How Colorado’s 14 ballot measures fared in the midterm election

Colorado voters weighed in on 14 statewide ballot measures during November’s midterm election on Tuesday, Nov. 3.  

This ties a record for the most questions put to Colorado voters in the last 52 years, matching the number of measures on ballots in 2024, 2008 and 2006. 

What makes this year stand out, however, is the number of initiatives that were placed on the ballot through the state’s petitioning process. All but one were placed on the ballot by groups that collected signatures, far more than in years past. Only Proposition NN was referred by Colorado’s legislature to the midterm ballot. 

While votes took several days to be counted, half of the measures had failed by Friday morning, with voters rejecting proposals around Colorado wildlife, law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration officers, voting requirements and more. The other seven — bringing changes to Colorado’s income tax system, tax refunds, trans-youth rights and more — were pushed through by voters.

Here’s an overview of what voters passed and what was defeated, with all results reflective of unofficial counts reported by the Colorado Secretary of State’s office on Thursday evening.  

Voters reject seven measures — nearly all constitutional amendments  

Of the measures that voters rejected, six proposed changes to the state constitution — Amendments 81, 82, 83, 84, 85 and 86 — and failed to meet the 55% threshold required to pass. Proposition 136, which proposed a change to state law, required a simple majority to pass, but fell short.  

Amendment 81 sought to amend the state constitution, creating a requirement for law enforcement to notify federal immigration authorities when they charge a person with a violent crime or have a prior felony conviction, if law enforcement cannot confirm that person’s immigration status. It would have overturned two existing state laws passed in recent years by Democrats to limit coordination between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. It was led by conservative advocacy nonprofit Advance Colorado, which placed several initiatives on the November ballot. 

Only around 45% of voters supported the measure, with “No” votes outpacing the “Yes” by a margin of around 267,200 votes. 

Amendment 82, led by Advance Colorado, sought to add a right to natural gas in the state’s constitution, granting consumers the right to purchase it for cooking or heating and for distributors and utilities to sell it. It sought to reduce the ability of local and state governments to limit or ban natural gas as they further climate goals.

The measure was failing by around 186,500 votes, with support accounting for around 46% of the vote.   

Amendment 83 sought to add a right to hunt and fish to the Colorado Constitution, defining those activities as the preferred way to manage the state’s wildlife. It was brought to the ballot by law firm West Group and the campaign led by Wisconsin-based hunting advocacy group, the International Order of T. Roosevelt. Support for the measure reached only 45%, with around 247,500 more votes cast against the amendment, signaling its defeat.  

Amendment 84, brought by former Colorado election officials, would have altered voter identification requirements, requiring voters to submit the last four digits of their Social Security number or state-issued ID to be able to vote by mail. It failed by a margin of nearly 688,000 votes, earning support from around 36% of voters. 

Amendment 85, supported by Advance Colorado, proposed adding a constitutional requirement for all questions placed on the ballot to be written at an eighth-grade level. It would have banned Colorado’s lawmakers from passing laws that conflict with these requirements for citizen-initiated measures. While support for the measure was leading by around 58,100 votes, it fell short of the required 55% approval, earning around 51%. The Associated Press called the race on Friday morning.    

Amendment 86, also backed by Advance Colorado, sought to ban redistricting of the state’s congressional maps outside of the typical 10-year cycle. The measure was introduced in response to ballot measure proposals — that were ultimately blocked by the state supreme court — from a left-leaning group called Coloradans for a Level Playing Field, to redraw the districts to favor Democrats. Voters rejected the measure by a margin of around 156,900 votes, with support hitting nearly 47% of the vote, short of the 55% requirement to amend the constitution.  

Proposition 136, led by Advance Colorado, was introduced as a direct countermeasure to Amendment 87’s tiered income rate. It seeks to maintain the state’s flat income tax at 4.4% and prevent efforts to alter it. The measure was losing by 138,000 votes, with “No” votes accounting for nearly 52%. 

7 measures passed by voters 

Voters did approve seven measures on Colorado’s ballot. This included one constitutional amendment, Amendment 87, which because it does not add language to the constitution, only required a simple majority to win. All other six statutory measures secured the same required majority to pass. 

The Colorado Sun and The Denver Post have reported that several of the winning measures pertaining to fentanyl sentencing, sex trafficking and trans youth rights — Propositions 132, 133, 134 and 135 — will face scrutiny by new state leadership, including Gov.-elect Phil Weiser, as they can be overturned or altered by the state legislature. After Tuesday’s election, Democrats hold supermajorities in the state house and senate.

Proposition NN was the latest attempt by Colorado’s Democratic lawmakers to increase funding for K-12 education by lifting the state’s revenue cap under the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, or TABOR. Placed on the ballot by the legislature, it will allow the state to retain and spend up to $4.6 billion over the TABOR cap each year, increasing K-12 funding for the next 10 years, after which the education spending restrictions lift. It secured nearly 56% support and passed by a margin of around 266,100 votes. 

Amendment 87, backed by a coalition of progressive groups called Protect Colorado’s Future, seeks to replace the state’s current flat income tax with a tiered rate that would lower taxes for those earning less than $500,000 and raise them for those earning more. It would generate around $2 billion more in annual state revenue for healthcare, education and early childhood programs. It passed, earning 51.37% support — a margin of around 70,836 votes. 

Proposition 132 will make possession of fentanyl and certain synthetic opioids a felony, and increase penalties for possession and distribution charges. It also narrows sentencing requirements for fentanyl and synthetic opioid crimes that cause a person’s death. It was supported by Advance Colorado. The measure passed, earning nearly 53% support, winning by a margin of around 138,500 votes. 

Proposition 133 imposes a higher penalty for anyone convicted of human trafficking of a minor, requiring they serve life in prison without the possibility of parole. It was placed on the ballot by Protect Kids Colorado, an advocacy group focused on parental rights that placed two other measures seeking to restrict healthcare and participation in sports for transgender youth. It passed by over 621,800 votes, with support reaching around 62%. 

Proposition 134, led by Protect Kids Colorado, requires schools to designate all sports and athletic teams as either male, female or co-ed — banning youth participation in teams that do not match their assigned sex at birth, with a few exceptions. The measure won by a margin of around 119,700 votes, earning around 52% support.    

Proposition 135, the third measure brought by Protect Kids Colorado, bans some gender-affirming surgeries for minors under the age of 18, regardless of parental consent. With around 52% support, the measure was passing with around 104,500 votes. 

Proposition 137 seeks to redirect excess funding from the state’s sporting goods and outdoor gear tax to support conservation projects. Brought to the ballot by a coalition of organizations under the name Protect Colorado’s Land and Water, Prevent Wildfires, it will generate around $175 million annually by reducing TABOR refunds. It passed by around 83,400 votes, earning nearly 52%.