Ballots collected in 2015 in La Plata County. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald file)du1-i-syn
The proponents of eight measures being pursued for Colorado’s November ballot failed by a deadline Monday to turn in the signatures they gathered to try to get their questions before voters.
That means voters this fall won’t weigh in on whether to ban children assigned male at birth from participating in girl’s youth sports and whether the state should require voter approval for fees raising money for public transportation projects.
Many of the measures that failed Monday were being pursued by conservative activists. Supporters of the initiatives needed to collect roughly 125,000 voter signatures to get their initiatives on the November ballot.
The eight measures that failed to make the ballot by default on Monday were:
Initiative 142, which would have required public schools to notify parents within 48 hours if their child is experiencing “gender incongruence,” which the initiative would have defined as a “difference between a child’s biological sex and the child’s perceived or desired gender.” The initiative was being pursued by conservative activists.Initiative 144, which would have let veterinarians offer telehealth to patients in Colorado. The governor this year signed a bill passed by the Legislature that will have a similar effect.Initiative 147, which would have prohibited sheriffs from denying a concealed carry permit to someone who lawfully uses marijuana.Initiative 160, which would have banned children assigned the male at birth from participating in girl’s youth sports. The initiative was being pursued by the same conservative activists who were working on Initiative 142.Initiative 201, which would have amended the state constitution to prohibit the use of ranked choice voting in Colorado. It was meant to combat Initiative 310, which, if its signatures are approved, will ask voters to change most of Colorado’s primaries so candidates from all parties run against each other, followed by a ranked choice general election.Initiative 202, which would have amended the state constitution to enshrine the ability of political candidates to make the ballot through the caucus and assembly process, in addition to gathering petition signatures.Initiative 278, which would have amended the state constitution to prohibit unaffiliated voters from casting ballots in partisan primaries. The same conservative activists behind this proposed measure were also behind Initiatives 201 and 202 and they came in large part in response to the campaign behind Initiative 310.Initiative 284, which would have amended the state constitution to require that any government fees assessed for the purpose of funding mass transportation be collected only in areas served by that mass transportation and only after the fees are approved by voters. The measure was pursued by the rental car industry in response to a rental car fee hike imposed by the Legislature this year that will generate millions for transit projects, including passenger rail.
The eight measures that failed Monday were approved for signature gathering among hundreds proposed for the November 2024 election. Most were either rejected by the state’s Title Board or abandoned by their proponents.
Already on the November ballot are initiatives asking voters to impose an excise tax on firearms, prohibit mountain lion hunting and enshrine unfettered access to abortion in the state constitution.
There are also likely to be two property tax measures on the ballot that would cap the annual increase in property tax bills, as well as Initiative 310 and a measure creating a new mid-tier veterinary professional position in Colorado.
The Colorado Secretary of State’s Office has until Sept. 4 to review signatures turned in on time for measures being pursued for the November ballot. The ballot will be set by Sept. 9.
