Colorado Amendment 75, Campaign Contribution Limits Initiative (2018)

Elections in Colorado, 2018

• General election: Nov. 6
• Voter registration deadline: Oct. 29
• Early voting: Mail ballots available Oct. 5
• Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6

• Online registration: Yes
• Same-day registration: Yes
• Voter ID: Non-photo ID required for in-person voting
• Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

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Colorado Amendment 75
Election date November 6, 2018
Topic Elections and campaigns and Campaign finance
Status d Defeated
Type Constitutional amendment	Origin Citizens
List of Colorado measuresColorado Amendment AColorado Amendment VColorado Amendment WColorado Amendment XColorado Amendment YColorado Amendment ZColorado Amendment 73Colorado Amendment 74Colorado Amendment 75Colorado Proposition 109Colorado Proposition 110Colorado Proposition 111Colorado Proposition 112Submit

Colorado Amendment 75, the Campaign Contribution Limits Initiative was on the ballot in Colorado as an initiated constitutional amendment on November 6, 2018. It was defeated.

A yes vote supported the initiative to provide that if any candidate for state office directs (by loan or contribution) more than one million dollars in support of his or her own campaign (or candidate committee), then every candidate for the same office in the same primary or general election may accept five times the aggregate amount of campaign contributions normally allowed.

A no vote opposed the initiative to provide that if any candidate for state office directs more than one million dollars in support of his or her own campaign, then every candidate for the same office in the same election may accept five times the amount of campaign contributions normally allowed.

Supermajority requirement: A 55 percent supermajority vote was required for the approval of Amendment 75.

Election results

Colorado Amendment 75
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		813,861	34.04%
No		1,576,835	65.96%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Overview

Measure design

Amendment 75 was designed to do the following:

If a candidate is subject to the contribution limits set forth in Subsection 1 of Section 3 in Article XXVIII in the Colorado Constitution, and that candidate directs more than one million dollars to their own campaign, candidate committee, or another committee or entity for the purpose of supporting or opposing a candidate in the same election, then all candidates in the same election would have been entitled to accept aggregated contributions in the primary and general election at five times the rate currently authorized. The measure would have applied only to statewide candidates including state house and state senate, governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, state treasurer, state board of education.

Current contribution limits

The table below details contribution limits as they applied to various types of individuals and groups in Colorado as of 2018. The uppermost row of the table indicates the contributor, while the leftmost column indicates the recipient. The amounts listed indicate the amounts that can be given or received during the primary and general election, each. For example, political committees and federal PACs can give $200 to a State House or State Senate candidate once during the primary election and again during the general election for a total contribution limit of $400 per cycle.

Colorado contribution limits per election as of 2018
	Individuals	Single candidates committees	Federal PACs/Political committees	Small donor committees	Political party	Corporations and labor unions	Business (not a corporation)
Governor	$575	$0	$575	$6,125	$615,075	$0	$575
Senate	$200	$0	$200	$2,425	$22,125	$0	$200
House	$200	$0	$200	$2,425	$15,975	$0	$200
Political committees	$575	$575	$575	$575	$575	$575	$575
Party committees	$3,650	$3,650	$3,650	$18,425	$3,650	$0	$3,650
Small donor committee	$50	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0
Ballot measures	unlimited	0	unlimited	0	unlimited	unlimited	unlimited
Sources: Colorado Secretary of State, "Contribution Acceptance Limits," accessed September 8, 2018

Initiative sponsors

The measure was sponsored by former Colorado legislators Rep. B.J. Nikkel (R-49) and Sen. Greg Brophy (R-1). Nikkel represented District 49 from her appointment on January 17, 2009, to 2013. She served as Majority Whip from 2010 to 2013. Brophy represented District 1 from 2005 to 2015, serving as Senate Assistant Minority Leader. Brophy was a 2014 candidate for Governor of Colorado. He served in the Colorado House of Representatives from 2002 to 2005.

Campaign finance for Amendment 75

One committee was registered to support the measure: Stop Buying Our Elections. The committee raised $29,277.26 and spent it all.

Two committees, the State Ballot Issue Committee and Win the Fourth Colorado Issue Committee, were registered to oppose Amendment 75. The State Ballot Issue Committee did not report any campaign finance activity. Win the Fourth raised $2,632 and had spent $2,538.82.

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for the initiative was as follows:

“

Shall there be an amendment to the Colorado constitution providing that if any candidate in a primary or general election for state office directs more than one million dollars in support of his or her own election, then every candidate for that office in the same election may accept five times the amount of campaign contributions normally allowed?

