Colorado Proposition 131, Top-Four Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative (2024)

Colorado Proposition 131
Election date November 5, 2024
Topic Elections and campaigns
Status d Defeated
Type State statute	Origin Citizens

Colorado Proposition 131, the Top-Four Primary and Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative, was on the ballot in Colorado as an initiated state statute on November 5, 2024. It was defeated.

A "yes" vote supported establishing top-four primary elections and ranked-choice voting for U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, Colorado University board of regents, state board of education, and state legislature.

A "no" vote opposed this initiative, thereby maintaining semi-closed primaries and plurality vote single-winner general elections for U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, Colorado University board of regents, state board of education, and state legislature.

Election results

See also: Results for ranked-choice voting (RCV) and electoral system ballot measures, 2024

Colorado Proposition 131
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		1,385,060	46.47%
No		1,595,256	53.53%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Overview

How would Proposition 131 have changed elections in Colorado?

See also: Measure design

This initiative would have established top-four primary elections and ranked-choice voting for U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, Colorado University board of regents, state board of education, and state legislature.

Going into the election, Colorado primaries were conducted on a semi-closed basis, meaning that only registered party members and unaffiliated voters may participate in a party's primary (voters registered with other political parties cannot participate). Winners in Colorado's primaries are determined via plurality vote, meaning that the candidate who receives the greatest number of votes cast wins the primary election even if he or she does not win an outright majority.

The initiative was set to take effect in 2026 if it had been approved by voters. However, Senate Bill 210, passed by the Colorado State Legislature in 2024, changed state law to require local governments to independently adopt, use, and report on a new election system before statewide implementation. The law was estimated to have the effect of potentially delaying the implementation of the initiative to 2028. Governor Polis said if the initiative is adopted, it "will be essential to reconcile the [newly signed election] bill with the [election reform ballot] measure and to take prompt and good faith actions to successfully implement the will of the voters."

Who supported and opposed the initiative?

See also: Support and Opposition

Colorado Voters First led the campaign in support of Proposition 131. The campaign was sponsored by former CEO of DaVita Kent Thiry. The campaign received endorsements from U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper (D), Gov. Jared Polis (D), FairVote, Colorado Chamber of Commerce, League of Women Voters of Colorado, and RepresentUs. Former House Speaker Terrance Carroll (D) said, "Prop 131 will make it harder for powerful insiders to determine the results of our elections, and it gives voters more choices in every election. In the states and cities where it’s already used, this system has resulted in candidates of color and women gaining more representation in federal, state, and municipal offices."

First Choice Counts led the campaign in opposition to Proposition 131. The initiative was opposed by U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R), former State Rep. Dave Williams (R), Democratic Party of Colorado, American Federation of Teachers Colorado, Colorado AFL-CIO, and the Green Party of Colorado. Patrick Dillon, co-chair of the Green Party of Colorado, said, "Just like the origin of this proposal, it's backed by big money. So in the open primary, what you're going to find is those who have access to those resources, and those who are interested in protecting their corporate interests, they're going to fund the candidates that best align with them."

Which states used ranked-choice voting in 2024?

Five states — Alaska, California, Louisiana, Nebraska, and Washington — used a form of top-two primaries. To read more about the details of their systems, click here. Nevada voters took the first of two votes in 2022 to approve a top-five ranked-choice voting initiative. It was approved but needed to be approved again in 2024 to be enacted. Idaho also voted on a top-four RCV initiative in November 2024.

Ranked-choice voting was used statewide in Alaska, Maine, and in some elections in Hawaii in 2024. At the time of the election, fourteen states contained localities that either used or were scheduled to begin using RCV in municipal elections. Separately, ten states enacted legislation to prohibit the use of RCV in any elections.

Was RCV used anywhere in Colorado?

From 2002 to 2023, voters decided on 10 local ballot measures on ranked-choice voting across Colorado. Nine of them were to adopt RCV, of which seven were approved. One was to repeal RCV, which was approved. Basalt adopted RCV in 2002, Carbondale in 2003, Telluride in 2008, Boulder in 2020, and Broomfield in 2021. In 2022, voters in Fort Collins approved a ballot measure, with RCV set to be used for the first time in 2025. Voters in Aspen, Colorado, approved a ballot measure for RCV in 2007, and then approved a measure to repeal RCV in 2010.

