YES: Amendment G - Modify Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans

Boulder Progressives endorses a “yes” vote on Amendment G because it ensures that veterans with disabilities preventing them from maintaining steady employment receive much-needed property tax relief. By expanding the homestead exemption to include veterans with a Total Disability Individual Unemployability rating, Amendment G addresses a gap in the current system. These veterans face significant financial challenges, and this amendment provides them the same support already available to those with a 100% disability rating. It’s a step toward fairness for those who have sacrificed for our country.

We will be voting “yes” on Amendment G and encourage you to do the same.

See the ballot language by clicking the title above, and learn more here from 5280.

YES: Amendment H - Judicial Discipline Procedures and Confidentiality

Boulder Progressives endorses a “yes” vote on Amendment H, which is essential to increasing transparency and public trust in Colorado’s judicial system. Currently, misconduct proceedings against Colorado judges are handled by a select panel of judges, creating concerns about impartiality and self-regulation. Amendment H creates an independent board composed of citizens, lawyers, and judges to oversee these hearings, ensuring greater accountability and openness. By making formal disciplinary charges public earlier in the process, this reform strengthens oversight and helps safeguard the integrity of our courts. Vote yes on Amendment H to promote fairness and accountability.

We will be voting “yes” on Amendment H and encourage you to do the same.

See the ballot language by clicking the title above, and learn more here from 5280.

YES: Amendment I - Constitutional Bail Exception for First Degree Murder

While Boulder Progressives opposes the overreach and harm done under our existing carceral system, we also do not believe that wealth should allow for different experiences under the law. We also believe that the victims of violent crimes deserve to be safe throughout the court process and should not face intimidation from their attackers. This is a simple clean-up measure meant to remedy a loophole in state law in the wake of Colorado vacating capital punishment.

We will be voting “yes” on Amendment I and encourage you to do the same.

See the ballot language by clicking the title above, and learn more here from 5280.

YES: Amendment J - Repealing the Definition of Marriage in the Constitution

In 2024 the State of Colorado still defines marriage as being between one man and one woman. We cannot rely solely on the federal government to protect our LGBTQ+ community, we must ensure those same protections at every level. Voting “yes” and repealing this amendment allows us to remove this hateful language from our constitution and to affirm the right of all people to love, to marry, to raise children, and to be respected and celebrated for who they are.

It has been less that 10 years since same sex marriage was recognized by our federal government, and what took decades to win can be lost in an instant.

Since 2016 we have seen a new war launched against many of our key democratic values. People across the country are in danger of losing the right to marry, the right to start a family, the right *not* to start a family, the right to bodily autonomy, and the right to raise their children. Members of our LGBTQ+ are under threat of violence on a regular basis from their government and from their communities due simply to who they are.

Boulder Progressives will always stand with the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer community,

We will be voting “yes” on Amendment J and encourage you to do the same.

See the ballot language by clicking the title above, and learn more here from Rocky Mountain Equality

YES: Amendment K - Modify Constitutional Election Deadlines

This is a simple change that supports the hard work of our county and state election workers. We appreciate the incredible amount of work that goes into running safe, secure, and accurate elections nationwide, and we are happy to support a change to help make that work a little less difficult

We will be voting “yes” on Amendment K and encourage you to do the same.

See the ballot language by clicking the title above, and learn more here from the Colorado County Clerks Association.

YES: Amendment 79 - Constitutional Right to Abortion

It has been two years since our country was rocked by the US Supreme Court’s decision to repeal our right to abortion. Our mothers and our grandmothers fought to make sure we would have a better, safer future and what we had once believed was settled law was taken away in an instant.

Abortion is healthcare. Without the right to abortion people die everyday from unwanted or unsafe pregnancies. We have seen the stories of people in Texas and in Georgia dying due to being refused abortion care. People whose lives were cut short not by a lack of medical knowledge or access, but by regulations prohibiting healthcare providers from doing their jobs.

Abortion keeps people who can get pregnant safe by allowing them bodily autonomy, allowing them safety in their interpersonal relationships, allowing them smoother paths to education and career tracks, allowing them to seek medical care, allowing them to decide when and whether to start a family, and allowing them to access prenatal care and to ask questions without fear.

Since 2016 we have seen a new war launched on many of our key democratic values. People across the country are in danger of losing the right to marry, the right to start a family, the right *not* to start a family, the right to bodily autonomy, and the right to raise their children. People who can get pregnant, women, and members of our transgender community are under threat of violence on a regular basis from their government and from their communities due simply to who they are.

Boulder Progressives will always stand for abortion access.

