Colorado State Ballot Issue Results In 2022

There were 11 statewide ballot measures in Colorado in 2022. Seven passed, three failed, and one is leaning towards passing, but too close to call.

How does this compare to my endorsements? (Also note, that these were not predictions, just my opinion on what was and was not good policy).

Voters agreed with five of my endorsements, disagreed with five of my endorsements, and one is still too close to call but leaning toward concurring with my endorsement.

I endorsed passage of nine measures, five of which passed (split judicial district staffing, school lunches for all, impact tables for income tax measures, decriminalize magic mushrooms, and create an affordable housing fund), one of which is too close to call (selling wine in grocery stores), and three of which failed (charitable gambling regulation easing, allowing larger liquor store chains, and delivery of alcohol).

I strong opposed one (lowering state incomes taxes), and weakly opposed another (property tax breaks for Gold Star families), both of which passed. 

Obviously, I'm pleased by the five ballot issue results that went my way, and I am hoping for the one still in the balance (wine in grocery stores) to pass.

What Matters, What Doesn't?

Not all of the ballot measure results were equally important.

The worse result, by far, in significance was the reduction of the state income tax from 4.55% to 4.40% which will significantly squeeze the state budget with consequences that are more severe than many voters realized. But it does send a message that Colorado voters feel squeezed.

Amendment FF for school lunches for all, and Proposition 123 creating an affordable housing fund, both of which I supported and both of which passed, were medium sized wins, funding desirable modest sized programs in desirable ways that moderately strength the social safety net.

Amendment 122 which decriminalized magic mushrooms at the state level (they are still illegal at the federal level and can't be prescribed as medicines despite proven preliminary positive effects as fact acting anti-depressants), which I endorsed and which passed, was likewise a medium sized win in the ongoing effort to roll back the war on drugs and advance better mental health treatment. What did it do? The Denver Post explains:

The measure legalizes psilocybin and psilocin, two compounds found in “magic mushrooms,” for use in therapeutic settings and paves the way for the establishment of “healing centers” where adults 21 years old and up can use the substances under the supervision of licensed professionals.

Additionally, Proposition 122 decriminalizes the personal growing, use and sharing of psilocybin and psilocin, as well as ibogaine, mescaline and dimethyltryptamine, or DMT, for adults.

Colorado follows Oregon, which legalized psilocybin in 2020. 

The other two measures that I supported that passed were uncontroversial housekeeping measures (Amendment D re allowing judicial reassignments in a split district and Proposition GG re the information going out in ballot packages on future income tax measures). 

The defeat of relaxed charitable gambling rules (Amendment F), the defeat of a measure to allow larger liquor store chains (Proposition 124), and the passage of property tax breaks for Gold Star families (Amendment E), while they didn't go my way, aren't really that big of a deal in the larger picture. Amendments E and F had very tiny overall impacts. Proposition 124 was basically a fight between small liquor stores and big ones that doesn't affect the average person all that much.

Wine in grocery stores will be nice if it passes, but since almost every grocery store that I shop at already had wine or has a liquor store virtually next door to it, this isn't a huge deal either.

The defeat of liberalizing open container alcohol delivery (Proposition 126) is a bigger bummer in terms of long term convenience, access for the disabled, and reducing drunken driving, but again not that big of a deal. Restaurants and bars can still provide this service for two more years and the state legislature can act without voter approval in that time frame if it wants to do so. 

The narrow fail of Proposition 126 is somewhat of a surprise, however, as I had perceived the legalization of open container alcohol delivery during the pandemic as very popular. 

Realistically, all three of the alcohol measures struggled and were close to 50-50 due to a combination of concerns of left leaning vice liberalizing Colorado voters over protecting small businesses against big businesses together with concerns of conservatives with prohibitionist leanings who distrust anything that might increase access to alcohol.

The Results

Amendment D (staffing of split judicial district) 

My endorsement: Yes. Results: 67% yes (passes).

Amendment E (property tax break for survivors of certain vets). 

My endorsement: Weak no. Results: 88% yes (passes).

Amendment F (less regulation of charitable gambling)

My endorsement: Yes. Results: 60% no (fails)

Proposition FF (school lunches for all)

My endorsement: Yes. Result: 55% yes (passes).

Proposition GG (require impact table for income tax changes)

My endorsement: Yes. Result: 71% yes (passes).

Proposition 121 (cut income tax rate from 4.55% to 4.40%)

My endorsement: No. Result: 66% yes (passes).

Proposition 122 (decriminalize magic mushrooms)

My endorsement: Yes. Result: 52% yes (passes)

Proposition 123 (affordable housing fund)

My endorsement: Yes. Result: 51% yes (passes).

Proposition 124 (allow larger liquor store chains)

My endorsement: Yes. Result: 62% no (fails)

Proposition 125 (allow wine sales in grocery stores)

My endorsement: Yes. Result: 50.09% yes (pass if it holds, too close to call)

Leads by 4,016 votes out of 2,226,444 votes reported statewide to date.

Proposition 126 (non-package liquor delivery via non-bars)

My endorsement: Yes. Results: 52% no (fails)