Colorado 2022 ballot measures

Elections in Colorado, 2022

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State Ballot Measure Monthly
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Eleven statewide ballot measures were certified for the ballot in Colorado for the election on November 8, 2022. Eight were approved and three were defeated.

HIGHLIGHTS

Six citizen initiatives were on the ballot. Four were approved and two were defeated.

The Colorado State Legislature referred three constitutional amendments and two measures changing state statute to the ballot. Of the five referred ballot measures, four were approved and one was defeated.

From 2000 through 2020, an average of between nine and 10 measures appeared on the statewide ballot during even-numbered years. The approval rate for measures on the ballot in even-numbered years was 45.71%.

On the ballot

Type	Title	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
LRCA	Amendment D	Require the governor to designate judges from the 18th judicial district to serve in the new 23rd judicial district and require designated judges to establish residence	a	1,502,866 (67%)	727,409 (33%)
LRCA	Amendment E	Extend an existing homestead exemption for disabled veterans to the surviving spouses of military personnel and certain veterans	a	2,109,471 (88%)	289,514 (12%)
LRCA	Amendment F	Allow charitable gaming operators to be paid and allow the Legislature to determine how long an organization must exist to obtain a charitable gaming license		930,370 (41%)	1,359,027 (59%)
CISS	Proposition 121	Reduce the state income tax rate from 4.55% to 4.40%	a	1,581,163 (65%)	842,506 (35%)
CISS	Proposition 122	Decriminalize the use of the psychedelic plants and fungi and create a services program for administration of such substances	a	1,296,992 (54%)	1,121,124 (46%)
CISS	Proposition 123	Dedicate 0.1% of existing income tax revenue to a new State Affordable Housing Fund	a	1,269,816 (53%)	1,143,974 (47%)
CISS	Proposition 124	Increase the number of retail liquor store licenses an individual can own or hold a share in		905,565 (38%)	1,497,346 (62%)
CISS	Proposition 125	Create a new fermented malt beverage and wine retailer license to allow stores that are licensed to sell beer to also sell wine	a	1,288,404 (52%)	1,200,219 (48%)
CISS	Proposition 126	Allow retail establishments licensed to sell alcohol for off-site consumption to offer deliveries		1,183,059 (49%)	1,238,074 (51%)
LRSS	Proposition FF	Reduce income tax deduction caps and allocate increased revenue to a program for free school meals and local school food grants	a	1,384,852 (57%)	1,055,583 (43%)
LRSS	Proposition GG	Require a table showing changes in income tax owed for average taxpayers in certain brackets to be included in the ballot title for initiated measures	a	1,704,757 (72%)	665,476 (28%)

Summary of campaign contributions

See also: Ballot measure campaign finance, 2022

The following chart illustrates how much support and opposition committees received in campaign contributions for each measure on the ballot:

Ballot Measure	Support Contributions	Oppose Contributions	Outcome
Colorado Amendment D, Designate Judges to Twenty-Third Judicial District Measure (2022)	$0.00	$0.00
Colorado Amendment E, Homestead Exemption to Surviving Spouses of U.S. Armed Forces Members and Veterans Measure (2022)	$10,430.70	$0.00
Colorado Amendment F, Charitable Gaming Measure (2022)	$0.00	$10,430.70
Colorado Proposition 121, State Income Tax Rate Reduction Initiative (2022)	$588,756.12	$390,842.86
Colorado Proposition 122, Decriminalization and Regulated Access Program for Certain Psychedelic Plants and Fungi Initiative (2022)	$4,590,486.00	$50,936.00
Colorado Proposition 123, Dedicate State Income Tax Revenue to Fund Housing Projects Initiative (2022)	$6,627,247.00	$10,430.70
Colorado Proposition 124, Retail Liquor Store Licenses Initiative (2022)	$13,797,063.43	$903,220.34
Colorado Proposition 125, Wine Sales in Grocery and Convenience Stores Initiative (2022)	$14,599,838.59	$903,220.34
Colorado Proposition 126, Alcohol Delivery Service Initiative (2022)	$14,607,857.79	$903,220.34
Colorado Proposition FF, Reduce Income Tax Deduction Amounts to Fund School Meals Program Measure (2022)	$1,823,473.99	$10,430.70
Colorado Proposition GG, Include Income Tax Effects in Initiative Ballot Language Measure (2022)	$1,163,070.79	$10,430.70

Referral of 2022 ballot measures

The following table illustrates the vote requirements for the legislative referrals certified for the ballot, the votes that the referrals received, and how Democrats and Republicans voted on the referrals in each legislative chamber:

No measures to list

Getting measures on the ballot

See also: Signature requirements for ballot measures in Colorado and Laws governing the initiative process in Colorado

Legislature

The Colorado General Assembly may put legislatively referred constitutional amendments and legislatively referred state statutes on the ballot. A two-thirds (66.67%) vote vote in each chamber of the legislature is required to refer an amendment to the ballot. A simple majority vote in each chamber is required for measures changing state statutes. Legislation referring a measure to the ballot does not require the governor's signature and cannot be vetoed in Colorado.

