VOTER GUIDE: Your Colorado 2020 Ballot Will Be Loaded With Statewide Measures For You To Decide On
(CBS4) - Colorado voters face a long ballot this November with measures stretching far past the top of the ballot, where the presidential and U.S. Senate races lie. This year, voters will be deciding on 11 statewide issues in the general election. Some were referred by state lawmakers, others the result of citizen petitions. Here's a brief description of the issues and references:
Amendment B: Repeal Gallagher Amendment
The state legislature referred Amendment B, which has to do with property tax rates, the requirement for the state legislature to periodically change the rate and how that impacts funding for agencies like fire departments, police departments, hospitals, K-12 education and other services. It would repeal the Gallagher Amendment, passed in 1982, which has a complex formula for setting property tax rates. Watch CBS4 Political Specialist Shaun Boyd's report on the amendment and her Reality Check of an ad running in support of the amendment. You can also read the bill text.
Amendment C: Conduct of Charitable Gaming (Bingo)*
This would allow nonprofits to apply for bingo-raffle licenses after operating for three years in the state, down from five. It also eliminates the requirement that the people running the bingo must be members of the nonprofit, meaning they could hire and compensate workers. This measure passes with 55% of vote. Read the full bill text.
Amendment 76: Citizenship Qualification of Voters*
This would change the language of the state constitution to specify that "only a citizen" rather "every citizen" of the United States is eligible to vote in Colorado elections. It also would mean only citizens 18 and older could vote, which could impact state law allowing 17-year-olds to vote in primaries if they will be 18 by the general election. (Read the bill text.) This measure passes with 55% of vote.
Amendment 77: Betting Limits
This would allow voters in Black Hawk, Central City and Cripple Creek to change or remove betting limits at casinos. It would also allow them to approve new casino games. Additional revenues would go to community colleges. Read the bill text.
Proposition EE: Taxes on Nicotine Products
This would increase taxes cigarettes and nicotine products until it reached $2.64 per pack of cigarettes in 2027. It would also put a tax on snuff starting at $1.48 a container increasing to $2.26 by 2027-28. It would put a tax on vaping products containing nicotine. Additional revenue would go to preschool programs as well as K-12 education, eviction legal assistance, health care and tobacco education programs as well as general state spending. Read the bill text.
Proposition 113: National Popular Vote
This would have Colorado enter into an agreement with other states to elect the U.S. President by national popular vote by joining the the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. It would change how the state's electoral votes are cast -- currently Colorado awards all of its electors to the winner of the popular vote. Exactly 270 electoral votes are needed to win the U.S. Presidency. Supporters of the compact say it would take effect once enough states with 270 votes enter it. Read the bill text.
Proposition 114: Reintroduction of Gray Wolves
This would require the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission to come up with a plan to reintroduce and manage gravy wolves in Colorado, that would include including paying fair compensation for livestock losses attributed to gray wolves. Read the bill text.
Proposition 115: Prohibit Abortions After 22 Weeks
This would prohibit abortions after 22 weeks of gestational age for the fetus except when immediately required to save the life of a pregnant women. It would impose fines on any performing the procedure and require a three year suspension of the medical license of any physician who violates the measure. Read the bill text.
Proposition 116: State Income Tax Rate Reduction
This would reduce the state income tax rate from 4.63% to 4.55% starting this year. Read the bill text.
Proposition 117: Voter Approval for Certain New State Enterprises
This would require voter approval for any new state government-owned businesses, known as enterprises, if its revenue from fees is more than $100 million in its first five years. Fees from enterprises are not subject to the state limits set by the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (or TABOR). Read the bill text.
Proposition 118: Paid Family and Medical Leave
This would require the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment to create a paid family and medical leave program. Employers and employees would have to pay a payroll premium beginning Jan. 1, 2023. It would provide eligible employees up to 12 weeks of paid and medical leave beginning in 2024. Read the bill text.
*These two issues need a super majority of 55% of votes to pass. That's because they propose changes to the Colorado Constitution. Amendments B and 77 do not require the super majority because they involve changing language of the Constitution.
You can find more information about who supports and who opposes each of the issues at the Secretary of State's office website and find the State Ballot Information Booklet (Blue Book) online.
