Amendment 85: PLAIN LANGUAGE

AMENDMENTS: proposed changes to Colorado’s Constitution that are hard to reverse. Need a super majority (55%) of all votes cast to pass. Once it becomes law, no one can change it without another vote of the people. Amending the constitution makes any future efforts to revise or repeal state laws go to a vote of the people instead of resting in the hands of the legislature.

BALLOT MEASURES: aka: public questions. Refer to the fundamental concept of asking citizens to approve new state laws or issues through the process of voting. Need a simple majority (50% plus one vote) to pass. Once it becomes law, state lawmakers can change it.

PROPOSITION: a ballot measure that has been assigned a specific number & title for clarity.

• LABELED WITH A LETTER: Items with letters – Amendment X, for example – were referred to the ballot by state lawmakers. Lawmakers need a two-thirds majority to get an amendment on the ballot and a regular majority to refer a proposition onto the ballot.
• LABELED WITH NUMBERS: Items with numbers – Prop 110 or Prop 112, for example – are citizen-driven initiatives and went through the signature-gathering process to get on the ballot.