Citizens

Deadlines and signature requirements

In Colorado, citizens have the powers of initiative, both statute and constitutional, and veto referendum. To get an initiated state statute or initiated constitutional amendment on the ballot in 2022, proponents need to collect 124,632 valid signatures. Petitioners have six months to circulate signature petitions. The deadline for submitting signatures is set by the state constitution at three months before the election. State statutes, however, set a deadline of three months and three weeks before the election. The Colorado secretary of state sets a deadline each year of early August (three months prior to the election).

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 requires 124,632 valid signatures. The signature deadline was August 8, 2022, by 3 p.m. local time. 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.

Proposing measures and applying to petition

Initiative proponents must submit the original text of the measure to the directors of the legislative council staff and the office of legal services for review and comment. The results of the review are presented in at least one public meeting. The proponents may then make revisions in response to the recommendations given at the meeting. If the revisions go beyond the recommendations, the revised language must be resubmitted. If no further recommendations/comments are required an additional hearing is not required. Compliance with these recommendations is not mandatory.

Once the proposed measure has been reviewed, the original, amended and final drafts must be filed with the Colorado secretary of state. The secretary must then convene a "title board," which includes the secretary of state, the Colorado attorney general, and the director of the Office of Legislative Legal Services or the director's designee. At a public meeting, the board selects a title for the measure by majority vote. The title must be phrased in the form of a "yes" or "no" question. The board may also reject a measure if it fails to comply with the state's single-subject rule. If the proponents or any registered voter are unsatisfied with the title board's chosen title or single-subject ruling, a motion for a rehearing may be filed. If objections remain after the rehearing, the proponents or any registered voter may file an appeal with the Colorado Supreme Court.

Historical facts

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

In Colorado, a total of 189 ballot measures appeared on statewide ballots between 1985 and 2021. Eighty-six ballot measures were approved, and 103 ballot measures were defeated.

Colorado statewide ballot measures, 1985-2021
Total number	Annual average	Annual minimum	Annual maximum	Approved		Defeated
				#	%	#	%
189	5.07	0	14	86	45.50	103	54.50

Ballot initiative certification rates

See also: Ballot initiatives filed for the 2022 ballot

The following table shows the rate of certification for ballot initiatives in Colorado between 2010 and 2021:

Colorado statewide ballot initiatives filed and certified, 2010-2021
Year	Ballot initiatives filed	Certified
		#	%
2021	25	3	12.0
2020	193	8	4.1
2019	4	0	0.0
2018	113	7	6.2
2017	13	0	0.0
2016	104	7	6.7
2015	6	0	0.0
2014	145	4	2.8
2013	32	1	3.1
2012	54	1	1.9
2011	36	1	2.8
2010	98	6	6.1
Averages	72.5	3.2	2.8

Local ballot measures

See also: Colorado 2022 local ballot measures

Click here to read more about 2022 local ballot measures in Colorado.

