The Colorado Ballot: Seismic Decisions

CU Denver School of Public Affairs | Photo via Instagram

On Friday, October 11, 2024, several of Colorado’s ballot issues will be examined by a panel of legislative and media experts hosted by CU Denver’s School of Public Affairs. Seven citizen initiatives and seven referred by legislature are on the 2024 ballot. Pollster and Senior Fellow, Floyd Ciruli, will moderate this panel that takes place from 5:30 to 7:00 pm. Participants can attend in person or online.

A proliferation of issues this year range from having a narrow impact to affecting the entire state’s policy and political process. Panelists will discuss whether this is the best way to legislate tax, election rules, wildlife management and culture policy? What are the downsides?

Some issues to examine include:

• How many of the initiatives are multimillion dollar campaigns that involve signature collection, legal/political consulting and media. The election reform initiative, for example, is part of a well-funded, multistate, multi-year effort to change election rules. Campaigns are frequently one sided in their resources.
• Initiatives can be used for negotiating with the legislature. In 2024, a triumvirate of the governor, legislative leadership and business-related interest groups changed tax policy.
• Which are part of national or regional interests wanting to use Colorado’s ballot access and voters for their agendas including fundraising and turnout. This is especially true of cultural issues, e.g., gun control, animal rights, abortion, crime, etc.
• Why the legislature is getting into the ballot referral process more frequently.
• How the volume and complexity of the issues can overwhelm voters.
• Direct democracy involving 14 issues is a challenge for Blue Books and their legislative council draftsmen.

Check out the CU Denver School of Public Affairs’ website for more information and register today to attend the panel discussion, either in person or remotely, here.

The Colorado Ballot: Seismic Decisions
October 11, 2024, 5:30 p.m.
1380 Lawrence St., Suite 200
Denver, Colorado

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