Colorado 2026 ballot measures
As of January 11, 2026, one statewide ballot measure was certified for the ballot in Colorado in 2026.
On the ballot
| Type | Title | Subject | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penalties for Fentanyl Sale and Possession Initiative | Criminal sentencing; Drug crime | Increase penalties for fentanyl-related felonies, require treatment for certain drug offenses, and limit sentencing exceptions in fentanyl-related crimes that cause another person’s death |
Potential measures
Signatures submitted
| Name | Type | Subject | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Notification of U.S. Department of Homeland Security for Certain Criminal Charges and Immigration Status Initiative (2026) | Immigration; Law enforcement | Require law enforcement to notify the U.S. Department of Homeland Security when a person is charged with a crime of violence or has a prior felony conviction and the person’s immigration status cannot be determined |
Proposed
| Name | Type | Subject | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Increase Transportation Funds for Road Transportation and Decrease Funds for Other Forms of Transportation Amendment (2026) | Public transportation; Railways; Highways | Increase funding for road transportation-related projects and programs and decrease funding for other types of transportation | |
| Colorado Prohibit Surgeries to Alter Biological Sex Characteristics of Minors Measure (2026) | Sex and gender; LGBTQ; Healthcare facility; Healthcare governance | Prohibit healthcare professionals from performing any surgeries on minors that would alter biological sex characteristics, and prohibit the use of state or federal funds from being used for this type of surgery | |
| Colorado Require Life in Prison for Sexual Trafficking of a Minor Measure (2026) | Criminal sentencing | Change sexual trafficking of a minor from a Class 2 felony to a Class 1 felony, and require a sentence of life in prison without parole or release | |
| Colorado Require Separate Teams Based on Biological Sex or Co-Ed Teams for School Sports Measure (2026) | Sex and gender; LGBTQ | Require all K-12 and collegiate school sports teams to be separated based on biological sex, unless the team is co-ed |
Getting measures on the ballot
Legislative referrals
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. Constitutional amendments require voter approval of 55% to be adopted.
Initiatives
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 2026, proponents need to collect 124,238 valid signatures. Petitioners have six months to circulate signature petitions. The deadline for submitting signatures is August 3, 2026.
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 124,238 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.
Not on the ballot
| Name | Type | Subject | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado End Gray Wolf Reintroduction Initiative (2026) | Parks and conservation | End the reintroduction of gray wolves by Colorado Parks and Wildlife | |
| Colorado Limit of Automatic State College Admissions for Top 10% of Graduating Class Initiative (2026) | Higher education governance | Establish a 75% limit to a state college's freshman class in automatic enrollments of high school students who graduated in the top 10% of their class | |
| Colorado Repeal Retail Delivery Fee Initiative (2026) | Fees | Repeal laws providing for retail delivery fees | |
| Colorado Require Just-Cause to Suspend or Terminate Employees Initiative (2026) | Civil trials; Business | Require employers to have just-cause and give at least seven days notice to suspend or terminate an employee, and allow employees to file civil action | |
| Colorado Right-to-Work Initiative (2026) | Right-to-work | Prohibit employers from requiring employees to join or refrain from joining a union, or to pay union dues |
See also
- 2026 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
