The ballot title and submission clause as designated and fixed by the Board is as follows:
Shall there be an amendment to the Colorado constitution concerning the right of candidates for any local, state, and federal public office in Colorado to gain access to the primary and general election ballots through a partisan political party caucus and assembly process, in addition to accessing the ballot by collecting signatures to petition onto the ballot?
The language that will be added to the Colorado Constitution is as follows:
2023-2024 #202 Final
Be it Enacted by the People of the State of Colorado:
SECTION 1. Declaration of the People of Colorado
It is in the interest of the state of Colorado to preserve proven, effective and time-honored traditions in the conduct of elections in our state. In order to protect equal access in local, state and federal elections, it is necessary to guarantee voters and candidates an alternate pathway to the primary ballot other than the petition-on method described in statute. It is also in the interest of the people of the state of Colorado to protect the caucus and assembly pathway which is open to any candidate, despite financial limitations or personal physical aptitude. It is further in the interest of the people of the state of Colorado to protect candidates from a mandated petition-on method, which imposes an undue financial burden on candidates unable to bear the expense of a vast signature-gathering operation. The petition-on process also creates a physical barrier to nonambulatory or similarly physically impaired persons who are unable to conduct door-to-door signature gathering efforts. In furtherance of this objective, the people of the state of Colorado establish that all voters and candidates have the right to participate in the partisan caucus and assembly process to gain access to the ballot.
SECTION 2. In the constitution of the state of Colorado, add section 13 to article VII as follows:
Section 13. Right to partisan caucus and Assembly. (1) IN ADDITION TO THE PETITION PROCESS, IT IS THE RIGHT OF COLORADO CITIZENS TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE BALLOT AS A CANDIDATE TO ANY LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL OFFICE THROUGH THE ENDORSEMENT OF A POLITICAL PARTY WHICH INCLUDES:
(a) PARTICIPATION IN THE PARTISAN CAUCUS AND ASSEMBLY PROCESS, WHICH OFFERS CANDIDATES THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADVANCE TO THE PRIMARY AND GENERAL ELECTIONS THROUGH THE BENEFIT OF THEIR PARTY’S ENDORSEMENT EARNED BY COMPETITIVE SELECTION; AND
(b) HAVING MET THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE RELEVANT PUBLIC OFFICE, CANDIDATES THEN SUBMIT TO THE RIGORS OF COMPETITIVE SELECTION BASED ON CONSIDERATION OF PERSONAL MERIT AND CONFORMITY TO PARTY PLATFORM. THE CAUCUS AND ASSEMBLY PROCESS IS CONDUCTED WITHOUT FAVORITISM TOWARD FINANCIAL OR PHYSICAL ENDOWMENTS; AND
(c) CANDIDATES’ WINNING NOMINATION FOR THEIR RACE FOR PUBLIC OFFICE CONSTITUTES SINGULAR ENDORSEMENT OF THE POLITICAL PARTY AND GRANTS THEM ACCESS TO THE PRIMARY AND GENERAL BALLOT.
(2) ANY STATUTE, ORDINANCE, RULE OR OPERATING PROCEDURE IN CONFLICT WITH THIS PROVISION IS VOID.
SECTION 3. Effective date.
This initiative takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on January 1, 2025.
www.ColoradoCounts.com
Shall there be an amendment to the Colorado constitution concerning the right of candidates for any local, state, and federal public office in Colorado to gain access to the primary and general election ballots through a partisan political party caucus and assembly process, in addition to accessing the ballot by collecting signatures to petition onto the ballot?
The language that will be added to the Colorado Constitution is as follows:
2023-2024 #202 Final
Be it Enacted by the People of the State of Colorado:
SECTION 1. Declaration of the People of Colorado
It is in the interest of the state of Colorado to preserve proven, effective and time-honored traditions in the conduct of elections in our state. In order to protect equal access in local, state and federal elections, it is necessary to guarantee voters and candidates an alternate pathway to the primary ballot other than the petition-on method described in statute. It is also in the interest of the people of the state of Colorado to protect the caucus and assembly pathway which is open to any candidate, despite financial limitations or personal physical aptitude. It is further in the interest of the people of the state of Colorado to protect candidates from a mandated petition-on method, which imposes an undue financial burden on candidates unable to bear the expense of a vast signature-gathering operation. The petition-on process also creates a physical barrier to nonambulatory or similarly physically impaired persons who are unable to conduct door-to-door signature gathering efforts. In furtherance of this objective, the people of the state of Colorado establish that all voters and candidates have the right to participate in the partisan caucus and assembly process to gain access to the ballot.
SECTION 2. In the constitution of the state of Colorado, add section 13 to article VII as follows:
Section 13. Right to partisan caucus and Assembly. (1) IN ADDITION TO THE PETITION PROCESS, IT IS THE RIGHT OF COLORADO CITIZENS TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE BALLOT AS A CANDIDATE TO ANY LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL OFFICE THROUGH THE ENDORSEMENT OF A POLITICAL PARTY WHICH INCLUDES:
(a) PARTICIPATION IN THE PARTISAN CAUCUS AND ASSEMBLY PROCESS, WHICH OFFERS CANDIDATES THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADVANCE TO THE PRIMARY AND GENERAL ELECTIONS THROUGH THE BENEFIT OF THEIR PARTY’S ENDORSEMENT EARNED BY COMPETITIVE SELECTION; AND
(b) HAVING MET THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE RELEVANT PUBLIC OFFICE, CANDIDATES THEN SUBMIT TO THE RIGORS OF COMPETITIVE SELECTION BASED ON CONSIDERATION OF PERSONAL MERIT AND CONFORMITY TO PARTY PLATFORM. THE CAUCUS AND ASSEMBLY PROCESS IS CONDUCTED WITHOUT FAVORITISM TOWARD FINANCIAL OR PHYSICAL ENDOWMENTS; AND
(c) CANDIDATES’ WINNING NOMINATION FOR THEIR RACE FOR PUBLIC OFFICE CONSTITUTES SINGULAR ENDORSEMENT OF THE POLITICAL PARTY AND GRANTS THEM ACCESS TO THE PRIMARY AND GENERAL BALLOT.
(2) ANY STATUTE, ORDINANCE, RULE OR OPERATING PROCEDURE IN CONFLICT WITH THIS PROVISION IS VOID.
SECTION 3. Effective date.
This initiative takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on January 1, 2025.
www.ColoradoCounts.com