”

Summary and analysis

The summary and analysis provided for this measure in the Colorado 2018 State Ballot Information Booklet (also known as the Blue Book) was as follows:

Background. While campaign finance is regulated by federal law for candidates in federal races, Colorado law regulates campaign finance for state and local candidates. Federal and state courts have determined that limits on the amount of money that candidates can collect from individuals are a permissible restriction of free speech to prevent corruption or the appearance of corruption. Under Amendment 75, candidates in a race may accept contributions from individuals that are five times the rate authorized in the state constitution if at least one candidate in the race: contributes or loans funds totaling more than $1.0 million to his or her own campaign; contributes or loans funds totaling more than $1.0 million to a committee to support or oppose any candidate in the same election; or coordinates third-party contributions totaling more than $1.0 million to any committee to influence the candidate’s own election. Contribution limits. Campaign contribution limits are established in the state constitution and adjusted for inflation every four years. These limits restrict the amount of money a person can donate to a candidate in a specific election cycle, which includes the primary and general elections, as indicated in Table 1 [of the Colorado 2018 Blue Book]. The current limits reflect adjustments made in 2015. In addition to collecting contributions from others, a candidate may make unlimited contributions from personal funds to his or her own campaign. Further, certain types of committees, including independent expenditure committees, may accept unlimited funds to support the election or defeat of a candidate, as long as they do not coordinate their activities or expenditures with any candidate. Since January 1, 2010, four candidates in statewide races have contributed or loaned over $1.0 million to their own campaigns.

Constitutional changes

See also: Article XXVIII, Colorado Constitution

The measure would add a new Subsection 14 to Section 3 of Article XXVII of the state constitution. The following underlined text would be added:

(14) Notwithstanding any conflicting provision in statute or the constitution, in order to prevent undue influence of a large contribution in a state election, if a candidate subject to the contribution limits set forth in subsection (1) of this section directs more than one million dollars to support his or her election, then all candidates in the same election shall be entitled to accept aggregate contributions for a primary and general election at five times the rate authorized by subsection (1) of this section. For purposes of this subsection, “directs more than one million dollars to support his or her election” includes: (a) A candidate contributing or loaning more than one million dollars to his or her candidate committee; (b) A candidate contributing or loaning more than one million dollars to a committee or other entity for the purpose of supporting or opposing any candidate in the same election; and (c) A candidate facilitating or coordinating third party contributions amounting to more than one million dollars to any committee or organization for the purpose of influencing the candidate’s own election. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as authorizing any corporate contributions of any kind. If any provision in this subsection is invalidated, the remaining provisions of this subsection shall remain effective.

Readability score

See also: Ballot measure readability scores, 2018

Using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL and Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) formulas, Ballotpedia scored the readability of the ballot title and summary for this measure. Readability scores are designed to indicate the reading difficulty of text. The Flesch-Kincaid formulas account for the number of words, syllables, and sentences in a text; they do not account for the difficulty of the ideas in the text. The Colorado Title Board wrote the ballot language for this measure. The FKGL for the ballot title is grade level 27, and the FRE is 2. The word count for the ballot title is 58, and the estimated reading time is 15 seconds. In 2018, for the 167 statewide measures on the ballot, the average ballot title or question was written at a level appropriate for those with between 19 and 20 years of U.S. formal education (graduate school-level of education), according to the FKGL formula. Read Ballotpedia's entire 2018 ballot language readability report here.

Support

Stop Buying Our Elections led the campaign in support of Amendment 75.

Sponsors

The measure was sponsored by B.J. Nikkel (R) and Greg Brophy (R).

B.J. Nikkel is a former Republican member of the Colorado House of Representatives, representing District 49 from her appointment on January 17, 2009, to 2013. She served as Majority Whip from 2010 to 2013.

Greg Brophy is a former Republican member of the Colorado State Senate, representing District 1 from 2005 to 2015. He served as Senate Assistant Minority Leader. In 2015, Brophy became the chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.). Brophy was a 2014 candidate for Governor of Colorado. He served in the Colorado House of Representatives from 2002 to 2005.

Supporters

• Pro 15

Arguments

• Greg Brophy stated, "We are supposed to have elections in Colorado, not auctions. Time for campaign finance reform to close the millionaire/billionaire loophole."