Measure design

See also: Text of measure

Proposition 131 would have amended state election law to establish a top-four primary system, where all candidates seeking that office appear on one ballot regardless of party affiliation or non-affiliation, for elections to the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, CU board of regents, state board of education, and the Colorado state legislature. The top four vote-earners for each office would have advanced to the general election where ranked-choice voting (RCV) would be used to determine the winner.

Votes would have been tallied in rounds with the candidate receiving the least number of votes eliminated. Ballots that ranked a failed candidate as their first, or highest choice, depending on the round, are then reevaluated and counted as first-preference ballots for the next highest-ranked candidate in that round. A new tally would be conducted to determine whether any candidate has won a majority of ballots. The process would then be repeated until a candidate wins an outright majority. The initiative would not have required voters to rank all candidates.

Proposition 131 would not have prohibited political parties or other organizations from endorsing a candidate or candidates. Candidates would not have been prevented from accepting or rejecting such endorsements. Candidates who are affiliated with a political party in the state's voter registration system, as of the first business day in January of the election year, could have had their affiliation next to their name on the ballot. Candidates unaffiliated with a party would have had the word unaffiliated printed next to their name. The ordering of candidates on the ballot would have been determined by lot.

Going into the election, Colorado primaries were conducted on a semi-closed basis, meaning that only registered party members and unaffiliated voters could participate in a party's primary (voters registered with other political parties could not participate). Winners in Colorado's primaries were determined via plurality vote, meaning that the candidate who received the greatest number of votes cast won the primary election even if he or she did not win an outright majority.

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for the initiative was as follows:

“

Shall there be a change to the Colorado Revised Statutes creating new election processes for certain federal and state offices, and, in connection therewith, creating a new all-candidate primary election for U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, CU board of regents, state board of education, and the Colorado state legislature; allowing voters to vote for any one candidate per office, regardless of the voter’s or candidate’s political party affiliation; providing that the four candidates for each office who receive the most votes advance to the general election; and in the general election, allowing voters to rank candidates for each office on their ballot, adopting a process for how the ranked votes are tallied, and determining the winner to be the candidate with the highest number of votes in the final tally?

”

Full text

The full text of the ballot measure is below:

Readability score

See also: Ballot measure readability scores, 2024

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 23, and the FRE is 10. The word count for the ballot title is 139.

Support

See also: Support and opposition to 2024 ranked-choice voting ballot measures

Colorado Voters First led the campaign in support of Proposition 131.

Supporters

The campaign provided a list of endorsements, which is available here.

Officials

• U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper (D)
• Gov. Jared Polis (D)
• State Rep. Matt Soper (R)
• Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman
• Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade (Nonpartisan)
• Fort Collins Mayor Jennifer Arndt (D)
• Denver Mayor Michael Johnston (Nonpartisan)

Former Officials

• Former State Rep. and Sen. Greg Brophy (R)
• Former U.S. Rep. Ken Buck (R)
• Former House Speaker Terrance Carroll (D)
• Former State Sen. Don Coram (R)
• Former State Rep. Cole Wist (R)

Organizations

• Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC)
• Colorado Chamber of Commerce
• FairVote
• League of Women Voters of Colorado
• RepresentUs
• RepresentWomen
• Veterans for All Voters

