Election 2018 – What You Need To Know!

KGNU is partnering with the League of Women Voters of Boulder County on a monthly commentary series called Making Democracy Work for All! which focuses on educating listeners on the workings of state and local government and letting them know how they can get involved at different stages of the political process. This month Jeannette Hillery gives us the low down on the 2018 mid-term elections in Colorado.

The last day to submit an application t0 register to vote through a voter registration drive is Monday, October 15^th.  You can register on election day at a Voter Service and Polling Center (VSPC) but you must have resided in Colorado for 22 days, be 18 years of age and be a citizen.  Election day is Tuesday, November 6^th and polls are open from 7 am to 7 pm.  Colorado is a state that mails out ballots and they will be mailed out on October 15^th.  They must be received by the County Clerk by 7 pm on November 6^th.

This year, along with state and local candidate elections there are twelve state ballot issues  They are either Referendum or Initiatives.  The referendum have been referred by the Colorado Legislature.  The initiatives come from citizens who  have collected enough signatures  to make the ballot.  Ballot measures may be Propositions which change Colorado law (statutes)  or Constitutional Amendments which are amendments to the Colorado Constitution and may only be changed by a later voter-approved constitutional amendment.  This year there are six (6) referred measures, 3 proposed amendments to the constitution and 3 proposed amendments to statutes.

The Referred Amendments  by the Colorado General Assembly are:

Amendment V : Lowers Age Requirement to Serve in Colorado General Assembly from 25 to 21 years.

Amendment W: Election Ballot Format for Judicial Retention Elections

Amendment X: Industrial Hemp Definition – from constitutional to statutory.

Amendment Y: Congressional Redistricting:  creates and Independent Congressional Redistricting Commission to amend and approve congressional district maps drawn by nonpartisan staff.

Amendment Z” Legislative Redistricting: Creates an Independent Legislative Redistriciting Commission to amend and approve state legislative district maps drawn by nonpartisan staff.

Amendment A: To prohibit slavery and involuntary servitude in all circumstances

The following  proposals are all citizen initiatives. The first  3 are constitutional :

Amendment 73: Funding for Public Schools

Amendment 74: Just Compensation for Reduction in Fair Market Value by Government Law or Regulation (Takings).

Amendment 75: Campaign Contributions

The following proposals are citizen initiative that are statutory:

Proposition 110: Authorize Sales Tax and Bonds for Transportation Projects.

Proposition 111: Limitation on Payday Loans

Proposition 112: Increased Setback Requirement for Oil and Natural Gas Development.

Every active registered voter will receive a ballot measure pamphlet called the “blue book” compiled by the Legislative Council’s Analysis.  There is also information about judges in the blue book. The League  has a ballot issues pamphlet also with additional information.

For more information about Voter Registration or the ballot issues go to lwvbc.org or 411VOTE.

Remember democracy is not a spectator sport. And your vote counts.