• B.J. Nikkel and Greg Brophy made the following statement:

“

The campaign finance reforms in Amendment 75 are aimed at leveling the field when a super-rich candidate attempts to buy elected office by contributing millions of dollars to his or her own campaign. Under current law, wealthy candidates have an unfair advantage in elections because current campaign finance provisions allow them to contribute vast sums of their personal resources to their own campaigns. Colorado’s current limits on individual contributions are among the lowest in the country, and candidates who rely on individual contributions from their friends and neighbors are at a significant disadvantage in communicating their message to voters. The campaign finance reforms in Amendment 75 offer an effective way to encourage competitive elections.

”

Official arguments

The supporting argument provided for this measure in the Colorado 2018 Blue Book was as follows:

“

Wealthy candidates have an unfair advantage in elections because current campaign finance laws allow them to contribute vast sums of their personal resources to their own campaigns. Colorado’s current limits on individual contributions are among the lowest in the country, and candidates who rely on individual contributions are at a significant disadvantage in communicating their message to voters. Amendment 75 offers an effective way to encourage competitive elections.

”

Opposition

Opponents

• 13 Issues, also known as the State Ballot Issue Committee was registered to oppose Amendment 75.
• The Durango Herald

Official arguments

The opposing argument provided for this measure in the Colorado 2018 Blue Book was as follows:

“

Colorado’s campaign finance system is broken, and this measure further complicates the system without truly addressing financial disparities among candidates. This increase in campaign contribution limits will allow all candidates, including wealthy candidates, to collect more money, further inflating election spending. Opening the door to more money is not the way to fix Colorado’s campaign finance system.

”

Media editorials

Support

• The Denver Post wrote, "We urge voters to vote yes on Amendment 75. The amendment isn’t perfect, but its aim is to ameliorate the inequities in Colorado campaigns that exist between those with the financial means to self-fund a campaign and those without. Net worth shouldn’t be a qualification for office. There are two troubling parts of the amendment. First, the amendment applies to third-party groups that raise more than $1 million in support of a single candidate. The language is vague about what groups will actually trigger the multiplier. Second, the backers of this amendment are a secret. We have no idea who has paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to put this amendment on the ballot or what their motivations may have been. That does not sit well with us and it’s hypocritical. But we cannot let the perfect get in the way of the good, and we think Amendment 75 will be good for Colorado politics."

• The Gazette wrote, "One need only look at this year’s gubernatorial race to understand the need for this law. One candidate has nearly unlimited potential to write checks to his campaign. Campaign finance laws limit the less-wealthy candidate to contributions no greater than $575 during the general election. It means the super rich will always have good reason to run, knowing the law gives them an insurmountable advantage. Even the playing field and vote yes on Amendment 75."

Opposition

• The Durango Herald wrote, "The fly in the ointment here is that in order to counter the influence of big money and wealthy politicians, a yes vote would likely mean even more money would get pumped into some races – and that is just too big a loss... to offset the possible gain. What Colorado ought to do ... is fight to limit the contributions that candidates may receive from anyone, including themselves – and take that fight all the way to the Supreme Court, if they must. In the meantime, we are a NO vote on [Amendment 75]."

• The Aurora Sentinel wrote, "Amendment 75 is... boneheaded. Targeting wealthy political candidates, which Colorado seems to have no shortage of, Amendment 75 is a misguided attempt to close the so-called millionaire loophole in the state’s tough campaign limits law. What’s worse, this proposition goes beyond candidate campaign donations and opens the flood gates for new rules affecting political action committees. Amendment 75 says the new limit is triggered not only by candidates spending their own money, but PACs spending a million bucks, too. It’s easy to argue that every statewide race will have at least a few PAC triggers, meaning that Amendment 75 is a de facto hike in the $1,150 campaign limit to more than $5,000."

• The Aspen Times wrote, "Millions of dollars are being pumped into elections, and while there is a right way to look at this problem of campaign inequity, this is the wrong solution. It needs to be more exact about what groups would be applied to the donations and zero in on third-party groups coming into the state."

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

• An online poll from the University of Colorado’s American Politics Research Lab and conducted by YouGov from October 12 to October 17 asked registered voters how they would vote on Amendment 75 if they had to choose "yes" or "no." Overall, it showed 39 percent in support, and 61 percent opposed. Among Democrats, there was 42 percent and 58 percent opposition. Among Republicans, there was 39 percent support and 61 percent opposition. Among independents, there was 34 percent support and 66 percent opposition.

Colorado Amendment 75 (2018)
Poll	Support	Oppose	Undecided	Margin of error	Sample size
University of Colorado’s American Politics Research Lab 10/12/2018 - 10/17/2018	39%	61%	0%	+/-3.5	800
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Campaign finance

See also: Campaign finance requirements for Colorado ballot measures

Total campaign contributions:
Support:	$29,277.26
Opposition:	$2,632.00

One committee was registered to support the measure: Stop Buying Our Elections. The committee raised $29,277.26 and spent it all.

