Vote on the Ballot Measures!

What a year this has been! Usually people following ballot measures worry about drop-off for the down-ballot races and ballot issues, but this year there is a national effort to discredit any effort to make voting easier and more widespread. Voting by mail is particularly in the crosshairs.

Please make a plan for getting your ballot if you have moved. Remember that in Colorado you can register and vote as late as Election Day, Tuesday, November 3rd. You have 3 ways to vote:
1) In person at one of your county’s Voter Service and Polling Centers
2) Mail your ballot with appropriate postage and allowing for adequate delivery time
3) Drop off your ballot at any Colorado polling place or ballot drop box, even outside of your county.
Since ballots will get mailed out beginning October 9, check with your county clerk to figure out the best way to get your ballot if you aree registering or updating your address now.

Ballot issues are the quintessential down-ballot races, but presidential election years have higher turnout so ballot issues may get more attention. Statewide citizen initiatives generally run in even years. City and county governments often think twice about running a lot of ballot measures in even years, especially if the different levels of government are all competing for your tax dollars. Except for 2D though, versions of this year’s local measures were all brought forth originally by citizens to city council rather than originating with city council.

Meanwhile, for a General Assembly session interrupted by a pandemic, the legislature still managed to refer 3 measures to the ballot and delay a transportation bond issue one more year to 2021. Prop 113 is the first citizens’ veto referendum to get certified for the ballot since 1932. A veto referendum is an effort to repeal a law passed by the legislature, in this case Colorado’s joining the National Popular Vote Compact. Two of this year’s amendments (B and 77) are repeals of constitutional language so they only need a simple majority to pass. The other amendments (C and 76) need 55% to pass.

Each of the 16 ballot measures has its own post if you’d like more information or if you would like to make a comment on a specific ballot measure. Please limit comments on this introductory 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. More links will be updated as more information becomes available.


VOCABULARY

Amendment = Constitutional change
Any non-repeal amendments require 55% of the electorate for passage.

Proposition = Statutory change
Propositions can be modified later by the Colorado General Assembly.


Initiatives - denoted by numbers
Electors signed petitions to put these on the ballot.

Referenda - denoted by letters (state) or a number and letter (city)
The governing legislative body (General Assembly, City Council) put these on the ballot.


Ballot Issues = Tax or debt measures
Ballot Questions = Others


2020 BALLOT MEASURES

STATE OF COLORADO

Amendment B – requires a simple majority to pass
Repeal the Gallagher Amendment
Remove the 45% residential vs 55% nonresidential property tax ratio requirement and effectively fix the assessment rates at their current percentages
Yes/For

Amendment C
Ease Regulations on Nonprofits Engaging in Charitable Gaming
Allow nonprofits to engage in charitable gaming after 3 years instead of 5 years and to begin paying a minimum wage to run gaming operations
Yes/For

Amendment 76
Change CO Constitution Paragraph on Voting Eligibility from “Every Citizen” to “Only a Citizen”
Prohibit expanding the right to vote to anyone not meeting specified requirements including disenfranchising almost-18-year-olds in primary elections
NO/AGAINST

Amendment 77 – requires a simple majority to pass
Allow Gambling Town Voters to Expand Gaming and Increase Bet Limits
Repeal casino bet limits and restrictions from the constitution, permit local voters to increase bet limits and add new casino games, and expand community colleges’ allowable uses for gambling revenue
leaning yes/leaning for

Proposition EE
Taxes on Nicotine and Tobacco Products
Establish a minimum consumer price per pack and per carton of cigarettes, a new nicotine (vaping) tax, and increasing cigarette, tobacco and nicotine taxes until reaching a maximum in mid-2027
Yes/For

Proposition 113
National Popular Vote Compact (NPVC)
Affirm the legislature’s decision to join the NPVC so that the presidential candidate who wins the national popular vote is elected (once states with 270 Electoral College votes join the NPVC)
Yes/For

Proposition 114
Reintroduction and Management of Gray Wolves
Reintroduce and manage gray wolves, obtain regular public feedback on the plan, and compensate livestock owners for losses
leaning yes/leaning for

Proposition 115
Prohibition on Abortion at 22 Weeks
Update the criminal code to punish abortion providers who perform abortions beginning at 22 weeks (about 5 months) with exceptions only for the physical health of the pregnant woman
NO/AGAINST

Proposition 116
Reduce State Income Tax Rate
Reduce the Colorado flat income tax rate from 4.63% to 4.55%
NO/AGAINST

