Colorado $40 Tax Credit for Voting Initiative (2020)
| Colorado $40 Tax Credit for Voting Initiative | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 3, 2020 | |
| Topic Taxes | |
| Status Not on the ballot | |
| Type State statute | Origin Citizens |
The Colorado $40 Tax Credit for Voting Initiative (#83) was not on the ballot in Colorado as an initiated state statute on November 3, 2020.
The initiative would have established a refundable $40 tax credit for those who vote in primary and/or general elections. If approved, the measure would have taken effect on January 1, 2022. Voters could have claimed the $40 credit for both the primary election and general election if they voted in each election.[1]
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title and submission clause for the initiative is below:[2][3]
| “ | Shall there be a change to the Colorado Revised Statutes allowing a $40 refundable state income tax credit to any Colorado registered elector who votes in a primary or general election, and, in connection therewith, allowing a registered elector who votes in both elections to claim both tax credits?[4] | ” |
Full text
The full text of Initiative #83 is available here.
Path to the ballot
The state process
In Colorado, the number of signatures required to qualify an initiated state statute for the ballot is equal to 5 percent of the total number of votes cast for the office of Colorado secretary of state in the preceding general election. State law provides that petitioners have six months to collect signatures after the ballot language and title are finalized. State statutes require a completed signature petition to be filed three months and three weeks before the election at which the measure would appear on the ballot. The Constitution, however, states that the petition must be filed three months before the election at which the measure would appear. The secretary of state generally lists a date that is three months before the election as the filing deadline.
The requirements to get an initiated state statute certified for the 2020 ballot:
- Signatures: 124,632 valid signatures
- Deadline: August 3, 2020[5]
The secretary of state is responsible for signature verification. Verification is conducted through a review of petitions regarding correct form and then a 5 percent random sampling verification. If the sampling projects between 90 percent and 110 percent of required valid signatures, a full check of all signatures is required. If the sampling projects more than 110 percent of the required signatures, the initiative is certified. If less than 90 percent, the initiative fails.
Details about this initiative
- Nathan Clay and Mark Tejada filed the initiative on December 18, 2019. The ballot title for the measure was approved on January 2, 2020. The initiative was approved for signature gathering on January 16, 2020.[2]
- Proponents did not submit signatures by the deadline on August 3, 2020.[2]
- 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.[6] 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.[7][8] [9][10][11]
See also
External links
- Initiative #83 full text
- Colorado Secretary of State: Initiative Filings, Agendas & Results
- Initiatives filed with the Legislative Council Staff
Footnotes
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "Initiative 83 full text," accessed January 3, 2020
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Colorado Secretary of State, "2019-2020 Initiative Filings, Agendas & Results," accessed January 3, 2020
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "Results for Proposed Initiative #83," accessed January 3, 2020
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ On May 17, 2020, Colorado Governor Jared Polis (D) signed Executive Order D 2020 065, which 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.
- ↑ Colorado Governor Jared Polis, "Gov. Polis Signs Executive Orders to Protect Access to Ballot & Ensure Elections Can Proceed Safely," accessed May 18, 2020
- ↑ Colorado Concern, "Lawsuit against Polis' executive order," accessed May 19, 2020
- ↑ Denver Post, "Colorado group seeking to ban late-term abortions sues over governor’s order," accessed May 22, 2020
- ↑ Reporter Herald', "Court upholds Colorado Governor Polis’ power to change ballot initiative rules," accessed May 29, 2020
- ↑ Colorado Politics, "Colorado Supreme Court to hear challenge to Polis order on petition-gathering," accessed June 12, 2020
- ↑ Fort Morgan Times, "Colorado Supreme Court rules against Polis on signatures for ballot measures," accessed July 1, 2020
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