Vote on the Ballot Measures!

As is typical in even years, Boulder voters will see many ballot measures this year: 14 state measures, 3 city measures, and 1 RTD measure. Half the state measures are amendments to the constitution and half are statutory changes. Seven of the state measures are citizen initiatives, which had to collect signatures from registered voters to get on the ballot.

While one set of national running mates is talking about “childless cat ladies” and “they’re eating the dogs,” the state ballot measures are talking about big cats in the wild and pets, such as dogs, under veterinary care. Other national issues appearing on Colorado ballots are reproductive rights, the definition of marriage, and Final-4 Voting. And because we live in Colorado, we’ve got some debrucing measures for good measure. [See what I did there?]

Interestingly, none of the city measures are about content, such as taxes, election changes or prohibited items on city property; instead, they are all about city council processes and powers.

In 2022, this site changed how it approached most tax measures. Dedicated taxes are often designed for maximum appeal – Let’s support “rainbows and puppies.” Meanwhile the rest of the government functions are funded with non-dedicated taxes. Rather than weigh in on whether or not you should vote for a tax or debt question, this site started putting the word "Tax" in the Recommendation field, neither supporting nor opposing the measure but sometimes giving you some things to consider. An exception: this site has been a consistent supporter of debrucing measures, like Prop JJ and RTD 7A.

This year “politics” has been added as a recommendation, meaning the question is so tied up in politics that it comes down to a political call.

Each of the 18 ballot measures has its own post with more information and a space to make a comment on the 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 influence you have! 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. If you vote early, you can avoid some of those pesky “Get Out the Vote” (GOTV) reminders.

At the bottom of this post are other ballot measure websites as well as a link to the Boulder County Clerk’s website. The links are updated as more resources become available.

Ballots were mailed out starting October 11 so you should have your ballot already. 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 5th. Most people vote in one of 3 ways:
1) In person at one of your county’s Voter Service and Polling Centers
2) Mail your ballot with appropriate postage and allow for adequate delivery time (Within CO, your county clerk is supposed to pay the postage if you don’t affix stamps, but you might not want to risk it.)
3) Drop off your ballot at any Colorado polling place or ballot drop box, even outside of your county


VOCABULARY

Amendment = Constitutional change
All of this year’s amendments, except for J, require 55% approval for passage.

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


State Referenda - denoted by letters
The General Assembly put these on the ballot.

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


Ballot Issues = Tax or debt measures
Ballot Questions = Others


2024 BALLOT MEASURES

STATE OF COLORADO

Amendment G
Expand Property Tax Exemption for Veterans with Disabilities
Expand current exemption to Total Disability Individual Unemployability veterans
Tax

Amendment H
Judicial Discipline Procedures and Confidentiality
Create an adjudicative board, expand tribunal membership and release info about disciplinary charges earlier
politics

Amendment I
Constitutional Bail Exception for First Degree Murder
Prohibit the granting of bail to a person indicted for first degree murder when proof is evident or presumption is great
No

Amendment J
Repeal “Valid Marriage” Definition in Constitution
Remove the unconstitutional ban on same-sex marriage
YES

Amendment K
Move Constitutional Election Deadlines Earlier
Require earlier dates for publishing ballot measures, filing ballot measures and for a judge’s deadline to declare intent to run for retention
Yes

Amendment 79
Constitutional Right to Abortion
Enshrine right to abortion in the constitution and repeal the ban on state and local funding for abortion services
YES

Amendment 80
Constitutional Right to School Choice
Enshrine right to school choice in the constitution and expand choice to include private schools
No

Proposition JJ
Debruce CO from Sports Betting Limits and Keep Funding the Water Plan
Let CO keep money above the previously self-imposed limit
Yes

Proposition KK
Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax for Crime Victim Services
Impose a 6.5% excise tax on most firearms, firearm parts and ammunition sold in CO with most of the revenue going to crime victim services
Yes

