A ballot measure that sought to establish a constitutional right to hunt and fish in Colorado has officially failed to pass after falling short of the required voter approval thresholds across the state, according to recent election results.
Amendment 83 ultimately failed by roughly two hundred fifty-four thousand eight hundred votes. In addition to missing the raw vote count needed for passage, the measure missed the required fifty-five percent threshold by ten percentage points, leaving proponents short of what was necessary to amend the state constitution.
The broad statewide push faced significant hurdles at the county level. Across the state's total counties, Amendment 83 was rejected in twenty-one out of sixty-four counties. While the measure faced enough opposition in those twenty-one jurisdictions to block its path, support was not uniform across the board. Certain areas of the state demonstrated high enthusiasm for the proposal, most notably in Kiowa County, which saw eighty-five percent support for the measure.
Financial support for the campaign backing the amendment was substantial. Records and disclosures show that the International Order of T. Roosevelt contributed approximately one million six hundred ten thousand dollars to the effort, funding the push to enshrine hunting and fishing rights into foundational state law.
Following the announcement of the election outcome, advocates for the measure spoke out about the defeat and what it means for the future. Luke Hilgemann told the Vail Daily, "The results tonight proved one thing: that we must fight to protect and preserve these fundamental freedoms as they are in real jeopardy of not being passed on to the next generation for the first time in America’s history."
Hilgemann further emphasized that the battle over outdoor traditions and recreation rights is far from over, warning about the intentions of political adversaries. Addressing the broader political landscape surrounding the vote, Hilgemann told the Vail Daily, "Those who oppose (hunting and fishing) will not stop at one amendment."
With the final tallies accounted for, the failure of Amendment 83 leaves supporters analyzing a steep uphill battle. Having missed the fifty-five percent threshold by ten percentage points and having faced rejection in twenty-one out of sixty-four counties, proponents of the constitutional protection must now navigate a political environment where substantial financial investments from groups like the International Order of T. Roosevelt were ultimately insufficient to overcome the voter resistance encountered across Colorado.