Individuals

• Kent Thiry - Former CEO of DaVita

Arguments

• Colorado Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Loren Furman: "By expanding voter choice, we believe that Proposition 131 will encourage balance on both sides of the aisle and reduce the polarization that leads to bad policy for business."
• Dick Wadhams, a Republican strategist and former chair of the Colorado Republican Party: "We used to have a great process in Colorado. It was very competitive, and it worked well. Colorado has changed in the last 10 years. The electorate has changed. We went from a third, a third, a third in the electorate to now, nearly 50% of the electorate are unaffiliated voters. They are rejecting both parties, and they're rejecting both parties because both parties are going to their extremes, both Republicans and Democrats."
• Kent Thiry, sponsor of the initiative and former CEO of DaVita: "I think this is about bringing voice and choice back to the people. Whether they’re Democrats, Republicans or independents, they need their voice and choice back."
• Former House Speaker Terrance Carroll (D): "Prop 131 will make it harder for powerful insiders to determine the results of our elections, and it gives voters more choices in every election. In the states and cities where it’s already used, this system has resulted in candidates of color and women gaining more representation in federal, state, and municipal offices."
• Gov. Jared Polis (D): "I think instant runoff voting is better than our current system because it gives voters more choices. I'm hopeful that if it passes it will encourage participation and improve our democracy."
• Gov. Jared Polis (D): "While Colorado has among the best voter integrity and access protections, no system of voting is perfect, and I think instant runoff voting is better than our current system because it gives voters more choices. I’m hopeful that if it passes it will encourage participation and improve our democracy. I will be voting YES ON Proposition 131."
• Unite America Executive Director Nick Troiano: "Prop 131 is about giving voters more voice, choice and power in our elections. It’s about giving us the power to vote our true preferences. … It’s about making candidates represent all of us. It’s about making our leaders produce better results on the issues that we care about. Our opponents are right about one thing, which is that this election system we’re proposing isn’t perfect. But no election system is. That’s a fact. The choice isn’t between some perfect system that might exist and this proposal. It’s between what we’ve got today and this proposal."

Opposition

See also: Support and opposition to 2024 ranked-choice voting ballot measures

First Choice Counts and Voter Rights Colorado led the campaign in opposition to Proposition 131.

Opponents

Voter Rights Colorado lists a full list of endorsements, here.

Officials

• U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet (D)
• U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R)
• U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (D)
• State Rep. Stephen Fenberg (D)
• State Rep. Emily Sirota (D)
• State Treasurer Dave Young (D)

Candidates

• Jill Stein (Green Party, Independent, Kentucky Party, Mountain Party of West Virginia, Pacific Green Party, Undeclared) - Green Party presidential candidate

Former Officials

• Former State Rep. Dave Williams (R)

Political Parties

• Democratic Party of Colorado
• Green Party of Colorado
• Republican Party of Colorado
• Working Families Party of Colorado

Unions

• AFSCME Colorado

Organizations

• American Federation of Teachers Colorado
• Colorado AFL-CIO
• Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition
• Conservation Colorado
• Fair Elections Fund
• New Era Colorado
• Progress Now Colorado

Arguments

• Patrick Dillon, co-chair of the Green Party of Colorado: "Just like the origin of this proposal, it's backed by big money. So in the open primary, what you're going to find is those who have access to those resources, and those who are interested in protecting their corporate interests, they're going to fund the candidates that best align with them."
• U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-3): "I will oppose this effort to rig our electoral system in Colorado with everything I have. Ranked choice voting is a scheme launched by well-moneyed interests who are only concerned with their own power and not giving Coloradans a choice at the ballot box."
• Former State Rep. Dave Williams (R): "Self-serving rich liberals shouldn’t be able to buy their way onto a ballot and manipulate democracy with deceptive marketing. Thiry wants to be governor and validate his ego by spending his massive wealth to change the rules of the game so he can have a better chance at winning."
• Chuck Broerman, El Paso County Treasurer and former El Paso County Clerk and Recorder: "First, only half of Colorado candidates are covered by 131. US Senate, US House, statewide races like governor and legislative races are covered by 131. US President, district attorneys, county races, municipal candidates and other local races are NOT covered by 131 and we will continue to vote for them as we do now. That means voters will have to cast ballots in two different ways for the primary and two different ways in the general election. ... Voters across the board find it confusing, but it impacts low-income, elderly, minority and other historically underrepresented neighborhoods more than wealthy white neighborhoods and that fact raises fairness questions."
• Former State Sen. Joan Fitz-Gerald (D): "This proposal was written without addressing current campaign finance limits. Crowded primaries of six to eight primary candidates and four in the general election require more money to break out of the pack. Colorado has particularly low campaign finance limits, and that's an invitation for undisclosed 'dark money' and special interests to intervene."
• U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet (D): "Backers of Initiative 131 claim their proposed system will reduce partisanship, increase competitiveness, and deliver more choices to voters. I have said that ranked-choice voting in some form, and in some elections, could have a beneficial effect. But, ranked-choice voting is new and comes in many forms. I am unconvinced that the largely untested, extreme version we have been asked to consider will work in Colorado – or anywhere else."
• Founder of First Choice Counts Jason Lupo (R): "This is a way to eliminate the progressives, it’s a way to eliminate the conservatives and get back to centrist values. Yes, I am a pretty far-right conservative, but I still believe that there’s value in the discourse that the far left brings. The goal of ranked choice voting is to find the more centrist candidates. It’s who’s going to do the bidding of the special interest groups and the lobbies."
• U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-1): "At a time when election deniers are spreading conspiracy theories and misinformation to undermine trust in our elections, the last thing Colorado needs is a system that casts even more doubt on the results. Prop 131 would be a step in the wrong direction, and we must reject it to protect the integrity of our elections."
• Douglas County Commissioner Lora Thomas: "There is a lot of confusion around ranked-choice voting and what’s called ‘jungle primaries. There are 10 states that have already banned ranked-choice voting. It’s already failed in other places. Proposition 131 opposes the way we have voted for years. Changing it would not be a benefit to residents."