Proposition 127
Prohibit Bobcat, Lynx, and Mountain Lion Hunting
Add bobcats and mountain lions to the prohibition on sport hunting already existing for lynx, and no longer reimburse owners for damage by mountain lions
No

Proposition 128
Reduce Parole Eligibility for Crimes of Violence
Increase time required behind bars for certain convicted persons from 75% of their sentence minus earned time to 85% of their sentence
No

Proposition 129
Establishing Veterinary Professional Associates
Create a new group of veterinary professionals who would have to get a master’s degree and possible additional training TBD by the State Board of Veterinary Medicine
No

Proposition 130
Funding for Law Enforcement Including Additional Death Benefits
Without finding new revenue, spend $350M on local law enforcement officers and provide a $1M death benefit to officers killed in the line of duty
No

Proposition 131
All-Candidate Top-4 Primary and Instant-Runoff (Ranked) Voting General Election
Replace partisan primaries for most state and federal offices with a Top-4 “jungle” primary and allow voters to rank candidates in the general election
Yes


CITY OF BOULDER

City of Boulder 2C
Base Council Pay on Area Median Income
More than triple council member pay and quadruple the mayor’s pay with no change in their duties
Against

City of Boulder 2D
Executive Sessions
Allow city council to conduct executive sessions for reasons outlined in statutory guidelines
leaning for

City of Boulder 2E
Boards and Commissions Changes
Replace most of the charter language on advisory commissions with a statement granting council power to establish commissions and rules by ordinance
Against


REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT

RTD 7A
Debruce RTD Permanently
Remove RTD’s revenue cap so RTD may keep all the money it collects
YES



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.
https://bouldercounty.gov/elections/ballot-information/
See who is running as write-in candidates.


GOVERNMENT SITES

Blue Book / Folleto Informativo (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 2024 State Ballot Information Booklet – available in English and Spanish.
State Ballot Analysis - https://leg.colorado.gov/BallotAnalysis

Colorado Secretary of State
Amendments and Propositions on the 2024 Ballot
https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/elections/Initiatives/ballot/contacts/2024.html

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


INFORMATION-ONLY SITES

League of Women Voters – also listed under Advocacy Sites
https://www.vote411.org/
See your ballot, learn about the issues and the candidates

Ballotpedia
https://ballotpedia.org/Colorado_2024_ballot_measures
Entries for each ballot measure include supporters and opponents and campaign finance information


MEDIA SITES

Boulder Weekly Vote Guide
https://boulderweekly.com/content-archives/voters-guide/election-2024-a-quick-and-dirty-vote-guide/

Daily Camera 2024 Voters Guide
https://www.dailycamera.com/tag/2024-voters-guide/

Yellow Scene Election Guide 2024
https://yellowscene.com/2024/10/21/yellow-scene-election-guide-2024/

Colorado Politics Elections Page
https://www.coloradopolitics.com/elections/

Colorado Sun Voter Guide
https://coloradosun.com/colorado-voter-guide-2024-election/

Colorado Public Radio Voter’s Guide
https://www.cpr.org/2024/10/14/vg-2024-colorado-voter-guide-to-the-2024-election/

Colorado Inside Out (PBS) Election 2024
https://www.pbs12.org/watch/2024-election/


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

League of Women Voters of Boulder County 2024 Ballot Measures (English and Spanish)
https://lwvbc.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=629866&module_id=690234

League of Women Voters of CO Where the League Stands
https://lwvcolorado.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=314195&module_id=614131

Bell Policy Center 2024 Ballot Guide
https://www.bellpolicy.org/2024/08/27/2024-colorado-ballot-guide/

Boulder Progressives
https://www.boulderprogressives.org/voter-guide


POLITICAL PARTY SITES

Boulder County Democratic Party
https://www.bocodems.org/2024-voter-guide/

Independence Institute – Libertarian Think Tank
https://i2i.org/election2024/


CITIZEN SITES

Richard Valenty
https://richardvalenty.com/election-2024-survival-and-other-things/