Colorado Ballot Issues 2020 And My Recommendations

The Secretary of State’s Office is evaluating whether a handful of campaigns qualified, but here’s where the ballot stands now:

Qualified

The General Assembly referred three questions to the November ballot.

* One asks voters to repeal Colorado’s Gallagher Amendment, ... VOTE YES.

* Another seeks to create a uniform nicotine tax — which for the first time would enforce a tax on vaping products — and raise the taxes on cigarettes to $2.64 in July 2027 from 84 cents now.  VOTE YES.

*And the third regarding the use of a charitable gaming license. VOTE YES.

Four other citizen-led initiatives that began before the pandemic also obtained the needed signatures to qualify.

The measures would:

* Repeal the state’s national popular vote law VOTE NO

* Reaffirm existing citizenship requirements to vote VOTE NO (also, the description is somewhat misleading as it also authorizes additional restrictions on the franchise).

* Reintroduce gray wolves in Colorado VOTE YES

* Ban abortions after 22 weeks of pregnancy VOTE NO 

Under review

Four campaigns submitted petitions ahead of the deadline and now await review by the state about whether they met the legal threshold to qualify.

The measures would:

* Remove bet limits at casinos and allow new games EVALUATING - DON'T REALLY CARE

* Require voter approval for certain state-approved fees that exceed $100 million in revenue over five years VOTE NO

* Permanently lower the state’s income tax rate to 4.55% from 4.63% VOTE NO

* Create a 12-week paid family and medical leave insurance program for employees run by the state EVALUATING - THE DEVIL'S IN THE DETAILS

From the Colorado Sun.