Two committees, the State Ballot Issue Committee and Win the Fourth Colorado Issue Committee, were registered to oppose Amendment 75. The State Ballot Issue Committee did not report any campaign finance activity. Win the Fourth raised $2,632 and had spent $2,538.82.

Many committees were simultaneously registered to support and oppose multiple measures, therefore it is impossible to distinguish between funds spent on a particular measure. A full list of the committees and their various positions on the 13 statewide measures in Colorado can be found here.

Support

Committees in support of Amendment 75 Supporting committees Cash contributions In-kind services Cash expenditures Stop Buying Our Elections $14,010.76 15,266.50 $14,010.76 Total $14,010.76 15,266.50 $14,010.76

Totals in support Total raised: $29,277.26 Total spent: $29,277.26

Opposition

Committees in opposition to Amendment 75 Opposing committees Cash contributions In-kind services Cash expenditures Win the Fourth Colorado Issue Committee $2,632.00 $0.00 $2,538.82 State Ballot Issue Committee $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Total $2,632.00 $0.00 $2,538.82

Totals in opposition Total raised: $2,632.00 Total spent: $2,538.82

Background

Campaign finance requirements by state

See also: State-by-state comparison of campaign finance requirements

Campaign finance laws regulate the use of money in elections. Generally speaking, campaign finance laws regulate the sources and amounts of contributions to political candidates and campaigns, as well as the disclosure of information about campaign funds. While federal laws regulate the use of money in federal elections (i.e., presidential and congressional elections), the states themselves implement and enforce campaign finance laws for state-level candidates (such as governors and state legislators). Consequently, there is variation in campaign finance laws from state to state.

Campaign finance laws are a source of ongoing debate. Proponents of more stringent campaign finance laws claim that the current laws do not go far enough to mitigate corruption and the influence of undisclosed special interests. Opponents claim that strict disclosure requirements and donation limits impinge upon the rights to privacy and free expression, hampering participation in the political process.

Colorado Campaign Finance initiatives

In November of 1996, voters in Colorado passed Colorado Campaign Finance Act. The act created contribution limits to candidates, voluntary spending limits, bans on direct contributions from corporations and labor unions, and stronger disclosure requirements. The act was challenged in federal courts but was upheld. Despite the ruling, the Colorado legislature essentially dismantled the law in 2000. This led supporters of campaign finance regulation to push for a constitutional amendment, which would become the 2002 ballot question, Amendment 27.

The Colorado Campaign Finance Initiative, also known as Initiative 27, was on the November 2002 ballot in Colorado as an initiated constitutional amendment, where it was approved in a vote of 66.50 percent to 33.50 percent. The measure limited the amounts and types of political contributions that could be made and received. It affected candidate, political party and political committee contribution regulations.

2018 contribution limits by state

The table below summarizes individual contribution requirements by state in the 2017-2018 election cycle. Unlimited contribution limit provisions are highlighted in light green; contribution limits of $500 or less are highlighted in light yellow. In the 2017-2018 election cycle, 11 states permitted unlimited contributions from individuals to state-level political candidates. In the remaining states, contribution limits ranged depending upon the office being sought by the recipient. For example, for gubernatorial candidates, limits ranged from $500 per year in Alaska to $44,000 per general election in New York.

