Colorado Proposition 124, Retail Liquor Store Licenses Initiative (2022)

Colorado Proposition 124
Election date November 8, 2022
Topic Alcohol and Business regulation
Status d Defeated
Type State statute	Origin Citizens

Colorado Proposition 124, the Retail Liquor Store Licenses Initiative, was on the ballot in Colorado as an initiated state statute on November 8, 2022. The measure was defeated.

A "yes" vote supported incrementally increasing the number of retail liquor store licenses an individual may own or hold a share in, as follows: up to eight licenses by December 31, 2026;  up to 13 licenses by December 31, 2031;  up to 20 licenses by December 31, 2036; and  an unlimited number of licenses on or after January 1, 2037.

A "no" vote opposed increasing the number of retail liquor store licenses an individual may own, thereby leaving in place current law which limits retailers to opening a maximum of three liquor stores in Colorado.

Election results

Colorado Proposition 124
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		905,565	37.69%
No		1,497,346	62.31%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Overview

What would Proposition 124 have done?

See also: Text of measure

Going into the election, retail liquor store licensees could open a maximum of three liquor stores in Colorado, with state law providing for up to four locations beginning in 2027. As of 2021, Colorado had 1,592 licensed retail liquor stores.

Proposition 124 was designed to incrementally increase the number of retail liquor store licenses an individual may own or hold a share in, as follows:

• up to eight licenses by December 31, 2026;
• up to 13 licenses by December 31, 2031;
• up to 20 licenses by December 31, 2036; and
• an unlimited number of licenses on or after January 1, 2037.

The following table shows the limits on the number of retail liquor store license locations under current state law going into the election compared to proposed limits under Proposition 124.

Timeframe	Current law	Proposition 124
Prior to January 1, 2017	1	N/A
January 1, 2017 – December 31, 2021	2	N/A
January 1, 2022 – December 31, 2026	3	8
January 1, 2027 – December 31, 2031	4	13
January 1, 2032 – December 31, 2036	4	20
After January 1, 2037	4	Unlimited

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 increasing the number of retail liquor store licenses in which a person may hold an interest, and, in connection therewith, phasing in the increase by allowing up to 8 licenses by December 31, 2026, up to 13 licenses by December 31, 2031, up to 20 licenses by December 31, 2036, and an unlimited number of licenses on or after January 1, 2037?

”

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 29, and the FRE is -6. The word count for the ballot title is 62.

Support

Coloradans for Consumer Choice and Retail Fairness (also known as Coloradans for Liquor Fairness) led the campaign in support of the measure.

Supporters

Officials

• U.S. Representative (D-Maryland) and co-founder of Total Wine and More David Trone (D)

Corporations

• Colorado Fine Wine & Spirits LLC

Organizations

• Colorado Chamber of Commerce

Individuals

• Robert Trone - Colorado Fine Wine and Sprits co-founder

Arguments

• 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."

Official arguments

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

Colorado Blue Book Official Arguments: "This measure brings parity to retail liquor stores that have been disadvantaged by the limited number of allowed locations. Currently, grocery store chains that are licensed to sell beer, wine, and spirits are permitted many more locations than retail liquor stores, with unlimited locations beginning in 2037. Meanwhile, retail liquor stores are limited to a total of four locations beginning in 2027. Proposition 124 addresses a long-term competitive disadvantage for retail liquor stores relative to large grocery store chains."

Opposition

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

Opponents

Organizations

• Colorado Licensed Beverage Association

Arguments

• Keeping Colorado Local: "Colorado is known for having one of the best alcohol marketplaces in the country, with a large number of unique, independently-owned, local stores. Over 60% of Colorado liquor stores are owned by minorities and women. The dollars we spend in our local stores circulate back to our local communities, and our liquor store owners live in and are invested in maintaining the safety and quality of life in their neighborhoods. If Initiative #96 passes, large, corporate conglomerates will be allowed to move into Colorado, popping up on every corner and driving out our local businesses. Without community stores, we would lose the variety and unique character we’ve come to love by keeping Colorado local."

Official arguments

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

Colorado Blue Book Official Arguments: "Proposition 124 creates a disadvantage for small, locally owned liquor stores that may not have the capacity or desire to expand, and instead benefits large retail liquor store chains that have more resources. Current law is designed to ensure that neighborhood liquor stores can continue to compete with other retail liquor stores. Many of these small businesses are owned by minorities and women, who may lose customers as a result of increased competition from large retail liquor store chains."

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: "Proposition 124 simply gives liquor stores parity to grocery stores, allowing them to ramp up locations right along with grocery stores. That is fair."
• Sentinel Colorado Editorial Board: "Proposition 124 merely puts local liquor stores on parity with grocery giants, by removing unfair restrictions on how many stores can be owned in a state."

Opposition

• Durango Herald Editorial Board: "Proposition [124] would increase the number of liquor store locations with no limit on stores after 2037. We’re imagining larger chains. Although we are definitely pro-business, we don’t see how Proposition [124] benefits consumers. No, thanks on this one."
• Durango Herald Editorial Board: "Proposition 124 would increase the number of liquor store locations with no limit on stores after 2037. We’re imagining larger chains. We are definitely pro-business, but we don’t see how Proposition 124 benefits consumers. No, thanks on this one."

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.

Coloradans for Consumer Choice and Retail Fairness registered as an issue committee to support the initiative. The committee reported $13.79 million in contributions.

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 initiative, as well as the Grocery and Convenience Store Wine Sales Initiative and Alcohol Delivery 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	$13,349,816.87	$447,246.56	$13,797,063.43	$13,349,816.87	$13,797,063.43
Oppose	$807,436.24	$95,784.10	$903,220.34	$807,436.24	$903,220.34
Total	$14,157,253.11	$543,030.66	$14,700,283.77	$14,157,253.11	$14,700,283.77

Support

The following table includes contribution and expenditure totals for the committee in support of Proposition 124.

Committees in support of Proposition 124
Committee	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions	Cash Expenditures	Total Expenditures
Coloradans for Consumer Choice and Retail Fairness	$13,349,816.87	$436,815.86	$13,786,632.73	$13,349,816.87	$13,786,632.73
Path 2 Zero	$0.00	$10,430.70	$10,430.70	$0.00	$10,430.70
Total	$13,349,816.87	$447,246.56	$13,797,063.43	$13,349,816.87	$13,797,063.43

Donors

The following donors provided 100% of the funds received by the support committee:

Donor	Cash Contributions	In-Kind Contributions	Total Contributions
Colorado Fine Wine & Spirits LLC	$11,555,000.00	$423,150.00	$11,978,150.00
David Trone	$900,585.90	$0.00	$900,585.90
Robert Trone	$899,230.97	$0.00	$899,230.97
Independence Institute	$0.00	$8,923.96	$8,923.96

Opposition

The following table includes contribution and expenditure totals for the committee in opposition to Proposition 124.

Committees in opposition to Proposition 124
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 committee.

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.

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 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

• Robert Schraeder and Joel Allen Cathey filed the initiative on April 8, 2022. It was approved for signature gathering on June 7, 2022, with signatures due by August 8, 2022.
• Proponents submitted signatures for the measure on August 4, 2022.
• On August 26, 2022, the Colorado Secretary of State announced that the initiative qualified for the ballot. Proponents submitted 225,440 signatures and 149,799 were projected to be valid.

Sponsors of the measure hired Blitz Canvassing to collect signatures for the petition to qualify this measure for the ballot. A total of $2,135,233.70 was spent to collect the 124,632 valid signatures required to put this measure before voters, resulting in a total cost per required signature (CPRS) of $17.13.

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 96 full text