If you spent any time looking at a Colorado ballot in late 2024, you probably felt that familiar sense of "ballot fatigue." It’s a real thing. Our state loves to ask its citizens to basically act as a part-time legislature. Honestly, the 2024 cycle was a massive one, and now that we're sitting in 2026, we can finally see which of those high-stakes gambles actually paid off and which ones just fizzled out after millions of dollars in ads.
We saw everything from hunting bans to radical overhauls of how we even vote. Some results were total shockers. Others were, well, exactly what you’d expect from a state that's getting more blue but still has a very loud, independent streak.
The Rankings: What Passed and What Didn't
Let’s get into the meat of the Colorado ballot measure results. It wasn't just a "yes" or "no" game; it was a battle over the soul of the state’s constitution.
The Big Winners (Constitutional Amendments)
For an amendment to pass in Colorado, it needs 55% of the vote. That is a high bar. You've gotta really convince people.
- Amendment 79 (Right to Abortion): This was a huge one. It didn't just pass; it soared. It enshrined the right to abortion in the state constitution and, crucially, cleared the path for public funding. This means Medicaid and state employee insurance can actually cover these services now.
- Amendment J (Same-Sex Marriage): This was more of a "housekeeping" item, but a meaningful one. It stripped out that old, dead-letter language from 2006 that said marriage was only between a man and a woman. It passed easily.
- Amendment G (Veteran Property Tax): We love our veterans here. This expanded property tax exemptions to include "unemployable" veterans, not just those with a 100% disability rating.
- Amendment H (Judicial Discipline): Basically, we decided we wanted a more independent board to watch the judges. It passed because, let’s face it, nobody likes the idea of the "fox guarding the hen house."
- Amendment I (No Bail for First-Degree Murder): This fixed a weird legal loophole created when Colorado abolished the death penalty. It put things back to how they were: if you're charged with first-degree murder and the proof is "evident," you aren't getting out on bail.
The Ones That Hit a Wall
Not everything made the cut. Some of the most expensive campaigns in state history ended in a "no."
- Proposition 131 (Ranked Choice Voting): This was the earthquake that didn't happen. Kent Thiry, the former DaVita CEO, poured millions into this. It would have created an "all-candidate" primary and then a top-four ranked-choice general election. Voters said "no thanks." It felt too complicated for a lot of people, or maybe they just didn't like the idea of the "top-four" system.
- Proposition 127 (The Big Cat Hunt Ban): This was a classic urban vs. rural showdown. People in Denver and Boulder wanted to ban mountain lion and bobcat hunting. People in the high country and the plains? Not so much. The "no" votes won out, meaning Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) keeps control of the hunting seasons.
- Amendment K (Election Deadlines): A boring but functional change to move up some deadlines. It didn't reach that 55% threshold. People are naturally skeptical of changing election rules, even minor ones.
Why Proposition 131 Failed So Hard
Everyone thought 131 was going to cruise through. The "Yes" campaign had almost $19 million. They had flashy ads. They had big-name endorsements. But it turns out, Coloradans are sorta protective of their voting system.
Critics argued it was a "pay-to-play" scheme or that it would make the ballot unreadable. If you've ever tried to explain ranked-choice voting to your uncle at Thanksgiving, you know why it struggled. It’s hard to sell "change" when people think the current system is working okay. The loss was a massive blow to the "election reform" crowd who saw Colorado as the next big domino to fall after Alaska and Maine.
The "Gun Tax" (Proposition KK) and Mental Health
One of the more controversial "yes" votes was Proposition KK. This created a 6.5% excise tax on firearms and ammunition. Now, if you’re a gun owner, you’ve definitely felt this at the register.
The money—about $39 million a year—is strictly earmarked.
- $30 million for crime victim services (which had their federal funding slashed recently).
- $5 million for veterans' mental health.
- $3 million for youth behavioral health.
It passed with about 54% of the vote. It was close. Really close. But it shows that even in a state with a strong hunting culture, there’s a growing appetite for linking firearm sales to mental health and victim support.
👉 See also: Edison Weather Today: Why the Real Feel is What Actually Matters
The "Vet PA" Revolution (Proposition 129)
This one flew under the radar for a lot of people until the very end. Proposition 129 created a new role: the Veterinary Professional Associate (VPA).
Think of it like a Physician Assistant, but for your dog or cat. The idea is to solve the massive vet shortage we have in Colorado. Vets were mostly against it, arguing it would lower the quality of care. Pet owners, tired of waiting three weeks for an appointment and paying $400 for a check-up, voted "yes." As of 2026, we’re just now seeing the first crop of these VPAs entering the workforce. It’ll be a few more years before we know if it actually brings costs down.
Law Enforcement Funding (Proposition 130)
Coloradans also voted to force the state to cough up $350 million for local law enforcement. It was called the "Back the Blue" initiative by supporters.
It requires the state to provide this extra cash for recruitment, retention, and training. Plus, it established a $1 million death benefit for the families of first responders killed in the line of duty. It’s a huge mandate on the state budget, and it’s one reason why you’re hearing the Governor talk so much about "fiscal responsibility" lately. The money has to come from somewhere.
The "School Choice" Debate (Amendment 80)
This was probably the most confusing measure on the ballot. It wanted to put the "right to school choice" in the constitution.
Wait, don't we already have that? Yes.
That was the problem. Opponents argued it was a "trojan horse" for a private school voucher system. Supporters said it just protected what we already have. In the end, it failed to hit the 55% mark. It seems voters were worried that "protecting" choice might actually mean "draining" money from public schools.
What We Learned from the Results
Looking back at these Colorado ballot measure results, a few things are clear. First, Coloradans are becoming more comfortable with social "liberalization"—abortion rights and same-sex marriage aren't really the "wedge issues" they used to be here.
Second, we are still very much a "leave me alone" state when it comes to radical changes to our voting or our land management (like the hunting ban). We trust the experts at CPW more than we trust a ballot initiative written by activists.
Actionable Insights for the Future
If you're a voter or someone interested in Colorado policy, here's how to navigate the fallout of these results:
- Watch the VPA rollout: If you have a pet, ask your vet if they plan on hiring a VPA. It might change how much you pay for routine surgeries in the coming year.
- Check the KK Tax: If you're buying ammo, that 6.5% tax is in effect. If you work for a non-profit that helps crime victims, there’s a new pool of money opening up—make sure your org is in line for those grants.
- Law Enforcement Grants: Keep an eye on your local city council. They now have access to a share of that $350 million. If your local police department is understaffed, ask how they are using the Prop 130 funds to fix it.
- Abortion Access: With Amendment 79 passed, keep an eye on how the state legislature handles Medicaid expansion. If you're a state employee, check your 2026 benefits package—it likely looks different than it did in 2024.
The dust has settled on the 2024 measures, but the legal and financial ripples are just starting to hit. Colorado remains a laboratory for democracy, even if the experiments don't always go the way the big donors hope.