports
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