Jonah Patel
The Colorado Constitution has been amended 176 times since it was first drafted in 1876. This is because Colorado is one of 18 states where citizens can bypass the legislature and place proposed constitutional amendments directly on the ballot through a citizen-initiated process, a legislative process, or a state constitutional convention. While this gives citizens direct access to the lawmaking process, some believe that the Colorado Constitution is too easy to amend, resulting in an unwieldy document full of contradictions.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of times the constitution has been amended | 171 times (as of 2024) or 176 times |
| Number of amendments voted on in the 2024 election | 7 |
| Number of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment | 5% of the votes cast for the Colorado secretary of state in the preceding general election |
| Number of signatures required from each of the 35 state Senate districts | 2% of registered voters |
| Minimum approval vote required for constitutional amendments | 55% |
| Minimum approval vote required for amendments that repeal a provision | Simple majority |
| Number of states that allow citizens to initiate constitutional amendments | 18 |
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What You'll Learn
Citizen-led initiatives
The Colorado Constitution was amended in 1910 to add the initiative process, which allows citizens to propose new state laws or amendments to the state constitution and submit them to a public vote. This is known as a citizen-initiated process, and it is one of three mechanisms for amending the state's constitution. The other two are a legislative process and a state constitutional convention.
Colorado is one of 18 states where citizens can bypass the legislature and place proposed constitutional amendments directly on the ballot. This gives citizens direct access to the lawmaking process and allows them to take action if lawmakers ignore their wishes. However, some people, including Gov. John Hickenlooper, believe that the Colorado Constitution is too easy to amend. They argue that the bar to amend the constitution should be higher, as it has become an "unwieldy document full of contradictions".
To get an amendment on the ballot, petitioners must collect signatures from a certain number of registered voters. In Colorado, the number of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment is 5% of the votes cast for the Colorado secretary of state in the preceding general election. There is also a distribution requirement, meaning signatures must be collected from at least 2% of registered voters in each of the 35 state Senate districts. This ensures that the amendment has support from a geographically diverse group of citizens.
Once an amendment is on the ballot, it requires a 55% supermajority vote for approval, except for amendments that only remove language from the constitution, which require a simple majority. This lower threshold for removing language from the constitution is designed to make it easier to eliminate outdated or discriminatory provisions. For example, in 2024, Amendment J proposed to remove language from the Colorado Constitution that defined marriage as only between a man and a woman. This amendment only required a majority vote because it was removing language from the state constitution.
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Legislative amendments
The Colorado Constitution provides three mechanisms for amending the state's constitution: a citizen-initiated process, a legislative process, and a state constitutional convention. Colorado is currently one of 18 states where citizens can bypass the legislature and place proposed constitutional amendments directly on the ballot. This citizen-initiative process allows citizens to directly propose constitutional amendments and state statutes, which can be placed on the ballot after collecting signatures from at least 5% of the votes cast for the Colorado secretary of state in the preceding general election. This is known as an initiated constitutional amendment, and Colorado is one of 18 states that allow this process.
The legislative process for amending the Colorado Constitution involves a similar procedure. A petition for a legislative constitutional amendment must be signed by the required number of registered electors residing in each state senate district. The secretary of state is responsible for validating signatures on the petition through random sampling. If the sample indicates more than 90% of valid signatures, the secretary of state orders the examination of each signature. Once the petition is deemed sufficient, it can be submitted to voters for approval or rejection.
To be approved, constitutional amendments proposed through the citizen-initiative or legislative process require a 55% supermajority vote, except for amendments that only remove or repeal language from the constitution, which require a simple majority. This is because amendments that add or change language in the constitution are considered more significant and, therefore, require a higher threshold for approval.
The ease of amending the Colorado Constitution has been a subject of debate, with some arguing that the bar for changing the constitution should be higher. Critics suggest that the low bar has turned the constitution into a "special interest playground," leading to an unwieldy document full of contradictions. On the other hand, the ease of amending the constitution gives citizens direct access to the law-making process and allows them to address issues that lawmakers may have ignored.
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Constitutional conventions
The Colorado Constitution was drafted on March 14, 1876, and took effect on August 1 of the same year. It has been amended 176 times since then, with the most recent amendments being approved on November 5, 2024.
The Colorado Constitution provides three mechanisms for amending the state's constitution: a citizen-initiated process, a legislative process, and a state constitutional convention. In most circumstances, statutory changes are more appropriate than altering the Constitution, which should be reserved for bedrock principles. However, Colorado's Constitution has been amended so frequently that it has become a lengthy document full of contradictions.
