Colorado 2017 ballot measures

2017 Colorado Ballot Measures
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In 2017, zero statewide ballot measures were certified to appear on the Colorado ballot.

Getting measures on the ballot

In Colorado, citizens have the powers of initiative, both statute and constitutional, and veto referendum. To get an initiated state statute on the ballot in 2017, proponents needed to collect 98,492 valid signatures within the six months following the initiative proposal's finalization. Section 1 of Article V of the Colorado Constitution states that signatures are due three months before the election, which was August 7, 2017.

In November 2016, voters approved Amendment 71, which created a distribution requirement to get an initiated constitutional amendment certified for the ballot. As with an initiated statute, an initiated amendment required 98,492 valid signatures. However, the total valid signatures for an initiated amendment also needed to include signatures from 2 percent of the registered voters who live in each of the state's 35 senate districts.

Colorado is one of 23 states that allow citizens to refer an enacted bill to the ballot as a veto referendum. As with initiatives, a veto referendum required 98,492 valid signatures. A referendum petition must be filed within 90 days following the Colorado General Assembly's final adjournment of the session in which the bill was passed.

The Colorado General Assembly may also propose amendments to the people as legislatively referred constitutional amendments. A two-thirds vote of each chamber of the legislature is required to refer an amendment to the ballot. The 2017 legislative session ran from January 11 through May 10, 2017.

Historical facts

See also: List of Colorado ballot measures and History of Initiative & Referendum in Colorado

• A total of 118 measures appeared on statewide ballots in Colorado from 1995 to 2016.
• From 1995 to 2016, the number of measures on statewide ballots ranged from zero to 14.
• Between 1995 and 2015, an average of one measure appeared on the ballot in Colorado during odd-numbered election years.
• Between 1995 and 2015, about 36 percent (5 of 14) of the total number of measures that appeared on statewide ballots during odd-numbered years were approved, and about 64 percent (9 of 14) were defeated.

Not on the ballot

See also: Proposed ballot measures that were not on a ballot

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
CISS	Roads and Bridges Bonds Initiative	Bonds	$2.5 billion in bonds for roads and bridges
CISS	Sales Tax Increase for Transportation Funds Initiative	Taxes	Increase sales tax for transportation funds
CICA	Voting on Limiting Housing Growth Initiative	Housing	Right of voters to limit housing growth
CISS	Severance Taxes on Oil and Natural Gas Initiative	Taxes	Levies a 10 percent tax on income from the sale of oil and gas extracted in the state
CICA	Independent Ethics Commission Initiative	Gov't Acc	Creation of an Independent Ethics Commission
LRSS	TABOR Fiscal Spending Cap Adjusted Based on Income Growth Measure	Budget	Adjust TABOR cap based on income growth
LRSS	Sales Tax Increase for Transportation Funding Measure	Taxes	Increase sales tax for transportation funds

State profile

Demographic data for Colorado
	Colorado	U.S.
Total population:	5,448,819	316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):	103,642	3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:	84.2%	73.6%
Black/African American:	4%	12.6%
Asian:	2.9%	5.1%
Native American:	0.9%	0.8%
Pacific Islander:	0.1%	0.2%
Two or more:	3.5%	3%
Hispanic/Latino:	21.1%	17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:	90.7%	86.7%
College graduation rate:	38.1%	29.8%
Income
Median household income:	$60,629	$53,889
Persons below poverty level:	13.5%	11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Colorado. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in Colorado

Colorado voted for the Democratic candidate in five out of the seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

Pivot Counties (2016)

Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, four are located in Colorado, accounting for 1.94 percent of the total pivot counties.

Pivot Counties (2020)

In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Colorado had three Retained Pivot Counties and one Boomerang Pivot County, accounting for 1.66 and 4.00 percent of all Retained and Boomerang Pivot Counties, respectively.

More Colorado coverage on Ballotpedia

• Elections in Colorado
• United States congressional delegations from Colorado
• Public policy in Colorado
• Endorsers in Colorado
• Colorado fact checks
• More...

See also

• 2017 ballot measures
• List of Colorado ballot measures
• Laws governing the initiative process in Colorado
• History of Initiative & Referendum in Colorado

External links

• Colorado Secretary of State Proposed Initiative Status
• Initiatives Filed with the Colorado Legislative Counsel