Elections 2018 – Amendment A

“We believe that the constitution is a living document and to have slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime is a grave injustice to who we are as a state and the possibilities that open door might entail.” — Kamau Allen,  lead organizer with Abolish Slavery Colorado.

This November’s ballot is likely to be a crowded one with several state-wide measures, several state-wide races and of course all the local issues. One question that may seem familiar to voters is  Amendment A, removing exemptions to slavery from Colorado’s constitution.  

Kamau Allen,  lead organizer with Abolish Slavery Colorado, the group behind Amendment A says that there are prisoners in Colorado corrections who are getting paid between 80 cents a day to $1.50 a day. “This is the reality that a lot of states find themselves in when it comes to prison labor.”

While the passage of Amendment A wouldn’t have a direct impact on the practice of prison slavery, rather the legal foundation for it.  “We believe that the constitution is a living document and to have slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime is a grave injustice to who we are as a state and the possibilities that open door might entail.”

In 2016 Colorado voters rejected a similar measure.  Supporters of this year’s measure, which was referred to the ballot by the state legislature, are hoping clearer language will lead to a Yes vote.