Colorado ballot measures 2026, explained
14 statewide measures on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Each one in plain words: what it does, what a yes and a no vote mean, and the best case on both sides. No recommendations.
Your Colorado ballot, in order. Tap a measure for the full explainer.
Amendment 81Constitutional amendmentFailed (projected)
Police immigration notices
Police would try to find the immigration status of people charged with certain serious crimes. If they cannot find out, they would tell federal immigration officials.
- Yes vote
- Law enforcement must notify the U.S. Department of Homeland Security within 72 hours in specified cases when immigration status cannot be determined.
- No vote
- Current Colorado rules on sharing immigration information remain in place.
Amendment 82Constitutional amendmentFailed (projected)
Natural gas access right
People and businesses would have a constitutional right to buy natural gas for cooking and heating. It is like putting the right to choose one kind of stove or heater into the state’s main rulebook.
- Yes vote
- The state constitution protects consumers’ right to buy natural gas and distributors’ and utilities’ right to sell it for cooking and heating.
- No vote
- Existing laws and local rules continue to govern natural gas use and sales.
Amendment 83Constitutional amendmentFailed (projected)
Right to hunt and fish
Hunting and fishing would become rights in the Colorado Constitution. The state could still set rules such as seasons, licenses, safety requirements, and limits, like park rangers setting rules for a shared park.
- Yes vote
- The constitution establishes a right to hunt, fish, and take wildlife through traditional methods, subject to regulation.
- No vote
- Hunting and fishing continue under current laws and regulations without a new constitutional right.
Amendment 84Constitutional amendmentFailed (projected)
ID number on mail ballots
Mail voters would still sign their ballot and would also write part of an identification number. It is like adding a second check to make sure the ballot belongs to the right voter, but mistakes could cause extra work or delay.
- Yes vote
- Mail voters must provide a signature and an identification number on the ballot envelope, subject to the measure’s verification and correction rules.
- No vote
- Colorado continues using its current signature-based mail-ballot verification process.
Amendment 85Constitutional amendment
Plain-language ballot questions
Ballot questions would have to use simple words and be no harder than an eighth-grade reading level. It is like rewriting game instructions so more children can understand them without help.
- Yes vote
- Ballot questions must use plain language at no more than an eighth-grade reading level.
- No vote
- Current rules for writing ballot titles and questions remain in place.
Amendment 86Constitutional amendmentFailed (projected)
Mid-decade map approval rules
Colorado normally redraws congressional districts every ten years after the census. If districts are changed in between, this measure would require approval from an independent commission and the state Supreme Court, like needing both a referee and a judge to approve a rule change.
- Yes vote
- Mid-decade congressional maps must receive approval from the independent commission and the Colorado Supreme Court, along with the measure’s other stated procedures.
- No vote
- Current rules for congressional redistricting remain in place without these added requirements.
Amendment 87Amendment and state law
Graduated state income tax
Colorado now uses one income-tax rate. This measure would use tax brackets, like stairs: rates would generally be lower on smaller taxable incomes and higher on larger incomes, with new money for schools, health care, and child care.
- Yes vote
- Colorado replaces its flat income tax with graduated rates from 3.7% to 8.4% and dedicates new revenue to education, health care, and child care.
- No vote
- Colorado keeps its current flat state income-tax system.
Proposition 132State lawPassed, 53% yes (projected)
Tougher fentanyl crime penalties
This makes possessing or selling fentanyl a much more serious crime. Some people convicted of possession would also have to get treatment, like adding both a bigger penalty and a required safety class.
- Yes vote
- Possession of any amount of fentanyl becomes a felony, distribution receives tougher mandatory penalties, some people must complete treatment, and certain sentencing exceptions are limited.
- No vote
- Current fentanyl classifications, penalties, treatment rules, and sentencing exceptions remain.
Proposition 133State lawPassed, 62% yes (projected)
Life without parole for child trafficking
This would make trafficking a child for sex punishable by life in prison with no parole. It also expands the crime to cover knowingly exchanging something valuable for sexual activity with a minor.
- Yes vote
- A conviction for human trafficking a minor for sexual servitude carries life in prison without parole, and the definition includes knowingly exchanging value for sexual activity with a minor.