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 5, 2024.

Colorado Voters First registered as a political action committee (PAC) to support the ballot initiative. The committee reported $14.65 million in contributions.

Voter Rights Colorado and First Choice Counts registered as political action committees (PACs) to oppose the ballot initiative. The committees reported $458,719.77 in contributions.

	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
Support	$14,520,107.73	$135,224.18	$14,655,331.91	$14,296,428.09	$14,431,652.27
Oppose	$391,482.90	$67,236.87	$458,719.77	$292,312.62	$359,549.49
Total	$14,911,590.63	$202,461.05	$15,114,051.68	$14,588,740.71	$14,791,201.76

Support

The following table includes contribution and expenditure totals for the committee supporting the measure.

Committees in support of Proposition 131
Committee	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
Colorado Voters First	$14,520,107.73	$135,224.18	$14,655,331.91	$14,296,428.09	$14,431,652.27
Total	$14,520,107.73	$135,224.18	$14,655,331.91	$14,296,428.09	$14,431,652.27

Donors

The following were the top donors to the support committee.

Donor	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions
Kent Thiry	$5,982,250.00	$6,362.37	$5,988,612.37
Unite America	$5,780,000.00	$10,000.00	$5,790,000.00
Ben Walton	$2,000,000.00	$0.00	$2,000,000.00
Chevron Corporation	$0.00	$1,000,000.00	$1,000,000.00
Wilmot Reed Hastings	$1,000,000.00	$0.00	$1,000,000.00
Kathryn Murdoch	$500,000.00	$0.00	$500,000.00

Opposition

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

Committees in opposition to Proposition 131
Committee	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
Voter Rights Colorado	$383,500.02	$66,671.20	$450,171.22	$284,540.20	$351,211.40
First Choice Counts	$7,982.88	$565.67	$8,548.55	$7,772.42	$8,338.09
Total	$391,482.90	$67,236.87	$458,719.77	$292,312.62	$359,549.49

Donors

Coloradans for Accessible and Secure Elections provided 100% of the contributions to the opposition committee.

Donor	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions
Working Families Power	$0.00	$96,315.00	$96,315.00
Working Families	$75,000.00	$0.00	$75,000.00
AFSCME	$70,000.00	$0.00	$70,000.00
New Era Colorado	$53,000.00	$0.00	$53,000.00
Coloradans for Accessible and Secure Elections	$20,000.00	$26,000.00	$46,000.00

Methodology

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

Media editorials

See also: 2024 ballot measure media endorsements

Support

The following media editorial boards published an editorial supporting the ballot measure:

• Durango Herald Editorial Board: "The Durango Herald’s editorial board says 'yes' to 131. The shift in candidate selection and in determining winners is a large one, but that can benefit the state going forward. Expect there to be plenty of conversations about a single primary ballot and a ranked choice general election, but with them Coloradans could better feel they are choosing from candidates who are more desirable than those on the fringes."

