Coloradans will vote on whether to use ranked-choice voting in future elections

DENVER (KDVR) — A ballot initiative that’s been touted as giving Colorado voters the right to vote for any candidate, regardless of their party, in every election has been placed on the Nov. 5 ballot, according to the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office.

The ballot initiative, “Concerning the Conduct of Elections,” would open primary elections to all candidates. The top four would advance to the general election, where voters would be able to rank the candidates instead of choosing their single top choice. Proponents have said ranked voting gives more power to third-party candidates, and could help with battles over the hyperpartisan state of U.S. politics.

The initiative was spearheaded by Colorado Voters First, a committee created to support this ballot initiative, among others.

“This initiative is based on two simple principles: Any voter should have the freedom to vote for any candidate in every taxpayer-funded election; and a candidate must receive support from a majority of voters to be elected,” said Curtis Hubbard, spokesman for Colorado Voters First, in a release following the Secretary of State’s announcement. “Our current system limits voter choices and gives too much power to political insiders and special interests. In November we can send the message that elections belong to voters — not political parties.”

Carly Koppes, Weld County Clerk and Recorder and a past president of the Colorado County Clerks Association, noted in a statement provided in December, when the initiatives first started gaining signatures, that county clerks typically stay neutral on issues and candidates that may be on the ballot.

“As the professionals tasked with running elections in all 64 counties, we are trusted because we apply election rules fairly and fully and produce safe and accurate results,” said Koppes in a release. “But we could not stay quiet while a potential ballot initiative advances that could upend our existing election system. Colorado has worked hard to put together an election system that serves as a national model for how to hold safe and secure elections while also making sure that every voter who wants to vote can do so. We can’t stand by while someone recklessly attempts to upend that system.”

Colorado Voters First, the proposal’s proponents, said “nearly 50% of Colorado active voters are independents,” which is backed up by state data. As of July, there were over 3.8 million active voters in Colorado. About 1.9 million voters have declared themselves members of parties that are not Democrat or Republican; another 1.89 are part of the two major parties.

Six other states have ranked choice voting on the general election ballot: Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada and South Dakota. Alaskan voters will also be asked to determine whether to keep the open primary initiative approved by voters in 2020.

There could still be hurdles for the measure, even if voters approve. In June, Gov. Jared Polis signed a new law that required ranked voting to be tested first at a municipal level before it is deployed statewide.

The County Clerks Association noted in its release that early initiative review hearings revealed a requirement that vote counting be completed by 11:59 p.m. on Election Day. Colorado currently provides eight days for voters to cure issues with their ballot following an election.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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