Colorado Proposition 125, Wine Sales in Grocery and Convenience Stores Initiative (2022)

Colorado Proposition 125
Election date November 8, 2022
Topic Alcohol and Business regulation
Status a Approved
Type State statute	Origin Citizens

Colorado Proposition 125, the Wine Sales in Grocery and Convenience Stores Initiative, was on the ballot in Colorado as an initiated state statute on November 8, 2022. The measure was approved.

A "yes" vote supported creating 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 for off-site consumption.

A "no" vote opposed allowing grocery stores, convenience stores, and other businesses that are licensed to sell beer for off-site consumption to also sell wine.

Election results

Colorado Proposition 125
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		1,288,404	51.77%
No		1,200,219	48.23%

Results are officially certified.

Source

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Overview

What did Proposition 125 do?

See also: Text of measure

Proposition 125 created a new fermented malt beverage and wine retailer license and provided for the automatic conversion of fermented malt beverage (FMB) licenses to the new fermented malt beverage and wine license on March 1, 2023. Under the initiative, grocery stores, convenience stores, and other businesses that are licensed to sell beer are allowed to also sell wine. Retailers with the license are allowed to offer tastings if approved by the local licensing authority.

Under the initiative, a new fermented malt beverage and wine retailer's license can not be issued to a location within 500 feet of a retail liquor store. A new retail liquor store license can not be issued to a location within 500 feet of a licensed fermented malt beverage and wine retailer.

As of 2022, what types of alcohol licenses did Colorado have?

See also: Background

As of 2022, Colorado had three alcohol license types:

License type	Description	Current licensees	Location limits per licensee
Retail Liquor Store (RLS)	Retail stores selling all types of alcohol	1,592	3
Liquor-Licensed Drugstore (LLD)	Pharmacies selling all types of alcohol	26	8
Fermented Malt Beverage Retailer (FMB)	Grocery and convenience stores selling beer and other fermented malt beverages such as hard seltzers	1,819	Unlimited

Who was behind the campaigns surrounding the three Colorado alcohol initiatives?

See also: Support and Opposition

Three initiatives concerning alcohol were on the 2022 ballot in Colorado.

Proposition 124, which was defeated, would have increased the number of retail liquor store licenses an individual or entity could hold. Coloradans for Consumer Choice and Retail Fairness, the campaign behind Proposition 124, raised $13.79 million and had the support of Colorado Fine Wines & Spirits LLC, U.S. Rep. David Trone (D-Maryland), and his brother who co-owns Total Wine with him, Robert Trone.

Proposition 125, which was approved, allowed grocery and convenience stores to sell wine. Proposition 126, which was defeated, would have allowed for third-party delivery of alcohol. Wine in Grocery Stores, the campaign supporting both Propositions 125 and 126, raised $14.59 million. Top donors included DoorDash, InstaCart, Target, Albertsons Safeway, and Kroger. Fair Delivery for All Small Businesses registered to support Proposition 126. The committee reported no contributions and $8,019 in expenditures.

Keeping Colorado Local led the campaign in opposition to all three alcohol initiatives. The committee raised $903,220. Donors to the opposition campaign included the Colorado Licensed Beverage Association and local Colorado liquor store Hazel's Beverage World.

Path 2 Zero registered to support Propositions 121, 124, 125, 126, and Amendment E; and registered to oppose Propositions 123, GG, FF, and Amendment F. It is impossible to distinguish between funds spent on each individual measure. The committee reported $10,430.70 in in-kind contributions from Independence Institute.

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for the measure was as follows:

“

Shall there be a change to the Colorado Revised Statutes concerning the expansion of retail sale of alcohol beverages, and, in connection therewith, establishing a new fermented malt beverage and wine retailer license for off-site consumption to allow grocery stores, convenience stores, and other business establishments licensed to sell fermented malt beverages, such as beer, for off-site consumption to also sell wine; automatically converting such a fermented malt beverage retailer license to the new license; and allowing fermented malt beverage and wine retailer licensees to conduct tastings if approved by the local licensing authority?

”

Full text

The full text of the initiative is below:

Readability score

See also: Ballot measure readability scores, 2022

Using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL) and Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) formulas, Ballotpedia scored the readability of the ballot title 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 state board wrote the ballot language for this measure.

The FKGL for the ballot title is grade level 25, and the FRE is -5. The word count for the ballot title is 96.