We will be voting “yes” on Amendment 79 and encourage you to do the same.

See the ballot language by clicking the title above, and learn more here from the Coloradans for Reproductive Freedom.

YES: Proposition JJ - Retain Additional Sports Betting Tax Revenue

Due to Colorado’s incredibly low property tax rate combined with the restrictions of TABOR our state is woefully behind in funding education, transportation, childcare, and many other key projects. Every opportunity to keep our tax dollars and use them to make Colorado stronger is an opportunity we should grab.

We will be voting “yes” on Proposition JJ and encourage you to do the same.

See the ballot language by clicking the title above, and learn more here from the Colorado Legislature.

YES: Proposition KK - Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax Measures

Gun violence is the leading cause of death for children and teens in the United States. We support this measure which increases taxes on the manufacture and sale of firearms and ammunition and uses that tax increase to fund gun violence prevention services, support for victims of intimate partner & familial violence, and behavioral health programs for children and veterans.

In an average year, 951 people die and 1,392 are wounded by guns in Colorado. Guns are the leading cause of death among children and teens in Colorado, and an average of 84 children and teens die by guns every year, of which 48% are suicides and 47% are homicides. The approximately $39 million in expected revenue will fund mental health care for veterans and youth, programs for school safety and gun violence prevention; and sustaining victim services, including crisis response, and victims services like emergency shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, and case management.

We will be voting “yes” on Proposition KK and encourage you to do the same.

See the ballot language by clicking the title above, and learn more here from Everytown.

YES: Proposition 127 - Prohibit Bobcat, Lynx, and Mountain Lion Hunting

Proposition 127 will end the inhumane and unnecessary practice of trophy hunting Colorado’s mountain lions and bobcats. Currently, mountain lions are hunted using up to eight GPS-fitted dogs that chase and corner the animals in trees, where they are shot at point-blank range. Bobcats can be trapped in unlimited numbers, disrupting the delicate balance of our ecosystems.

Proposition 127 recognizes the need to protect livestock and human safety, with exemptions for ranchers to defend their property and for wildlife professionals managing conflicts. This ban focuses on stopping the unsporting practice of killing animals purely for trophies, not meat or safety. Trophy hunting serves no conservation purpose and is a cruel practice that should have no place in Colorado.

We will be voting “yes” on Proposition 127 and encourage you to do the same.

See the ballot language by clicking the title above, and learn more here from KDVR.

YES: Proposition 129 - Establishing Veterinary Professional Associates

This measure is brought to us in a joint effort from our hardworking friends at Denver Dumb Friends League and the nationally-recognized Colorado State University, an undisputed leader in veterinary medicine. 

We recognize the need for more kinds of support in veterinary medicine, especially at the shelter level where the work is unending, and often incredibly difficult.

We also recognize that the cost of education has gone up, the cost of living has gone up, and wages have not kept up with these increases - as these gaps continue to grow the time and expense of becoming a doctor of veterinary medicine is simply not accessible to many. This Master’s Degree program allows people who have the passion, the commitment, and the ability to help to find pathways to do so.

We will be voting “yes” on Proposition 129 and encourage you to do the same.

See the ballot language by clicking the title above, and learn more here from the Denver Post.

NO: Amendment 80 - Constitutional Right to School Choice

Amendment 80 is misleading and harms pubic education. Public education is a public good that benefits everyone, and it’s essential that we continue to invest in it. Amendment 80 could jeopardize this by shifting focus and funding away from public schools, increasing disparities in access and quality. We must protect our public school system and ensure it remains a strong, well-funded pillar of our communities.

Stand with teachers. Vote NO on Amendment 80 to safeguard public education for all.

Amendment 80 threatens the foundation of public education in Colorado. While it claims to create a constitutional right to school choice, the reality is that Colorado already provides a variety of educational options, including public, charter, and homeschool alternatives. The current system balances choice with a commitment to public education, ensuring that taxpayer dollars support schools that serve the entire community.

Amendment 80 opens the door to significant risks. By elevating school choice to a constitutional right, this amendment could pave the way for legal challenges aimed at funneling public funds to private and home schools. This would undermine Colorado’s longstanding ban on public funding for private education and could weaken the resources available to public schools, which serve the vast majority of students.

We will be voting “no” on Amendment 80 and encourage you to do the same - learn more here from Protect our Public Schools.

Boulder Progressives believes so strongly in this issue that we have made an additional page for you to dig in deeper: Learn more about Amendment 80 here!