Opposition

The following media editorial boards published an editorial opposing the ballot measure:

• Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle Editorial Board: "Alaska was so disgusted by Thiry’s system that voters have placed a proposition to get rid of nonpartisan jungle primaries and rank choice voting on the ballot this year. It is hoped that the latest fool’s gold proposition by Kent Thiry is decisively voted down by the Colorado voters. If not, it may be one of the last votes by Colorado voters that matters."
• The Denver Post Editorial Board: "Colorado isn’t ready for major changes to our election system, even if adopting an all-party primary and ranked-choice general election could mean more and perhaps better choices for voters in future years. ... This system requires faith in the election administrator not to monkey around with the totals. The complicated reallocation of votes is done by computer, sometimes in real time, meaning a candidate might be 'out' with the first batch of ballots but 'back in' with the second batch. We were reassured that hand counts of Colorado’s secure paper ballot system — as required by law in close elections or if a candidate is willing to pay for it — would still be possible. The recounts would be expensive and time-consuming."
• Colorado Springs Gazette and Denver Gazette Editorial Board: 'This well-intended attempt at making Coloradans’ votes more meaningful in primary and general elections has some compelling features but could wind up backfiring in some scenarios. Add to that mischievous and complicated legislation passed last spring in an attempt to sabotage 131 in advance, and the upshot is to turn the proposal into a minefield. Reform of Colorado’s problematic primary elections is likely warranted, but through a more straightforward and perhaps less ambitious solution."
• The Daily Camera Editorial Board: "Prop 131 would also likely result in an even greater infusion of dark money into our state politics. Crowded primaries and general elections would require more money to make a candidate stand out. With Colorado’s campaign finance limits restricting transparent spending, Prop 131 would be an invitation for an infusion of dark money. Finally, Prop 131’s open primaries would also likely result in attempts to game the system, like those that have been seen in Alaska, where candidates have — counterintuitively — dropped out of races to give an edge to their party. Ranked choice voting might seem like a promising alternative to our traditional election system, but Proposition 131 is not the remedy we need. Vote 'no' on Prop 131."

Polls

See also: 2024 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 131, Top-Four Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative (2024)
Poll	Dates	Sample size	Margin of error	Support	Oppose	Undecided

Keating Research	08/28/2024-09/01/2024	800 LV	± 3.5%	56%	21%	23%
	Question: "Shall there be a change to the Colorado Revised Statutes creating new election processes for certain federal and state offices, and, in connection therewith, creating a new all-candidate primary election for U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, CU board of regents, state board of education, and the Colorado state legislature; allowing voters to vote for any one candidate per office, regardless of the voter’s or candidate’s political party affiliation; providing that the four candidates for each office who receive the most votes advance to the general election; and in the general election, allowing voters to rank candidates for each office on their ballot, adopting a process for how the ranked votes are tallied, and determining the winner to be the candidate with the highest number of votes in the final tally. Will you vote yes or no on Proposition 131?"

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

Background

Colorado primary elections

See also: Primary elections in Colorado

At the time of the election, in Colorado, primaries were conducted on a semi-closed basis, meaning that only registered party members and unaffiliated voters could participate in a party's primary (voters registered with other political parties could not participate). Winners in Colorado's primaries were determined via plurality vote, meaning that the candidate who received the greatest number of votes cast won the primary election even if he or she did not win an outright majority.

Colorado Senate Bill 210 (2024)

During the 2024 legislative session, the Colorado State Legislature passed Senate Bill 210 by a vote of 53-9 in the state House and 28-6 in the state Senate. SB 210 changed state law to require local governments to independently adopt, use, and report on a new election system before statewide implementation. The law was estimated to have the effect of potentially delaying the implementation of the initiative to 2028.

Local RCV ballot measures in Colorado

From 2002 to 2023, voters decided on 10 local ballot measures on ranked-choice voting across Colorado. Nine of them were to adopt RCV, of which seven were approved. One was to repeal RCV, which was approved.