Support

Wine in Grocery Stores led the campaign in support of the initiative. The campaign provided a full list of endorsements, which is available here.

Supporters

Corporations

• Albertsons Safeway
• DoorDash
• Instacart
• Kroger
• Target

Organizations

• Aurora Chamber of Commerce
• Colorado Chamber of Commerce
• Hispanic Restaurant Association
• NAACP Rocky Mountain State Area Conference
• Pro 15

Arguments

• Michelle Lyng, spokesperson for Wine in Grocery Stores: "Colorado had 1,600 licensed liquor stores before beer in grocery stores, and three years later, we have 1,592 because consumers get more choices from liquor stores — more choices in beer and in wine. Grocery stores and liquor stores will continue to operate successfully as they do now. Because of the convenience of people being able to pick up a bottle of wine while shopping for groceries, and the convenience of being able to order a bottle of wine to accompany the food being delivered from a restaurant, this was an easy sell, and we found Coloradans were excited to sign."
• Wine in Grocery Stores: "Prop 125 allows Colorado to join 39 other states that already let shoppers buy a bottle of wine while shopping for dinner; ensures that wine is sold safely, only to legal-age adult shoppers. Grocery stores have a substantially better safety record than liquor stores; [and] benefits Colorado’s local winemakers through broader access to grocery store shoppers and by tastings held in grocery stores."
• Colorado Chamber President and CEO Loren Furman: "Colorado has been long overdue to rethink the way we approach liquor licensing. This is about helping some of our hardest-hit businesses recover from ongoing economic challenges while also giving consumers more options when it comes to how and where they choose to purchase alcohol. Together, these common-sense ballot initiatives will help bring Colorado’s alcohol regulatory environment into the 21st century."
• Stacie Loucks, former director of Denver Excise and Licensing: "The Colorado experience of beer into grocery stores worked out well for everyone… grocery stores sell beer, there’s more liquor stores today than ever before, and shoppers can choose between the convenience of a grocery store and the selection of a liquor store. There’s room for everyone."
• Pro 15: 'On behalf of the many rural communities that make up Pro 15, we believe that both 125 and 126 will enhance our local economies. Grocery stores can better serve customers by also having wine with beer, and 126 will allow our neighborhood restaurants and small liquor stores tap into delivery to help grow their businesses. Another key piece is that both measures ensure the safe sale of alcohol to adults and maintain full local control, so our communities can have a say in how alcohol sales happen in their jurisdictions."
• Denver City Councilmember Chris Hinds: "Of course it's about convenience. But for some of Colorado's populations, it's also about necessity. Somedays it's just hard cooking for myself. So I order out. And along with lasagna for dinner tonight, it would be nice if I could also include a bottle of wine. Even on days when I'm shopping for groceries, the convenience of picking up a bottle of wine is just a whole lot easier if I don't have to struggle with making two trips."
• Kevin Webber CEO of Carboy Winery and campaign co-chair of Wine in Grocery Stores: "Colorado has an exciting and growing wine industry with increasing consumer demand. To meet that demand and to foster continued growth and success for the industry requires getting more of it into the hands of consumers. Third party delivery of wine and wine in grocery stores would be a game changer!"
• John Jaramillo, campaign co-chair and co-founder of the Hispanic Restaurant Association of Colorado: "Colorado has a proven system. For years we’ve managed home delivery in Colorado from out-of-state liquor stores, and delivery carriers have not had a single violation in over six years. Why? Because we’re a tough state that levies huge consequences for selling to minors. The combination of tough laws, drivers over 21, electronic scanning of ID’s… makes this all possible. The real progress has been in grocery stores. Last year, liquor stores had 48 violations; grocery stores, just 2. Grocery stores are a safe place to sell alcohol. Safer than liquor stores."
• Portia Prescott, president of the NAACP Rocky Mountain State Area Conference: 'Our decision to endorse Props 125 and 126 in Colorado was one where we balanced the desire to improve our access to economic improvement with our moral obligation to support our community. We want to provide all Coloradans equal opportunity to grow and prosper while ensuring that our communities are not harmed. These proposals, with their built-in safety objectives, would advance that goal.” Prescott added, “Our businesses are still rebounding from the toll COVID-19 took on the economy, and we believe this will provide them the boost they need while ensuring strict safety enforcement.”
• Tim Huffman, Retired Aurora Police Officer and former chair of the Aurora Liquor License Authority: "Colorado has a proven system. For years we’ve managed home delivery in Colorado from out-of-state liquor stores, and delivery carriers have not had a single violation in over six years. Why? Because we’re a tough state that levies huge consequences for selling to minors. The combination of tough laws, drivers over 21, electronic scanning of ID’s… makes this all possible. The real progress has been in grocery stores. Last year, liquor stores had 48 violations; grocery stores, just 2. Grocery stores are a safe place to sell alcohol. Safer than liquor stores."