- No vote
- Current child-trafficking definitions and sentencing ranges remain, with judges retaining more discretion.
Proposition 134State lawPassed, 52% yes (projected)
School sports by biological sex
Schools would label teams male, female, or co-ed. Students would generally play on the team matching their biological sex, like sorting teams by one body-based rule.
- Yes vote
- K-12 and collegiate teams must be separated by biological sex unless they are designated co-ed, with eligibility rules based on that classification.
- No vote
- Current schools, districts, and athletic associations keep setting eligibility policies under existing law.
Proposition 135State lawPassed, 52% yes (projected)
Ban certain surgeries for minors
This would stop certain surgeries meant to change a minor's sex characteristics because of the minor's gender identity. It does not ban counseling or every kind of gender-related care.
- Yes vote
- Health professionals may not perform the covered surgeries on people under 18, and public funds or insurance may not pay for them.
- No vote
- No new statewide ban takes effect, leaving these decisions to families and medical professionals under current law.
Proposition 136State lawFailed (projected)
Cap income tax at 4.4 percent
Colorado's current income-tax rate is 4.4 percent. This would put a permanent ceiling at that same number, like putting a lid on a container without taking anything out.
- Yes vote
- Individual and corporate state income-tax rates may not exceed 4.4 percent under state law.
- No vote
- The current rate remains for now without this new statutory ceiling, leaving future voters more flexibility.
Proposition 137State law
Sporting-goods tax for conservation
The state already collects sales tax when people buy things like bikes, tents, and skis. This would let Colorado keep that money for water, forests, wildfire prevention, and outdoor recreation instead of treating it like money available for refunds.
- Yes vote
- The state may retain and spend sporting-goods sales-tax revenue on water, land, forests, wildfire prevention, and outdoor recreation outside normal TABOR limits.
- No vote
- The revenue remains under normal TABOR rules and may be available for refunds or other budget uses.
Proposition NNState lawPassed (projected)
Keep TABOR surplus for schools
Colorado normally refunds some extra tax money when collections go above the TABOR limit. This would let the state keep some of that money for K-12 schools and children's programs.
- Yes vote
- The state may retain surplus revenue above the TABOR cap for K-12 education and specified children's programs, mainly reducing or eliminating refunds.
- No vote
- Current TABOR refund rules remain and surplus revenue continues to be handled under existing limits.
How sure is this guide?
Where the four AIs disagreed
ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Grok each researched Colorado's ballot on their own, with web search. The score is how closely their answers matched. Where they split, check the official voter guide before you trust either side.
62/ 100Partial agreement
Amendment 81 costs
- GPT-5.6 Terra: Implementation costs are not estimated.
- Claude Sonnet 5.5: No figure is provided.
- Gemini 3.8 Flash: No tax increase, but local workloads may rise.
- Grok 4.5: About $60,000 for system updates.
Named supporters and opponents
- GPT-5.6 Terra: Names Together Colorado and Health Care for All Colorado as opponents.
- Claude Sonnet 5.5: Names Advance Colorado as supporter and Denver DSA as opponent.
- Gemini 3.8 Flash: Lists several party and advocacy-group supporters and opponents.
- Grok 4.5: Lists different groups, including the League of Women Voters and ACLU.
Amendment 83 wording
- Claude Sonnet 5.5: Says hunting and fishing are the preferred wildlife-management method.
- Gemini 3.8 Flash: Says hunting and fishing are the preferred method.
- Grok 4.5: Says preferred tool, subject to regulation for science and safety.
Proposition 132 cost
- GPT-5.6 Terra: First-year $0.9 million; second-year $8.9 million.
- Gemini 3.8 Flash: Prison expansion could cost up to $422.5 million by 2030.
- Grok 4.5: About $0.9 million first year, $8.9 million second, then tens of millions.
Proposition 133 current sentencing range
- GPT-5.6 Terra: Current penalties are 8 to 48 years.
- Claude Sonnet 5.5: Current penalties are 8 to 48 years.
- Grok 4.5: Generally 8 to 24 years, up to 48 in some cases.
Before you vote
This guide was written by AI models with web search and does not tell you how to vote. Details can be wrong: your sample ballot and Colorado's official voter guide are the final word.
Still have a question?
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