Proposition 117
Voter Approval of New High-Revenue State Enterprises Exempt from TABOR
Require voter approval for new state enterprises if the fee revenue is projected to be or was $100M in the first 5 years
NO/AGAINST

Proposition 118
Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program
Create a state program to provide up to 12 weeks of leave at up to 90% of pay (maximum $1,100/week in first year) for eligible employees
Yes/For


CITY OF BOULDER

City of Boulder Ballot Issue 2B
No Eviction Without Representation
Impose a tax on landlords to pay for tenant representation in eviction hearings
Yes/For

City of Boulder Ballot Question 2C
Public Service Company Franchise
Enter into a new Xcel Franchise Agreement after a 10-year lapse
leaning yes/leaning for

City of Boulder Ballot Question 2D
Repurpose the Utility Occupation Tax
Extends and repurpose the portion of the Utility Occupation Tax currently directed toward municipalization efforts
leaning yes/leaning for

City of Boulder Ballot Question 2E
Charter Amendments Related to Direct Election of the Mayor
Directly elect the mayor beginning in 2023 (unless delayed) using ranked voting
No/Against

City of Boulder Ballot Question 2F
Charter Amendment Related to the Boulder Arts Commission
Increase the Arts Commission from 5 to 7 commissioners
Yes/For


ELECTION ADMINISTRATION SITES

Colorado Secretary of State – Go Vote Colorado page
http://govotecolorado.gov

Boulder County Clerk and Recorder
303 413 7740
https://www.bouldercounty.org/elections/
Look up your voter registration, see a sample ballot, check your ballot status, and find the county Voter Service and Polling Center locations.


GOVERNMENT SITES

Blue Book Online (Colorado Legislative Council)
https://leg.colorado.gov/content/initiatives/initiatives-blue-book-overview/ballot-information-booklet-blue-book
The real name of the Blue Book is the 2020 State Ballot Information Booklet – available in English and Spanish.

City of Boulder
https://bouldercolorado.gov/elections

Judicial Performance Commission
Find out more about the judges who will be on your ballot.
http://www.coloradojudicialperformance.gov/review.cfm?year=2020


MEDIA SITES

Boulder Weekly Election Guide
https://www.boulderweekly.com/special-editions/vote-guide-2020/

Daily Camera Voter Guide
https://www.dailycamera.com/2020/10/09/2020-voter-guide-for-boulder-broomfield-and-weld-counties/

Boulder Beat Election 2020
https://boulderbeat.news/boulder-ballot-election-2020/

Colorado Politics Voter Guide
https://www.coloradopolitics.com/eedition/page-o-01/page_5207cc4f-440f-580d-b77e-714a0c627d3d.html

Colorado Sun Voter Guide
https://coloradosun.com/2020/10/04/colorado-ballot-guide-2020-election/

Colorado Public Radio Ballot Guide
https://www.cpr.org/category/politics/2020-elections/

5280 Magazine
https://www.5280.com/2020/09/your-go-to-guide-to-colorados-2020-ballot-measures/

FollowtheMoneyCO
http://followthemoneyco.com/


INFORMATION-ONLY SITES

League of Women Voters - also listed under Advocacy Sites
Vote411.org - See your ballot, learn about the issues and the candidates.

Ballotpedia
https://ballotpedia.org/Colorado_2020_ballot_measures
Entries for individual ballot measures list supporters and opponents, campaign finance information and more.

Count Me In Colorado
http://countmeincolorado.com/2020-ballot-information/


ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION SITES
These sites take positions on all or most of the measures.

League of Women Voters
Colorado Ballot Issues (English and Spanish)
https://www.lwvcolorado.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=314195&module_id=414279
LWV of Boulder County Elections 2020 (English and Spanish)
https://www.lwvbc.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=629866&module_id=404841

Bell Policy Center
https://www.bellpolicy.org/2020/10/04/2020-ballot-guide/

New Era Voter Guide
https://neweravoterguide.org/


POLITICAL PARTY SITES

Boulder County Republican Party Voter Guide
https://www.bocogop.org/index.php/2-uncategorised/47-2020-voter-guide

Boulder County Democratic Party Voter Guide
https://bocovoter.org/


CITIZEN SITES

My Weekly Resistance
https://www.myweeklyresistance.com/voter-guide-2020

Eric Budd
https://ericmbudd.wordpress.com/2020/10/11/how-im-voting-in-the-2020-boulder-colorado-elections/

Richard Valenty
https://richardvalenty.com/election-2020-lots-to-think-about/

Mike Rosen (Complete Colorado)
https://pagetwo.completecolorado.com/2020/10/05/rosen-my-take-on-the-2020-ballot-measures/