Official arguments

The following is the argument in support of the measure found in the Colorado Blue Book:

Colorado Blue Book Official Arguments: "Consumers want the convenience of buying wine with groceries. This measure builds on the existing system to allow adults to buy wine in grocery and convenience stores, just as they do now with beer and other fermented malt beverages. These stores provide a safe and well-regulated environment to ensure responsible alcohol sales."

Opposition

Keeping Colorado Local led the campaign in opposition to the initiative.

Opponents

Organizations

• Colorado Licensed Beverage Association

Arguments

• Keeping Colorado Local: "This initiative would add wine to the Colorado Beer Code, immediately allowing anyone with a current license to sell beer for off-premises consumption to also begin selling wine and vinous liquor, with no application, no neighborhood survey, and no State or Local review process. This change would essentially double the number of outlets selling wine overnight while local communities and neighborhoods would be cut out of the process and would have no say in whether they actually want to expand alcohol sales in all these locations. ... Additionally, this initiative would be devastating for small, independent liquor stores—especially the nearly 700 stores that are directly adjacent to grocery stores and convenience stores."
• Jim Archibald, owner of Morgan's Liquor: "Our beer sales have dropped 30 percent since [grocery stores] got beer. Every single beer is on sale at a price that is impossible for us to sustain. I could sell it at the price they’re selling it at, but I could maybe offer it as a weekend special. They’re trying to choke us out."
• Keegan Jenks, owner of Bacchus Wine & Spirits: "If we don't protect independent small businesses, we're walking a thin line into people not needing small businesses anymore."

Official arguments

The following is the argument in opposition to the measure found in the Colorado Blue Book:

Colorado Blue Book Official Arguments: "The measure creates a disadvantage for small, locally owned liquor stores, and instead benefits large national grocery and convenience store chains. The automatic license conversion will more than double the number of stores where wine can be sold, without any community input or state or local government review."

Media editorials

See also: 2022 ballot measure media endorsements

Ballotpedia lists the positions of media editorial boards that support or oppose ballot measures. This does not include opinion pieces from individuals or groups that do not represent the official position of a newspaper or media outlet. Ballotpedia includes editorials from newspapers and outlets based on circulation and readership, political coverage within a state, and length of publication. You can share media editorial board endorsements with us at editor@ballotpedia.org.

Support

• The Denver Post Editorial Board: "We are in favor of reducing regulations and opening up the free market as long as the playing field is even. It also will certainly be convenient to have wine on the shelves of grocery stores and to allow third-party delivery companies (think Doordash) to deliver alcohol from liquor stores, grocery stores, bars, and restaurants. ... We hope grocery stores don’t dedicate too much space to their wine and beer offerings, as the many local liquor stores in town already are providing that service."
• Sentinel Colorado Editorial Board: "Eliminating small stores creates downstream control of innovation. Small breweries and vinters, unable to vie with bigger operations for new craft brews or the state’s budding wine industry, won’t have easy access to markets anymore. Putting off the inevitable, however, doesn’t help anyone. Vote yes on Prop 125 and pick up that bottle of cheap white wine at the grocery store when you’re in a hurry, but take the time to seek out Colorado’s artisan beers and wines and encourage better selection in local liquor stores."

Opposition

• Durango Herald Editorial Board: "We like convenience as much as the next person. So it may seem contradictory to say 'yes' on third-party delivery of alcohol and 'no' on Proposition 125, which allows grocery and convenience stores to sell wine. But that’s where we are. Although we imagine middle-priced wines in groceries, we know that small, locally owned liquor stores also sell wine priced in this range. We’ll skip buying booze at the grocery store and go to our small, local businesses instead. We do not endorse Proposition 125."

Campaign finance

See also: Campaign finance requirements for Colorado ballot measures

The campaign finance information on this page reflects the most recent scheduled reports that Ballotpedia has processed, which covered through December 8, 2022.

