Honestly, walking into a Colorado polling booth in late 2024 felt a little like being handed a 400-page textbook and being told there’s a pop quiz in five minutes. We had fourteen statewide measures to chew on. Fourteen. From the future of mountain lions to how we actually count our votes, the Colorado 2024 ballot results didn’t just tweak a few laws; they basically redrew the map for the next decade of state politics.
You’ve probably heard the big headlines by now. Abortion rights are officially "in" the constitution. The big cat hunting ban is "out." But if you look under the hood, there is some weird stuff happening with how Coloradans are splitting their tickets. We’re becoming a state that loves to protect personal freedoms but gets really nervous when you try to mess with the mechanics of the actual voting system.
The "Big Three" That Everyone Is Talking About
If you were following the news on election night, three specific measures probably dominated your feed. These were the ones with the big money, the loud ads, and the most emotional "vibes."
1. Amendment 79: The Abortion Enshrinement
This one wasn't even close. While it needed a 55% supermajority to pass (since it changes the state constitution), it blew past that, landing at roughly 62%. Basically, it does two things: it guarantees the right to abortion in Colorado and, perhaps more importantly for the legal nerds, it scraps the 1984 ban on using public funds for it. This means state employees can now have these services covered under their insurance. It’s a massive shift that cements Colorado as a reproductive healthcare hub in the Mountain West.
2. Proposition 127: The Big Cat Battle
This was the "ballot box biology" fight. The goal was to ban the "trophy hunting" of mountain lions and bobcats. Supporters called it cruel; opponents (mostly hunters and rural residents) said it was an attack on science-based wildlife management. In the end, it failed with about 55% of voters saying "no." What’s interesting here is the ghost of the 2020 wolf reintroduction. A lot of folks in rural counties are still pretty salty about the wolves, and that resentment definitely fueled the pushback against Prop 127.
3. Proposition 131: The Ranked-Choice Gamble
Kent Thiry, the former DaVita CEO, put a ton of money—we're talking nearly $19 million—behind this. The idea was to move Colorado to a "top-four" primary and then use ranked-choice voting (RCV) in the general. People hated it or loved it, there wasn't much middle ground. Despite the massive spending and endorsements from big names like Governor Jared Polis, it got crushed. Voters just weren't ready to overhaul the whole system, with 54% voting it down. Kinda feels like Coloradans are saying, "If it ain't broke, don't give me a more complicated way to fix it."
The "Sin Taxes" and Your Wallet
We also saw some fascinating results on how the state collects and spends money. Colorado has this thing called TABOR (Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights), which means if the state collects more money than it promised, it usually has to give it back. Unless, of course, we vote to let them keep it.
Proposition JJ was a landslide. About 76% of us agreed that the state should just keep all the sports betting tax revenue to fund water projects. Before this, there was a $29 million cap. Now, that cap is gone. If you’re betting on the Broncos, your "lost" money is now officially helping fix leaky irrigation pipes and protecting the Colorado River.
Then there’s Proposition KK. This one was a bit more controversial but still passed with 54%. It’s a 6.5% excise tax on guns and ammunition. Colorado is now only the second state (after California) to do this. The money—roughly $39 million a year—is earmarked for crime victim services and mental health support for veterans and kids. If you’re buying a $500 Glock come April 2025, expect to pay an extra $33 at the register.
Why Amendment 80 Failed (and why it matters)
Amendment 80 was one of the most confusing things on the ballot. It wanted to put the "right to school choice" in the constitution. On paper, it sounds great, right? Who doesn't like choice? But the opposition, led by teachers' unions, argued it was a "Trojan horse" for a private school voucher system that would drain money from public schools.
It was a nail-biter, but it ultimately failed. It didn't even get to a simple majority, let alone the 55% it needed. It shows that while Colorado has a robust charter school scene, voters are incredibly protective of the "public" part of public education.
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What Actually Happened? A Quick Look at the Wins and Losses
- Amendment G (Veteran Tax Break): PASSED. (73% - Easy win for disabled veterans).
- Amendment H (Judicial Discipline): PASSED. (73% - Making it easier to keep judges in check).
- Amendment I (Bail for First-Degree Murder): PASSED. (68% - Correcting a weird legal loophole from a few years ago).
- Amendment J (Same-Sex Marriage Ban Repeal): PASSED. (64% - Removing the "dead wood" from our constitution that defined marriage as only between a man and a woman).
- Proposition 128 (Violent Crime Parole): PASSED. (62% - Convicted violent offenders now have to serve 85% of their sentence before parole).
- Proposition 129 (Vet Associates): PASSED. (52% - Creating a new "mid-level" tier for veterinary care, kinda like a Physician Assistant for your dog).
- Proposition 130 (Police Funding): PASSED. (53% - Mandating $350 million for police recruitment and training).
The Nuance Most People Miss
The Colorado 2024 ballot results reveal a state that is deeply pragmatic. We’re not "blue" in the way California is blue, and we’re certainly not "red." We are "purple with a libertarian streak."
Look at the split: we voted to tax guns (liberal) but also voted to keep violent criminals in jail longer (conservative). We voted to protect abortion (liberal) but rejected a total overhaul of the voting system (cautious/conservative). We even voted to give more money to the police (conservative).
It’s a "leave me alone, but make the systems work" mentality.
Actionable Next Steps for Coloradans
Now that the dust has settled, what do you actually need to do?
- Check Your Gun/Ammo Budget: If you’re a sport shooter or looking for home defense, keep in mind that the 6.5% tax for Proposition KK kicks in on April 1, 2025. You might want to stock up before the spring.
- Watch the Water Plan: Since Proposition JJ passed, there’s going to be a lot more money flowing into the Colorado Water Conservation Board. If you’re in a rural area or involved in agriculture, keep an eye on grant applications for local water projects.
- Veterinary Care Changes: If you struggle to get a vet appointment, keep an eye on Proposition 129 implementation. In the next year or two, you might start seeing "Veterinary Professional Associates" at your local clinic, which should hopefully bring down wait times and costs.
- Judicial Transparency: With Amendment H passing, there will be a new independent board for judicial discipline. If you’ve ever felt like the court system was a "black box," you can now look for more public reporting on how judges are being held accountable.
The 2024 election proved that Colorado voters are willing to read the fine print. We didn't just follow party lines; we picked and chose based on what felt right for the "Colorado way." Whether you're happy with the results or not, you've got to admit—it's never boring in the Rockies.
Source References:
- Colorado Secretary of State Official Results (2024)
- Colorado Legislative Council Staff - Blue Book (2024)
- Ballotpedia: Colorado 2024 Ballot Measures
- The Colorado Sun: Election 2024 Analysis