Individual contribution limits by state, 2017-2018
State	Gubernatorial candidates	State legislature, upper chamber, candidates	State legislature, lower chamber, candidates	Notes
Alabama	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Alaska	$500	$500	$500	Limits apply per year.
Arizona	$5,100	$5,100	$5,100
Arkansas	$2,700	$2,700	$2,700	Limits apply per election.
California	$29,200	$4,400	$4,400	Limits apply per election.
Colorado	$575	$200	$200	Limits apply per election.
Connecticut	$3,500	$1,000	$250	Limits apply per election.
Delaware	$1,200	$600	$600	LImits apply per election cycle.
Florida	$3,000	$1,000	$1,000	Limits apply per election.
Georgia	$6,600	$2,600	$2,600	Limits apply per election.
Hawaii	$6,000	$4,000	$2,000	Limits apply per election.
Idaho	$5,000	$1,000	$1,000	Limits apply per election.
Illinois	$5,600	$5,600	$5,600	Limits apply per election cycle.
Indiana	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Iowa	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Kansas	$2,000	$1,000	$500	Limits apply per election.
Kentucky	$3,000	$3,000	$3,000	Limits apply per election.
Louisiana	$5,000	$2,500	$2,500	Limits apply per election.
Maine	$1,600	$400	$400	Limits apply per election.
Maryland	$6,000	$6,000	$6,000	Limits apply per four-year election cycle.
Massachusetts	$1,000	$1,000	$1,000	Limits apply per calendar year.
Michigan	$6,800	$2,000	$1,000	Limits apply per election cycle.
Minnesota	$4,000	$1,000	$1,000	Limits apply per two-year election segment.
Mississippi	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Missouri	$2,600	$2,600	$2,600	Limits apply per election.
Montana	$1,990	$530	$330	Limits apply per election.
Nebraska	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Nevada	$5,000	$5,000	$5,000	LImits apply per election.
New Hampshire	$1,000	$1,000	$1,000	LImits apply per election.
New Jersey	$3,800	$3,000	$3,000	LImits apply per election.
New Mexico	$5,500	$2,500	$2,500	LImits apply per election.
New York	$44,000	$11,000	$4,400	Limits apply per general election.
North Carolina	$5,200	$5,200	$5,200	LImits apply per election.
North Dakota	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Ohio	$12,707.79	$12,707.79	$12,707.79	Limits apply per election.
Oklahoma	$2,700	$2,700	$2,700	Limits apply per campaign.
Oregon	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Pennsylvania	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Rhode Island	$1,000	$1,000	$1,000	Limits apply per calendar year.
South Carolina	$3,500	$1,000	$1,000	Limits apply per election.
South Dakota	$4,000	$1,000	$1,000	Limits apply per calendar year.
Tennessee	$4,000	$1,500	$1,500	Limits apply per election.
Texas	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Utah	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Vermont	$4,080	$1,530	$1,020	Limits apply per two-year election cycle.
Virginia	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Washington	$2,000	$1,000	$1,000	Limits apply per election.
West Virginia	$1,000	$1,000	$1,000	Limits apply per election.
Wisconsin	$20,000	$2,000	$1,000	According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, "amounts apply for term of office for an incumbent; for non-incumbents, the amounts apply beginning on the date on which the person becomes a candidate and ends on the day before the term of office begins."
Wyoming	$2,500	$1,500	$1,500	Limits apply per election.
Source: National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Limits on Contributions to Candidates, 2017-2018 Election Cycle," updated June 27, 2017

Campaign finance reporting in Colorado

In Colorado, candidates seeking state office (and ballot measure committees) must file campaign finance reports with the Colorado Secretary of State. These reports must be filed electronically through a system called TRACER, which stands for Transparency in Contribution and Expenditure Reporting. That system can be accessed here.

Election policy on the ballot in 2018

Electoral system
Electoral systems by state
Ranked-choice voting (RCV)
Academic studies on RCV
Election dates
Election agencies
Election terms
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker

Voters considered ballot measures addressing election policy in 15 states in 2018.

Redistricting:

See also: Redistricting measures on the ballot

• Ohio Issue 1, Congressional Redistricting Procedures Amendment (May 2018) a - The Ohio State Legislature, through a bipartisan vote, referred Issue 1 to the ballot for the election on May 8, 2018. The measure was written to change the vote requirements to pass congressional redistricting maps and the standards used in congressional redistricting in Ohio. Voters approved Issue 1.

• Colorado Amendment Y, Independent Commission for Congressional Redistricting Amendment (2018) a - The amendment was written to create a 12-member commission responsible for approving district maps for Colorado's congressional districts. Democrats and Republicans in the Colorado State Legislature voted to refer the measure. It was approved.

• Colorado Amendment Z, Independent Commission for State Legislative Redistricting Amendment (2018) a - The amendment was written to create a 12-member commission responsible for approving district maps for Colorado's state House and state Senate. Democrats and Republicans in the legislature voted to refer the amendment. It was approved.

• Michigan Proposal 2, Independent Redistricting Commission Initiative (2018) a - The organization Voters Not Politicians collected more than the required 315,654 signatures for the initiative. The initiative was designed to transfer the power to draw the state's congressional and legislative districts from the Michigan State Legislature to an independent redistricting commission. It was approved.

• Missouri Amendment 1, Lobbying, Campaign Finance, and Redistricting Initiative (2018) a - The PAC Clean Missouri collected signatures to get the initiated amendment on the ballot. The measure made changes to the state's lobbying laws, campaign finance limits for state legislative candidates, and legislative redistricting process. The position of nonpartisan state demographer was created. Amendment 1 made the demographer responsible for drawing legislative redistricting maps and presenting them to the House and Senate apportionment commissions.