Not on the ballot

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
CISS	Changes to Initiative Process Measure (#54)	Direct democracy	Changes requirements and deadlines for qualifying an initiative for the ballot; changes process for legal challenges to initiative; requires voter approval for new legislation that was previously rejected by referendum; replaces the current initiative process and repeals all conflicting laws
CICA/SS	Property Value Limit Initiative (Multiple versions)	Taxes and Property	Limits annual growth in assessed values for property to inflation or 3%, whichever is lower; provides for resubmitting the initiative in 2032 to reauthorize or repeal the changes made by the initiative
CISS	Sales Tax Rate Reduction Initiative (#46, #47)	Taxes	Reduces the state sales and use tax rate from 2.90% to 2.89% beginning in 2023
CISS	Treatment of Animals Initiative	Treatment of animals	Amends state law regarding the treatment of animals; adds fish to the definition of livestock; amends the definition of sexual act with an animal; defines the natural lifespan for certain animals in state law
CISS	Fracking Ban Initiative	Fracking	Bans hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in Colorado except on federal lands
CISS	Property Tax Rate Reduction Initiative (#14)	Taxes	Reduces residential property tax assessment rate from 7.15% to 6.5%; reduces non-residential property tax assessment rate from 29% to 26% beginning in 2023
CISS	Grocery and Convenience Store Wine Sales and Delivery Initiative (#115)	Alcohol and Business regulation	Establishes a new fermented malt beverage and wine retailer license to allow grocery stores, convenience stores and other businesses that are licensed to sell beer to also sell wine, conduct tastings, and allow alcohol retailers to provide for a delivery service
CISS	Changes to Parole Eligibility Initiative (#89)	Prisons	Increases the amount of time served required to be eligible for parole
CISS	Education Materials as Public Record Initiative (#94)	Education	Expands the definition of public record to include education materials used by a public educator
CICA	Prohibit Statewide Ballot Measures Impacting Local Government Property Tax Revenues Initiative (#103)	Taxes	Requires citizen initiatives that affect the property tax revenues of local governments to be decided by voters in the affected city, county, school district, or special district, thereby prohibiting statewide ballot measures that affect local government property tax revenues through adjusting assessment rates or mill levies
CICA/SS	Additional Property Tax on Residential Properties Valued at Over $2 Million to Fund Housing Projects Initiative (#104)	Taxes and Housing	Levies an additional property tax of 0.57% on residential properties valued at or above $2 million and creates the Luxury Residential Real Property Tax Fund to "address shortages in and enhancing the availability of affordable housing"
CICA/SS	Additional Property Tax on Residential Properties Valued at Over $2 Million to Fund Housing Projects Initiative (#106)	Taxes and Housing	Levies a fee of 1.1% on residential properties valued at or above $2 million and creates the Colorado Affordable Housing Fund to "address shortages in and enhancing the availability of affordable housing"
CICA	Annual Property Tax Revenue Limit Initiative (#110)	Taxes and Property	Limits the annual increase in property tax revenue on a property to 2% unless the property is "substantially improved by adding more than 10% square footage" or the property's use changes
CICA	Minimum Wage Increase for Alcohol Retail Establishment Employees Initiative (#134)	Alcohol and Minimum wage	Sets the minimum wage for employees of alcohol retail establishments to $20 per hour; sets the minimum wage for third-party alcohol delivery service contractors to $24 per hour; increases wages annually based on cost of living adjustments; prohibits businesses from retaining any portion of tips given to employees
CISS	School Meals Program Initiative (#83-88)	Education and Taxes	Establishes a free school meals program funded through a cap on itemized state income tax deductions for those earning $250,000 or more in federal taxable income
CISS	Reduce State Income Tax Rate Initiative (#130)	Taxes	Reduce the state income tax rate from 4.55% to 4.54% for tax years commencing on or after January 1, 2022
CISS	Third-Party Alcohol Delivery Service Initiative (#139)	Alcohol and Business regulation	Establishes a third-party alcohol delivery service and require the service to provide insurance, health-care benefits, and fuel reimbursement to contractors
CISS	Abortion Ban Initiative (#56)	Abortion	Prohibits "intentionally causing the death of a living human being at any time prior to, during, or after birth while the child is under the age of 18 years by using or prescribing any instrument, medicine, drug, or any other substance, device, or means, and causing death"
CISS	Additional State Education Funding Initiative (#63)	Education	Directs the state legislature to allocate one-third of one percent of all revenue received from individual, corporation, estate, and trust federal taxable income to the state education fund and allowing the state to spend the money as a voter-approved revenue change
CISS	Possession and Use of Entheogenic Plants and Fungi Initiative (#61)	Drug crime policy and Healthcare	Decriminalizes the personal use of certain entheogenic plants and fungi (including psilocybin, psilocin, ibogaine, mescaline, or dimethyltryptamine) for adults age 21 and older
CISS	Campaign Expenditure Limits Initiative (#80)	Campaign finance	Limits committee expenditures to 150% of contributions received by an individual with a voter registration number who is eligible to vote for the candidate or issue the committee supports or opposes
CISS	Medicaid Dental Procedures Minimum Reimbursement Initiative (#82)	Healthcare	Establishes a minimum reimbursement fee for covered Medicaid dental procedures
CISS	Require Investor-Owned Utilities to Pay Percentage of Rates Initiative (#93)	Energy	Requires investor-owned utilities to pay 5% of all future gas and electric service rates from their profits
CISS	Public Hearing and Minimum Distance Requirements for New or Expanded Alcohol Retail Establishments Initiative (#135)	Alcohol and Business regulation	Requires public hearings and mandate minimum distance requirements from school and churches for new or expanded alcohol retail establishments

See also

• 2022 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