The citizen-initiated process, also known as a ballot initiative, was added to the Colorado Constitution in 1910. This process allows citizens to propose new state laws or constitutional amendments and submit them to a public vote. As of 1995, initiatives have been limited to single subjects, with the Title Board making the initial determination of whether an initiative meets this criterion. Colorado is currently one of 18 states where citizens can bypass the legislature and place proposed constitutional amendments directly on the ballot. This gives citizens direct access to the lawmaking process and allows them to take action if lawmakers ignore their wishes.
To get an amendment on the ballot, petitioners must collect signatures from a certain number of registered voters. In Colorado, this number is equal to 5% of the votes cast for the Colorado secretary of state in the preceding general election. Additionally, there is a distribution requirement, with signatures needed from at least 2% of registered voters in each of the 35 state Senate districts. This geographic distribution of signatures is particularly important to western Colorado and rural areas.
Once an amendment is on the ballot, a 55% supermajority vote is generally required for approval, except when an amendment only removes or repeals language from the constitution rather than adding or changing it. In such cases, only a simple majority is needed.
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![Constitution of the State of Colorado Ed. and Indexed by Frank H. H. Roberts ... Adopted March 14, 1876, and Ratified July 1, 1876, with Amendments. 1910 [Leather Bound]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/617DLHXyzlL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Low signature threshold
The Colorado Constitution provides three mechanisms for amending the state's constitution: a citizen-initiated process, a legislative process, and a state constitutional convention. Colorado is currently one of 18 states where citizens can bypass the legislature and place proposed constitutional amendments directly on the ballot. This citizen-initiative process allows citizens to directly access the law-making process and gives them recourse if lawmakers ignore their wishes.
The number of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment in Colorado is equal to 5% of the votes cast for the Colorado secretary of state in the preceding general election. This is a relatively low threshold, and critics argue that it has made the constitution a "special interest playground".
Colorado also has a distribution requirement for initiated amendments. Signatures must be collected from at least 2% of the registered voters who live in each of the 35 state Senate districts. The secretary of state must validate signatures on a petition for an initiated state constitutional amendment by random sampling. If the random sample establishes that the number of valid signatures is 90% or less of the total number of registered electors needed, the secretary of state is required to deem the petition insufficient. If the random sample establishes that the valid signatures are more than 90% of the total number of registered electors needed, the secretary of state must order the examination of each signature filed.
Once on the ballot, a simple majority of 55% of votes is required for the approval of any constitutional amendment put forward by the legislature or by a citizen initiative, except for those that only remove language from the constitution rather than adding to it or altering existing language. In these cases, only a simple majority of over 50% is required.
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Simple majority for repeals
The Colorado Constitution has been amended 176 times since it was first drafted in 1876. The state's constitution can be amended through three mechanisms: a citizen-initiated process, a legislative process, and a state constitutional convention.
A simple majority vote is required for the approval of constitutional amendments that repeal provisions in the state constitution, whereas a 55% supermajority vote is required for amendments that add new language to the constitution. For example, in 2024, voters were asked to decide on Amendment J, which proposed removing language from the constitution that defined marriage as only between a man and a woman. This amendment only required a simple majority to pass because it removed language from the constitution.
The citizen-initiated process allows citizens to bypass the legislature and place proposed constitutional amendments directly on the ballot. This process requires signatures from at least 2% of registered voters in each of the 35 state Senate districts, which equals about 5% of the votes cast for the Colorado Secretary of State in the previous general election. Once an amendment is on the ballot, the number of votes needed to approve it depends on whether the amendment adds, removes, or changes existing language in the constitution.
The ease of amending the Colorado Constitution has been a source of contention, with some arguing that the bar to change the constitution should be higher. Critics argue that the low bar for amending the constitution has turned it into a "special interest playground" full of contradictions and conflicting provisions.
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Frequently asked questions
The Colorado Constitution provides three mechanisms for amending the state's constitution: a citizen-initiated process, a legislative process, and a state constitutional convention. This means that citizens can bypass the legislature and place proposed constitutional amendments directly on the ballot.
Amendments can be made through citizen initiatives, legislatively referred constitutional amendments, or constitutional conventions. Once on the ballot, a 55% supermajority vote is required for approval, except for amendments that only remove language, which require a simple majority.
The Colorado Constitution has been amended 171 times as of 2024. The most recent amendments were approved on November 5, 2024, with five new amendments.
Examples of amendments to the Colorado Constitution include the addition of the initiative process in 1910, making English the official language in 1988, and legalizing same-sex marriage.