• Utah Proposition 4, Independent Advisory Commission on Redistricting Initiative (2018) a - The measure created a seven-member independent redistricting commission to draft maps for congressional and state legislative districts. The committee Utahns for Responsive Government collected more than the required 113,143 signatures to get the initiative certified for the ballot.

Voting requirements and ballot access:

• Arkansas Issue 2, Voter ID Amendment (2018) a - Issue 2 was designed to require individuals to present a valid photo ID to cast non-provisional ballots in person or absentee. The Arkansas State Legislature referred the measure to the ballot, with Republicans and four of 30 Democrats voting to put Issue 2 on the ballot. It was approved.

• Florida Amendment 4, Voting Rights Restoration for Felons Initiative (2018) a - The committee Floridians for a Fair Democracy collected more than the required 766,200 signatures to get Amendment 4 placed on the ballot. The measure was designed to automatically restore the right to vote for people with prior felony convictions, except those convicted of murder or a felony sexual offense, upon completion of their sentences, including prison, parole, and probation. It was approved.

• Louisiana Amendment 1, Felons Disqualified to Run for Office for Five Years Amendment (2018) a - This measure was put on the ballot by the state legislature. Louisiana voters approved Amendment 9 in 1998 to prevent convicted felons from seeking or holding public office for 15 years following the completion of their sentences. Amendment 9 was struck down by the Louisiana Supreme Court in 2016. It was approved.

• Maryland Question 2, Election-Day Voter Registration Amendment (2018) a - Legislative Democrats voted to place the amendment the ballot. The measure was designed to authorize a process for registering qualified individuals to vote at a precinct polling place on election day. It was approved.

• Michigan Proposal 3, Voting Policies in State Constitution Initiative (2018) a - Promote the Vote collected more than 315,654 valid signatures to get the initiative placed on the ballot. Proposal 3 was designed to add several voting policies to the Michigan Constitution, including straight-ticket voting, automatic voter registration, no-excuse absentee voting, and same-day voter registration. It was approved.

• Montana LR-129, Ballot Collection Measure (2018) a - The Montana State Legislature voted to place the measure on the ballot, through the support of 80 of 91 Republicans and one of 59 Democrats. The measure was written to ban persons from collecting the election ballots of other people, with exceptions for certain individuals. It was approved.

• Nevada Question 5, Automatic Voter Registration via DMV Initiative (2018) a - The measure was designed to provide for the automatic voter registration of eligible citizens when receiving certain services from the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The Nevada Election Administration Committee, a project of iVote, collected more than the required 55,234 signatures to get Question 5 placed on the ballot. It was approved.

• North Carolina Voter ID Amendment (2018) a - This amendment was referred to the ballot by the state legislature along party lines with Republicans voting in favor of it and Democrats voting against it. It created a constitutional requirement that voters present a photo ID to vote in person. It was approved.

• North Dakota Measure 2, Citizen Requirement for Voting Amendment Initiative (2018) a - North Dakotans for Citizen Voting collected more than the required 26,904 valid signatures to qualify this initiative for the ballot. The measure was designed to clarify that only a U.S. citizen can vote in federal, state, and local elections in North Dakota. It was approved.

Arkansas Issue 3, a legislative term limits initiative, was certified for the ballot but was blocked by an Arkansas Supreme Court ruling. The measure would have imposed term limits of six years for members of the Arkansas House of Representatives and eight years for members of the Arkansas Senate. The ruling came too late to remove the measure from the ballot, but the supreme court ordered election officials to not count or certify votes for Issue 3.

Campaign finance, political spending, and ethics:

• Colorado Amendment 75, Campaign Contribution Limits Initiative (2018) d - Proponents collected more than the required 136,328 valid signatures and met the state's distribution requirement to qualify this initiative for the ballot. The measure would have established that if any candidate for state office directs (by loan or contribution) more than one million dollars in support of his or her own campaign, then every candidate for the same office in the same primary or general election may accept five times the aggregate amount of campaign contributions normally allowed. It was defeated.

• Massachusetts Question 2, Advisory Commission for Amendments to the U.S. Constitution Regarding Corporate Personhood and Political Spending Initiative (2018) a - This citizen initiative was designed to establish a 15-member citizens' commission to advocate for certain amendments to the United States Constitution regarding political spending and corporate personhood. It was approved.

• Missouri Amendment 1, Lobbying, Campaign Finance, and Redistricting Initiative (2018) a - Besides the redistricting provisions of Amendment 1 described above, Missouri Amendment one also made changes to the state's lobbying laws and campaign finance limits for state legislative candidates.

