Campaign finance measure makes the ballot

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  News Release

MEDIA CONTACT: 303-860-6903

Julia Sunny

Julia.Sunny@sos.state.co.us

 

Campaign finance measure makes the ballot

DENVER, Sept. 4, 2018 -- Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams announced today that a proposed constitutional amendment that deals with campaign contributions has made the ballot.

Total signatures received

212,332

Total invalid signatures

76,004

Total valid signatures

136,328

It changes campaign-finance limitations so that if a candidate contributes or loans more than $1 million to his or her candidate committee, then all candidates in the same election who did not benefit from the contributions are entitled to accept aggregate individual contributions for a primary or a general election at five times the current rate.

Colorado law requires that ballot-measure backers turn in 98,492 valid voter signatures -- 5 percent of the total of votes cast for all candidates in the last Secretary of State general election, which was in 2014.

In addition, the voter-approved Amendment 71 in 2016 changed the requirements for proposed constitutional amendments. The campaign finance measure must pass with a 55-percent majority rather than a simple majority in November, and supporters were required to collect 2 percent of their signatures in each of the state's 35 Senate district. The attachment shows the breakdown in each Senate district.

All six other citizen-led initiatives have made the ballot. Four are statutory changes --

  • A setback measure for oil and gas would mandate that new oil and gas development, including fracking, be a minimum distance of 2,500 feet from occupied buildings and other areas designated as "vulnerable."
  • Payday loans would restrict the charges on payday loans to a yearly rate of 36 percent and would eliminate all other finance charges and fees associated with payday lending. 
  • A transportation measure that would increase sales tax, and
  • Another transportation measure that would authorize bonds.

Two are constitutional amendments --

  • One amendment requires that property owners be compensated for any reduction in property value caused by state laws or regulations.
  • The other amendment boosts income taxes to raise money for education.

Also on the ballot are six measures referred by the Colorado General Assembly:

Friday is the last day for proponents to withdraw their measures. Next Monday, Sept. 10, is when the ballot will be officially certified and be assigned numbers.

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