NO: Proposition 128 - Parole Eligibility for Crimes of Violence

Proposition 128 takes Colorado in the wrong direction by increasing the time individuals convicted of crimes of violence must serve before they become eligible for parole, from 75% to 85% of their sentence. This move further strains our prison system, which is already overburdened and understaffed. By eliminating opportunities for earned time, the proposition removes critical incentives for rehabilitation, self-improvement, and good behavior while incarcerated.

The impact of this measure will be significant. Without earned time reductions, individuals have less reason to engage in educational, vocational, or personal development programs that can prepare them for life after release. This risks increasing recidivism rates, not reducing crime. Moreover, Proposition 128 will balloon the prison population over time, costing taxpayers millions—up to $28 million per year—with no evidence that it will make our communities safer.

Instead of policies that prioritize punitive measures and swelling incarceration rates, we need to focus on proven strategies that encourage rehabilitation and support reintegration. Vote no on Proposition 128 to protect opportunities for earned time, prioritize rehabilitation, and resist an expensive, unnecessary expansion of our prison system.

We will be voting “no” on Proposition 128 and encourage you to do the same.

See the ballot language by clicking the title above, and learn more here from Coloradoans for Smart Justice

NO: Proposition 130 - Funding for Law Enforcement

Proposition 130 directs the state to allocate $350 million to local law enforcement agencies, but it lacks both evidence-based justification and any funding source to make this happen. Increased funding for policing has not been proven to make communities safer, and this measure diverts public funds toward traditional policing models without addressing root causes of crime, such as poverty, lack of healthcare, affordable housing, and education. Instead of focusing on holistic approaches to public safety, this measure prioritizes law enforcement spending, while neglecting effective alternatives like social workers, mental health professionals, and preventative programs. Furthermore, Proposition 130 offers no guarantees on how the funding will be distributed, leaving communities reliant on uncertain legislative priorities. At a time when we should be investing in community-driven safety solutions, this measure promotes an outdated, narrow, and costly approach to public safety. Let’s invest in real change, not more of the same.

This is a bad measure with no funding mechanism designed to pull over $350 MILLION dollars from our state’s already-struggling funds in order to solve a problem that doesn’t exist. This is as straightforward as it gets - we don’t spend money we don’t have on services we don’t need.

We will be voting “no” on Proposition 130 and encourage you to do the same.

See the ballot language by clicking the title above, and learn more here from Coloradoans for Smart Justice.

NO: Proposition 131 - Establishing All-Candidate Primary & Ranked Choice Voting

By forcing Democrats to compete against not only each other, but also Republicans, and independents in both the primary and general elections, this measure diverts resources from competitive districts. This measure weakens political parties in a way that makes it harder for good candidates to win, and that strengthens moneyed interests and undermines long-term democratic health. Additionally proposition 131 is being promoted by wealthy donors like Kent Thiry, the former CEO of DaVita who is known for his big-money spending on Colorado politics.

Proposition 131 is based on the Alaska model, which has been in effect for only one election cycle so far. A better model for ranked choice voting is Maine, which has ranked choice voting in party primaries as well as the general election. This makes more sense than Proposition 131, which does not include ranked choice in its all-party primary, and would pit candidates from the same party against each other in the general election. Because of these flaws, the advocacy group Ranked Choice Voting for Colorado has not endorsed Proposition 131.

The Colorado Democratic Party and the Boulder County Democrats both oppose the measure: “Proposition 131 is an overly complicated and overly expensive measure created by billionaire Kent Thiry with zero input from election clerks,” Democratic Party Chair Shad Marib said via email to local news outlets “In Alaska, this system has led to single-party general elections, diminishing ideological diversity in government, and a cascade of dark money. Billionaires trying to buy elections is part of the problem with politics to begin with, and this measure makes it even easier for them to tilt the system in their favor.”

Prop 131 would replace party primaries with an all-party jungle primary. In jungle primaries, progressive candidates are often discouraged to run, to avoid taking away votes from a more moderate candidate who could lose out to two candidates from the opposing party.

Perhaps most importantly, we have heard from many of our friends in the legislature that this measure will undercut the hard work that has been done statewide to secure a supermajority in the State House, allowing us to pass a number of meaningful, progressives bills that will have a lasting impact on the state. Should 131 pass instead of our strongest reps having “safe” seat in the general election and being able to use their time, voices, and networks to help get even more democrats elected, they’ll be battling for their seats in a protracted and expensive election for their own seat, thereby keeping them from using their time to grow and secure our majority.

We will be voting “no” on Proposition 131 and encourage you to do the same.

Boulder Progressives believes so strongly in this issue that we have made an additional page for you to dig in deeper: Learn more about Proposition 131 here!