• North Dakota Measure 1, Ethics Commission, Foreign Political Contribution Ban, and Conflicts of Interest Initiative (2018) a - North Dakotans for Public Integrity collected more than the required 26,904 valid signatures to qualify this initiative for the ballot. Measure 1 established an ethics commission, ban foreign political contributions, and enact provisions related to lobbying and conflicts of interest. It was approved.

• South Dakota Constitutional Amendment W, State Campaign Finance and Lobbying Laws, Government Accountability Board, and Initiative Process Amendment (2018) d - The committee Represent South Dakota collected more than the required 27,741 signatures to get the initiative certified for the ballot. The measure was designed to revise campaign finance and lobbying laws, create a government accountability board, and enact new laws governing the initiative and referendum process. It was defeated.

• South Dakota Initiated Measure 24, Ban Out-of-State Contributions to Ballot Question Committees Initiative (2018) a - This citizen initiative banned out-of-state contributions to committees supporting or opposing ballot measures within South Dakota. Rep. Mark Mickelson (R-13), speaker of the South Dakota House of Representatives, sponsored the initiative. It was approved.

Election and campaign ballot measures in Colorado

See also: Elections and campaigns on the ballot and List of Colorado ballot measures

Ballotpedia has tracked 32 statewide ballot measures relating to elections and campaigns. Colorado Amendment 29, Candidates on Primary Ballots Initiative (2002) Colorado Amendment 27, Campaign Contributions and Spending Limits Initiative (2002) Colorado Amendment 2, Elected State Board of Education Amendment (1930) Colorado Amendment 54, Campaign Contribution Limitations for Government Contractors Initiative (2008) Colorado Amendment 15, Campaign Contribution Limits Initiative (1994) Colorado Amendment 12, Election and Legislative Measure Reform Initiative (1994) Colorado Amendment No. 2, Voter Qualifications Amendment (1984) Colorado Amendment No. 1, Initiative and Referendum Process Amendment (1980) Colorado "Headless Ballot", Measure 14 (1912) Colorado Referendum A, Single-Subject Rule for Initiatives Amendment (1994) Colorado Amendment No. 2, Presidential Primary Measure (1990) Colorado Amendment 36, Division of Electoral Votes Initiative (2004) Colorado Referendum B, Ballot Measure Booklet Amendment (1994) Colorado Amendment 15, Contributions to Candidates Initiative (1996) Colorado Amendment 13, Initiative, Referendum, and Petition Process Initiative (1996) Colorado Referred Law No. 9, Disclosure of Financial Interests, Regulating Lobbyists, and Public State Meetings Initiative (1972) Colorado Special Elections for Initiatives and Referendums, Measure 11 (1912) Colorado Right to Petition Governor for Special Election on Measures, Measure 4 (1914) Colorado Measure 6, Elected State Board of Education Initiative (1928) Colorado Proposal No. 4, Residency Requirements for Voting in Presidential Elections Amendment (1962) Colorado Amendment No. 10, Voter Approval for Taxes Initiative (1976) Colorado Amendment 18, Declarations About Term Limits Initiative (1998) Colorado Referendum C, Selection of County Surveyors Amendment (2000) Colorado Retention Elections of Justices and Judges Amendment (2014) Colorado Yes or No Elections Initiative (2014) Colorado Two-Stage Election System Initiative (2014) Colorado Amendment No. 1, Joint Election of Governor and Lieutenant Governor Amendment (1968) Colorado Amendment No. 3, Franchises in Home Rule Municipalities Amendment (1986) Colorado Amendment No. 2, Reimbursements for Recall Elections Amendment (1988) Colorado Referendum F, Recalls of Elected Officials Amendment (2006) Colorado Proposition 131, Top-Four Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative (2024) Colorado Amendment 1, Elected State Board of Education Measure (1948)

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing the initiative process in Colorado

The state process

In Colorado, the number of signatures required to qualify an initiated constitutional amendment 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. For initiated constitutional amendments, signature gathering must be distributed to include signatures equal to 2 percent of the registered voters who live in each of the state's 35 senate districts.

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.

Constitutional amendments in Colorado require a 55% supermajority vote to be ratified and added to the state constitution. This requirement was added by Amendment 71 of 2016.

The requirements to get an initiated constitutional amendment certified for the 2018 ballot:

• Signatures: 98,492 valid signatures were required.
• Deadline: The deadline to submit signatures was August 6, 2018.

