OPINION – Propositions, Referred Measures and Amendments Oh My!
by State Representative Meg Froelich This year’s 2026 Ballot is the longest in Colorado history. Our all-mail balloting system allows for us to sit with our ballots, research them thoroughly and then vote from the comfort of our homes. The 2026 Ballot will be a test of voters’ sa
The Villager ·
State Representative Meg Froelich
by State Representative Meg Froelich
This year’s 2026 Ballot is the longest in Colorado history. Our all-mail balloting system allows for us to sit with our ballots, research them thoroughly and then vote from the comfort of our homes.
The 2026 Ballot will be a test of voters’ savvy as they navigate conflicting messages, a long ballot and huge dollars invested in campaigns with limited transparency. Only afterwards will we know the totals spent by organizations like Advance Colorado and we may never know complete information on who donated the millions raised and spent..
Despite a well-crafted Blue Book the size of an old phone book, there is understandable confusion among voters. Many voters don’t understand the difference between Constitutional Amendments, Referred Measures and Citizen Initiatives.
As an advocate and later as a legislator I have been involved in getting measures onto the ballot, the campaigns for and against initiatives, and I have sponsored bills to refer measures to the voters.
We have direct democracy in Colorado – a matter can be put to the voters by collecting signatures of registered voters and meeting the required thresholds. These are “citizen initiatives.” They may be an Amendment or a Proposition and will be a numbered item on your Ballot. Amendments must obtain 55% percent of the vote and Propositions50% +1.
There is a fairly rigorous process that takes place prior to signature gathering including Review and Comment Hearings with non-partisan Legislative Council before being filed with the Secretary of State’s Office. The measures also go before the Title Board to make sure they adhere to our single subject law and to finalize Ballot language.
Signature collection on a Statewide measure are massive undertakings and almost all entities engage paid signature gatherers.
Referred Initiatives are also on your ballot. These come from a Government entity – the Legislature for Statewide measures or Local Governments for smaller districts. They are lettered.
Over the past decade or so, Ballot measures have been a go-to method to achieve political goals that don’t have a chance at the Legislature.
Just the threat of a Ballot measure can lead to intense negotiations sometimes referred to as the Ballot Measure Wars.
I was one of the sponsors of Proposition KK – an excise tax on guns and ammo to fund Domestic Violence programs, which was passed by the voters in 2024. A Proposition referred by the Legislature goes through the same process that a Bill does. There are committee hearings in each chamber, often more than one. There is witness testimony and negotiations before debate and votes in both the House and the Senate.
So in some regards, referred measures are “easier” but that presumes passing a bill is easier than convincing voters outside of King Soopers to sign a petition.
Voters should seek out trusted ballot guides, read the Blue Book thoroughly and most importantly, VOTE. A few blanks won’t sway the election but too many folks sitting this one out because of the long ballot could be devastating to our State.
Meg Froelich has represented House District 3 in the Colorado Legislature for the past 8 years and is term-limited.
Source: villagerpublishing.com. Print edition: The Villager, Vol. 44 No. 47, Oct. 15, 2026. Issuu edition.