Colorado voters in Grand Junction and across the state will decide on 14 statewide ballot measures in November 2026, a number that ties a record for the most questions put to voters in at least the last 52 years, according to a state database. The Colorado secretary of state’s office certified the list on Friday.
This election stands out for the high number of citizen-initiated measures, with 13 proposals placed on the ballot through petition signatures, compared to just one referred by the state Legislature. This breakdown contrasts sharply with the 7-7 split seen two years ago, and Coloradans have not voted on more than 10 citizen initiatives in any single election since 1974.
Nearly half of this year's 13 initiatives are sponsored by Advance Colorado, a right-wing “dark money” group that does not disclose its donors. As Republicans have struggled to compete for legislative majorities at the state Capitol in recent years, Advance Colorado has been highly active in attempting to pass conservative policies through the ballot box instead.
Ballot questions can be either statutory measures, which, if approved, become state laws that can be changed by the Legislature, or amendments to the state Constitution, which can only be changed by voter approval of a subsequent amendment. Constitutional amendments generally face a higher bar for approval, requiring 55% of the vote to pass, rather than the simple majority required for statutory measures. An exception is if a constitutional measure only repeals existing language, in which case it only needs a simple majority.
Among the measures sponsored by Advance Colorado is Amendment 81, a proposed constitutional amendment that would require Colorado law enforcement agencies to cooperate more closely with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal immigration authorities. This would require police to notify federal authorities when certain criminal charges are filed against individuals known to lack lawful presence in the U.S. or whose legal status is unknown, a change from current state law that limits such cooperation. Another Advance Colorado measure, Amendment 82, proposes a constitutional right to buy and sell natural gas for cooking or heating in homes or businesses throughout the state.
Advance Colorado also backs Proposition 132, which would substantially increase criminal penalties for the possession and distribution of synthetic opioids like fentanyl. This statutory measure would classify possession of any amount of fentanyl as a felony and mandate prison sentences for distribution, eliminating current options for reduced penalties or diversion to treatment. Proposition 136, also from Advance Colorado, aims to block a proposed graduated income tax by capping income tax rates at their current level of 4.4%.
Other notable measures include Amendment 83, backed by the Wisconsin-based International Order of T. Roosevelt, which proposes a constitutional right to hunt and fish using traditional methods and declares it the state’s preferred method for managing wildlife populations. Amendment 84, from the Coalition for American Prosperity and Growth, would end Colorado’s signature-based mail ballot verification system, instead requiring voters to provide the last four digits of their Social Security number or driver’s license number.
Proposition NN is the only legislatively referred measure this year, placed on the ballot by Democratic majorities in the General Assembly. It would raise the limit on the tax revenue the state can retain under the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR), potentially increasing K-12 education funding by about $500 million annually and possibly reducing TABOR refunds depending on future state revenue growth. Amendment 87, backed by Protecting Colorado’s Future, proposes a graduated income tax system where Coloradans earning over $500,000 annually would pay higher rates, while lower brackets would see a slight tax cut.
Three measures are backed by Protect Kids Colorado, a conservative anti-LGBTQ advocacy group. Proposition 133 would mandate life in prison without parole for anyone convicted of child sex trafficking. Proposition 134 aims to prevent transgender children from participating in school sports by defining boys and girls based on physical anatomy. Proposition 135 would prohibit health care professionals from performing gender-altering surgeries on minors and bar state and federal funding, including Medicaid, from being used for gender-affirming procedures.
In addition to these statewide questions, voters in 31 Front Range municipalities will vote on a 0.333% sales tax hike to fund the Colorado Connector passenger rail service. Many counties and other local jurisdictions, including those in Mesa County, will also have their own ballot questions. Detailed information on statewide measures will be mailed to registered voters in the 2026 Blue Book, also available online. Ballots are scheduled to be mailed to voters beginning October 2.