Wine in Grocery Stores registered as an issue committee to support the Grocery and Convenience Store Wine Sales Initiative and Alcohol Delivery Initiative. The committee reported $14.59 million in contributions. It is impossible to determine, of the total funds, how much was spent on each initiative specifically.

Path 2 Zero registered to support Propositions 121, 124, 125, 126, and Amendment E; and registered to oppose Propositions 123, GG, FF, and Amendment F. It is impossible to distinguish between funds spent on each individual measure. The committee reported $10,430.70 in in-kind contributions from Independence Institute.

Keeping Colorado Local registered to oppose the Grocery and Convenience Store Wine Sales Initiative, Alcohol Delivery Initiative, as well as the Retail Liquor Store Licenses Initiative. The committee has raised $903,220 It is impossible to determine, of the total funds, how much was spent on each initiative specifically.

	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
Support	$14,111,323.75	$488,514.84	$14,599,838.59	$14,067,867.25	$14,556,382.09
Oppose	$807,436.24	$95,784.10	$903,220.34	$807,436.24	$903,220.34
Total	$14,918,759.99	$584,298.94	$15,503,058.93	$14,875,303.49	$15,459,602.43

Support

The following table includes contribution and expenditure totals for the committee in support of the initiative.

Committees in support of Proposition 125
Committee	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
Wine in Grocery Stores	$14,111,323.75	$478,084.14	$14,589,407.89	$14,067,867.25	$14,545,951.39
Path 2 Zero	$0.00	$10,430.70	$10,430.70	$0.00	$10,430.70
Total	$14,111,323.75	$488,514.84	$14,599,838.59	$14,067,867.25	$14,556,382.09

Donors

The following were the top donors to the support committees:

Donor	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions
InstaCart	$4,663,487.00	$103,297.19	$4,766,784.19
DoorDash	$3,268,487.00	$359,382.40	$3,627,869.40
Whole Foods Market	$1,703,635.00	$240.00	$1,703,875.00
Albertsons Safeway	$1,623,635.00	$2,470.97	$1,626,105.97
Kroger	$1,277,344.65	$2,656.22	$1,280,000.87

Opposition

The following table includes contribution and expenditure totals for the committee in opposition to the measure.

Committees in opposition to Proposition 125
Committee	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
Keeping Colorado Local	$807,436.24	$95,784.10	$903,220.34	$807,436.24	$903,220.34
Total	$807,436.24	$95,784.10	$903,220.34	$807,436.24	$903,220.34

Donors

The following were the top donors who contributed to the opposition committees.

Donor	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions
Hazel's Beverage World	$200,000.00	$0.00	$200,000.00
Wyatt's JV, LLC	$115,000.00	$5,340.50	$120,340.50
Colorado Licensed Beverage Association	$26,725.00	$77,616.00	$104,341.00
Notable Investments, LLC	$100,000.00	$0.00	$100,000.00
Wilbur's JV, LLC	$100,000.00	$0.00	$100,000.00

Methodology

To read Ballotpedia's methodology for covering ballot measure campaign finance information, click here.

Polls

See also: 2022 ballot measure polls

Are you aware of a poll on this ballot measure that should be included below? You can share ballot measure polls, along with source links, with us at editor@ballotpedia.org.

Colorado Proposition 125, Wine Sales in Grocery and Convenience Stores Initiative (2022)
Poll	Dates	Sample size	Margin of error	Support	Oppose	Undecided

FOX31, Channel 2, Emerson College Polling and The Hill	9/18/2022-09/19/2022	1,000 LV	± 3%	57.8%	26.3%	15.9%
	Question: "If the election were held today, would you support or oppose Proposition 125, which would allow grocery stores, convenience stores, and other businesses that are licensed to sell beer to also sell wine?""

Note: LV is likely voters, RV is registered voters, and EV is eligible voters.

Background

Colorado liquor licenses and regulations

The Colorado Liquor Enforcement Division of the Department of Revenue oversees Colorado liquor licensing and compliance with state liquor laws. The state licensing authority is responsible for processing liquor licenses and determining rules for regulating the manufacture, distribution, and sale of alcohol.