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

• B.J. Nikkel and Greg Brophy submitted this initiative on April 6, 2018.
• A ballot title was issued for the initiative on April 18, 2018.
• It was approved for signature gathering on May 24, 2018.
• On August 6, 2018, the Colorado Secretary of State's office announced via Twitter that proponents for the initiative had submitted signatures.
• On September 4, 2018, the Colorado Secretary of State's office announced that the measure qualified for the ballot. Proponents of the measure submitted 212,332 signatures, of which, 136,328 were found to be valid. A total of 98,492 valid signatures were required to qualify.

Cost of signature collection:
Sponsors of the measure hired unknown entities to collect signatures for the petition to qualify this measure for the ballot. A total of $0 - $4.4 million was spent to collect the 98,492 valid signatures required to put this measure before voters, resulting in a total cost per required signature (CPRS) of $0 - $44.99.

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in Colorado

Poll times

In Colorado, polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time for those who choose to vote in person rather than by mail. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.

Registration requirements

Check your voter registration status here.

In Colorado, an individual can pre-register to vote if they are at least 15 years old. Voters must be at least 18 years old to vote in any election. A voter must be a citizen of the United States and have established residence in Colorado to vote.

Colorado voters can register to vote through Election Day. However, in order to automatically receive a absentee/mail-in ballot, a voter must register online, through the mail, at a voter registration agency, or driver's license examination facility at least eight days prior to Election Day. A voter that registers through a voter registration drive must submit their application no later than 22 days before the election to automatically receive an absentee/mail-in ballot. A voter can register online or submit a form in person or by fax, email, or mail.

Automatic registration

See also: Automatic voter registration

Colorado automatically registers eligible individuals to vote through the Department of Motor Vehicles and certain other state agencies.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Colorado has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

See also: Same-day voter registration

Colorado allows same-day voter registration for individuals who vote in person.

Residency requirements

Colorado law requires 22 days of residency in the state before a person may vote.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Colorado does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The site Go Vote Colorado, run by the Colorado Secretary of State office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Voter ID requirements

Colorado requires voters to present non-photo identification when voting in person. If voting by mail for the first, a voter may also need to return a photocopy of his or her identification with their mail-in ballot. Click here for more information.

The following list of accepted forms of identification was current as of August 2025. Click here for the most current information, sourced directly from the Office of the Colorado Secretary of State.

“

The following documents are acceptable forms of identification: A valid Colorado driver’s license or valid identification card issued by the Colorado Department of Revenue. (Note: documents issued to not lawfully present and temporarily lawfully present individuals under Part 5 of Article 2 of Title 42, C.R.S. are not acceptable forms of identification.) A valid U.S. passport. A valid employee identification card with a photograph of the eligible elector issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. government or of Colorado, or by any county, municipality, board, authority, or other political subdivision of Colorado. A valid pilot’s license issued by the federal aviation administration or other authorized agency of the U.S. A valid U.S. military identification card with a photograph of the eligible elector. A copy of a current (within the last 60 days) utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the elector. A Certificate of Degree of Indian or Alaskan Native Blood. A valid Medicare or Medicaid card issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. A certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate for the elector. Certified documentation of naturalization. A valid student identification card with a photograph of the eligible elector issued by an institute of higher education in Colorado, as defined in section 23-3.1-102(5), C.R.S.. A valid veteran identification card issued by the U.S. department of veterans affairs veterans health administration with a photograph of the eligible elector. A valid identification card issued by a federally recognized tribal government certifying tribal membership. Any form of identification listed above that shows your address must show a Colorado address to qualify as an acceptable form of identification. The following documents are also considered acceptable forms of identification for voting: Verification that a voter is a resident of a group residential facility, as defined in section 1-1-104(18.5), C.R.S. Verification that a voter is a person committed to the department of human services and confined and eligible to register and vote shall be considered sufficient identification of such person for the purposes of section 1-2-210.5, C.R.S. Written correspondence from the county sheriff or his or her designee to the county clerk indicating that a voter is confined in a county jail or detention facility.

”

• Note: SB 1, signed into law on May 12, 2025, specified that tribal IDs issued by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Indian Health Service, or another federal agency were also valid identification.

See also

2018 measures

• 2018 ballot measures
• Elections and campaigns on the ballot
• 2018 petition deadlines

Colorado

• Colorado ballot measures
• Colorado initiative laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls
• Ballot measure signature costs

External links

• Colorado Secretary of State: 2017-2018 Initiative Filings, Agendas & Result
• Initiative #173 Text

Support

• Stop Buying Our Elections Facebook page

Opposition

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