Jurisdiction	State	Year	Title	Adopt RCV or Repeal RCV	Yes vote	No vote	Status
Fort Collins	Colorado	2022	Ballot Question 2C: Ranked-Choice Voting Amendment	Adopt	58.15%	41.85%	a
Broomfield	Colorado	2021	Question 2A: Ranked-Choice Voting Measure	Adopt	51.90%	48.10%	a
Boulder	Colorado	2020	Measure 2E: Ranked-Choice Voting for Mayor Amendment	Adopt	78.14%	21.86%	a
Fort Collins	Colorado	2011	Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative	Adopt	38.63%	61.37%	d
Aspen	Colorado	2010	Referendum 2B: Repeal of Ranked-Choice Voting Measure	Repeal	65.28%	34.72%	a
Aspen	Colorado	2009	Referendum 2A: Continue Ranked-Choice Voting Advisory Question	Adopt	49.78%	50.22%	d
Telluride	Colorado	2008	Question 202: Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative	Adopt	67.08%	32.92%	a
Aspen	Colorado	2007	Referendum 2E: Ranked-Choice Voting Measure	Adopt	76.78%	23.22%	a
Carbondale	Colorado	2003	Home Rule Charter and Ranked-Choice Voting Amendment	Adopt	80.06%	19.94%	a
Basalt	Colorado	2002	Referendum 2A: Home Rule Charter and Ranked-Choice Voting Amendment	Adopt	74.44%	25.56%	a

Top-four primaries

See also: Top-four primary

A top-four primary is a type of primary election where all candidates are listed on the same ballot. Voters are allowed to choose one candidate per office regardless of the candidate's party affiliation. The top four vote-getters advance to the general election, regardless of their partisan affiliations. Consequently, it is possible for four candidates belonging to the same political party to win in a top-four primary and face off in the general election.

California and Washington passed ballot initiatives to replace their partisan primaries with top-two primaries, in which the two candidates receiving the most votes, regardless of party affiliation, proceed to the general election. In 2020, Alaska voters approved a top-four primary system while Florida voters defeated a top-two primary ballot initiative. Nevada voters took the first of two votes in 2022 to approve a top-five ranked-choice voting initiative. It was approved but needed to be approved again in 2024 to be enacted.

Ballot measures related to top primary systems:

Ballot measures related to primary election systems
Year	Measure	System type	Yes votes (%)	No votes (%)	Outcome
2004	Washington Initiative 872	Top-two primary	59.85%	40.15%	a
2004	California Proposition 62	Blanket primary	46.17%	53.83%	d
2008	Oregon Measure 65	Top-two primary	34.06%	65.94%	d
2010	California Proposition 14	Top-two primary	53.73%	46.27%	a
2012	Arizona Proposition 121	Top-two primary	33.07%	66.93%	d
2014	Oregon Measure 90	Top-two primary	31.77%	68.23%	d
2020	Florida Amendment 3	Top-two primary	57.03%	42.97%	d
2020	Alaska Ballot Measure 2	Top-four primary	50.55%	49.45%	a
2022	Nevada Question 3	Top-five primary	52.94%	47.06%	a

As of 2024, four states utilized primaries in which candidates, regardless of partisan affiliation, appear on a single ballot, and a certain number advance to the general election, such as top-two or top-four primaries.

• In California and Washington, top-two primaries were used for state and congressional elections.
• In Nebraska, where the legislature is non-partisan, top-two primaries were used for state legislative elections.
• In Louisiana, a two-round electoral system is used in which there are no primaries. Instead, candidates run in a general election, and the candidate who receives a majority of the vote wins. A runoff occurs between the top two vote recipients if no candidate reached a majority.

Ranked-choice voting

See also: Ranked-choice voting

Ranked-choice voting (RCV) is a voting method in which voters rank candidates according to their preference and ballots are processed in rounds. The candidate in the last place is eliminated during each round and the voters' second choices get their votes. The process is continued until a candidate wins a simple majority (50 percent plus one) of the vote.

How ranked-choice voting works

Broadly speaking, the ranked-choice voting process (sometimes referred to as instant runoff voting) unfolds as follows:

1. Voters rank the candidates for a given office by preference on their ballots.
2. If a candidate wins an outright majority of first-preference votes (i.e., 50 percent plus one), he or she will be declared the winner.
3. If, on the other hand, no candidates win an outright majority of first-preference votes, the candidate with the fewest first-preference votes is eliminated.
4. All first-preference votes for the failed candidate are eliminated, lifting the second-preference choices indicated on those ballots.
5. A new tally is conducted to determine whether any candidate has won an outright majority of the adjusted voters.
6. The process is repeated until a candidate wins a majority of votes cast.