As of 2022, Colorado had three types of alcohol licenses:

License type	Description	Current number of licensees	Location limits per licensee
Retail Liquor Store (RLS)	Retail stores selling all types of alcohol	1,592	3
Liquor-Licensed Drugstore (LLD)	Pharmacies selling all types of alcohol	26	8
Fermented Malt Beverage Retailer (FMB)	Grocery and convenience stores selling beer and other fermented malt beverages such as hard seltzers	1,819	Unlimited

Tasting regulations: RLSs and LLDs are allowed to offer tastings on the premises if approved by the local government and the local licensing authority.

Distancing requirements: New RLS locations may not be within 1,500 feet of another RLS or LLD (or within 3,000 feet of another RLS or LLD if in a city with a population of 10,000 or fewer). New LLD locations may not be within 1,500 feet of another RLS (or within 3,000 feet of another RLS if in a city with a population of 10,000 or fewer). New LLD licensees must buy out two retail liquor stores and all stores within a 1,500 feet radius.

Delivery regulations: Retailers are allowed to deliver alcohol using a store-owned vehicle by an employee who is at least 21 years old. Alcohol delivery has been allowed by liquor stores since 1994, by wineries since 1997, and by grocery and convenience stores since 2019. In 2020, Colorado provided for the takeout and delivery of alcohol by bars and restaurants between the hours of 7 a.m. and midnight. Colorado House Bill 1027 of 2021 provided for the law to automatically repeal in July 2025.

Alcohol on the ballot, 2022

Three initiatives related to alcohol were certified for the 2022 ballot in Colorado. One initiative was certified for the 2022 ballot in Massachusetts.

Year	Measure	Description	Outcome
2022	Colorado Retail Liquor Store Licenses Initiative	Incrementally increases the number of retail liquor store licenses an individual may own or hold a share in
2022	Colorado Grocery and Convenience Store Wine Sales Initiative	Creates 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 and conduct wine tastings
2022	Colorado Alcohol Delivery Service Initiative	Allows retail establishments licensed to sell alcohol for off-site consumption to offer a delivery service or provide for a third-party alcohol delivery service
2022	Massachusetts Changes to Alcohol Retail Licensing Initiative	Incrementally increase the statewide limit on the combined number of retail alcohol licenses an establishment can have, including licenses for all alcoholic beverages and for wine and beer; prohibit self-checkout sales of alcohol; other changes

Colorado Initiative 7 (1982)

See also: Colorado Alcohol in Grocery Stores Initiative (1982)

An initiative to allow grocery stores to obtain permits to sell wine, as long as the alcohol content did not exceed 14%, was on the ballot in Colorado in 1982. It was defeated by a vote of 65% against to 35% in favor.

Colorado statewide ballot measures during even-numbered election years, 2000-2020

A total of 105 measures appeared on the statewide ballot in Colorado during even-numbered election years in the 20-year period between 2000 through 2020. Of the 105 measures, 48 were approved (45.71%) and 57 were defeated (54.29%). From 2000 through 2020, the number of measures on the even-year ballot ranged from three to 14.

Colorado statewide ballot measures during even-numbered election years, 2000-2020
Years	Total number	Approved	Percent approved	Defeated	Percent defeated	Annual average	Annual median	Annual minimum	Annual maximum
2000-2020	105	48	45.71%	57	54.29%	10	10	3	14

Path to the ballot

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

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 2022 ballot:

• Signatures: 124,632 valid signatures
• Deadline: August 8, 2022

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

• Steven Ward and Levi Mendyk filed the initiative on April 8, 2022. It was approved for signature gathering on May 20, 2022, with signatures due by August 8, 2022.
• Proponents submitted signatures for the measure on August 8, 2022.
• On August 26, 2022, the Colorado Secretary of State announced that the initiative qualified for the ballot. Proponents submitted 192,017 signatures and 142,697 were projected to be valid.

The Wine in Grocery Stores PAC, which sponsored Proposition 125 and Proposition 126, paid Scotch Strategies $50,000.00 for the purpose of signature gathering. The PAC reported $3,191,361.48 in expenditures to various entities for the purpose of consultant and professional services, which can include signature gathering expenditures. Ballotpedia could not determine whether those additional expenditures were signature-gathering costs.

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in Colorado

Click "Show" to learn more about voter registration, identification requirements, and poll times in Colorado.

How to cast a vote 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

2022 measures

• 2022 ballot measures
• Alcohol on the ballot
• Business regulation on the ballot
• 2022 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: Initiative Filings, Agendas & Results
• Initiatives filed with the Legislative Council Staff
• Initiative 121 full text