State ranked-choice voting ballot measures

The following table provides a list of state ranked-choice voting (RCV) ballot measures:

State	Year	Type	Measure	Position	Yes	No	Outcome
Alaska	2024	Initiative	Ballot Measure 2: Repeal Top-Four RCV Initiative	Anti-RCV	49.88%	50.12%	d
Colorado	2024	Initiative	Proposition 131: Top-Four RCV Initiative	Pro-RCV	46.47%	53.53%	d
Idaho	2024	Initiative	Proposition 1: Top-Four RCV Initiative	Pro-RCV	30.38%	69.62%	d
Missouri	2024	Referral	Amendment 7: Require Citizenship to Vote and Prohibit RCV Amendment	Anti-RCV	68.44%	31.56%	a
Nevada	2024	Initiative	Question 3: Top-Five RCV Initiative	Pro-RCV	47.04%	52.96%	d
Oregon	2024	Referral	Measure 117: RCV for Federal and State Elections Measure	Pro-RCV	42.30%	57.70%	d
Nevada	2022	Initiative	Question 3: Top-Five RCV Initiative	Pro-RCV	52.94%	47.06%	a
Alaska	2020	Initiative	Ballot Measure 2: Top-Four RCV and Campaign Finance Laws Initiative	Pro-RCV	50.55%	49.45%	a
Massachusetts	2020	Initiative	Question 2: RCV Initiative	Pro-RCV	45.22%	54.78%	d
Maine	2018	Initiative	Question 1: Overturn RCV Delayed Enactment and Automatic Repeal Legislation Referendum	Pro-RCV	53.88%	46.12%	a
Maine	2016	Initiative	Question 5: RCV Initiative	Pro-RCV	52.12%	47.88%	a
Alaska	2002	Initiative	Ballot Measure 1: RCV Initiative	Pro-RCV	36.27%	63.73%	d

Kent Thiry ballot measure activity

Kent Thiry, the primary sponsor of Proposition 131, supported and/or funded ballot measure campaigns in Colorado and California. As of 2024, Thiry had donated $6.7 million to state and local candidates and ballot measure committees in Colorado.

The following table summarizes Kent Thiry's involvement in ballot measures.

Thiry's ballot measure stances
Ballot measure	Year	Position	Status
Colorado Amendment B, Gallagher Amendment Repeal and Property Tax Assessment Rates Measure	2020	Supported	a Approved
Colorado Amendment Y, Independent Commission for Congressional Redistricting Amendment	2018	Supported	a Approved
Colorado Amendment Z, Independent Commission for State Legislative Redistricting Amendment	2018	Supported	a Approved
California Proposition 8, Limits on Dialysis Clinics' Revenue and Required Refunds Initiative	2018	Opposed	d Defeated
Colorado Proposition 107, Open Presidential Primary Initiative	2016	Supported	aApproved
Colorado Proposition 108, Unaffiliated Electors Initiative	2016	Supported	a Approved

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 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 2024 ballot:

• Signatures: 124,238 valid signatures
• Deadline: August 5, 2024

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

• The initiative was filed by Jason Bertolacci and Owen Alexander Clough. Sponsors filed multiple versions of the initiative. Initiative 310 was cleared for signature gathering between May 23 and August 5, 2024.
• Sponsors submitted nearly 209,648 signatures for the initiative on August 1, 2024.
• The Colorado Secretary of State announced on August 29, 2024, that the measure had qualified for the November ballot.

Signature gathering cost

See also: Ballot measures cost per required signatures analysis

Sponsors of the measure hired Blitz Canvassing to collect signatures for the petition to qualify this measure for the ballot. A total of $2,227,250.00 was spent to collect the 124,238 valid signatures required to put this measure before voters, resulting in a total cost per required signature (CPRS) of $17.93.

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in Colorado

See below to learn more about current voter registration rules, identification requirements, and poll times in Colorado.

How to 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

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

2024 measures

• 2024 ballot measures
• Elections and campaigns on the ballot
• Voting policy measures on the ballot
• 2024 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
• Full text