# 2024 Colorado Amendment 79

Elections in Colorado :
Federal government
Presidential elections
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Presidential caucuses and primaries
Democratic
2000
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Republican
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
U.S. Senate elections
1876
1879
1883 sp
1885
1889
1891
1895
1897
1901
1903
1907
1909
1913
1913 sp
1914
1918
1920
1924
1924 sp
1926
1930
1932
1932 sp
1936
1938
1942
1942 sp
1944
1948
1950
1954
1956
1960
1962
1966
1968
1972
1974
1978
1980
1984
1986
1990
1992
1996
1998
2002
2004
2008
2010
2014
2016
2020
2022
2026
2028
U.S. House of Representatives elections
1876
1878
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1927
1st sp
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
3rd sp
1941
4th sp
1942
1944
1st sp
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1983
6th sp
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
4th sp :
State government
General elections
2010
2014
2018
2020
2022
Gubernatorial elections
1876
1878
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
Secretary of State elections
2022
2026
Attorney General elections
2014
2018
2022
2026
Treasurer elections
2022
Colorado State Board of Regent elections
2016
Senate elections
2013 (recall)
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
House of Representatives elections
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
Ballot measures
List of Colorado ballot measures
1893
2
1972
8
1974
1
1982
1
1992
2
2000
20
2004
36
2006
38
41
42
43
44
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
2008
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
54
58
59
L
2010
62
2012
64
2018
A
2020
B
C
EE
113
114
2022
125
126
FF
2023
HH
II
2024
79
80
I
J
127
128
129
131 :
Colorado Springs
Local elections
2019
Mayoral elections
1995
1997 sp
1999
2003
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023 :
Denver
Mayoral elections
2003
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023 :
El Paso County
Local elections
2018 :
Pueblo
Mayoral elections
2023–24 :
vte :
2024 Colorado Amendment 79 was a constitutional amendment that appeared on the November 5, 2024 ballot. The amendment established a right to abortion in the Constitution of Colorado and repealed a constitutional ban on public funding for abortions. The amendment passed, surpassing the 55% supermajority vote required for the amendment to be approved.

## Text

In the Colorado Constitution, Article II is amended by the addition of a new section 32 as follows:
   The right to abortion is hereby recognized. Government shall not deny, impede, or discriminate against the exercise of that right, including prohibiting health insurance coverage for abortion.

## Background
### Colorado's abortion laws

In the 19th century, bans by state legislatures on abortion were about protecting the life of the mother given the number of deaths caused by abortions; state governments saw themselves as looking out for the lives of their citizens. Colorado's first ban on abortion was passed in 1861. It read:
   “[E]very person who shall administer substance or liquid, or who shall use or cause to be used any instrument, of whatsoever kind, with the intention to procure the miscarriage of any woman then being with child, and shall thereof be duly convicted, shall be imprisoned for a term not exceeding three years, and fined in a sum not exceeding one thousand dollars; and if any woman, by reason of such treatment, shall die, the person or persons administering, or causing to be administered, such poison, substance or liquid, or using or causing to be used, any instrument, as aforesaid, shall be deemed guilty of manslaughter, and if convicted, be punished accordingly.”
In 1967, Colorado decriminalized abortions in cases of rape, incest, or in which a pregnant woman would be permanently disabled as a result. Despite adopting what was considered a more progressive law, elective abortions were still illegal under state law.

### 1984 Colorado Amendment 3

In 1984, Colorado voters narrowly approved Amendment 3. The amendment effectively banned the usage of public funding for abortions except in certain circumstances. The amendment, which is still a part of the Constitution of Colorado, reads:
   "No public funds shall be used by the State of Colorado, its agencies or political subdivisions, to pay, or otherwise reimburse, either directly or indirectly, any person, agency, or facility for the performance of any induced abortion, PROVIDED HOWEVER, that the General Assembly, by specific bill, may authorize, and appropriate, funds to be used for those medical services necessary to prevent the death of either a pregnant woman or her unborn child under circumstances where every reasonable effort is made to preserve the life of each."

### Ballot measure submission

In 2023, Coloradans for Protecting Reproductive Freedom, the group sponsoring the initiative, filed the amendment with Jena Griswold, the Colorado Secretary of State. The measure was approved for circulation on November 14, 2023. On April 18, 2024, the group submitted some 225,000 signatures, well over the 124,238 needed to gain ballot access. Griswold certified the signatures on May 17, 2024.

## Endorsements

U.S. Senators
* Michael Bennet, U.S. Senator from Colorado (2011-present) (Democrat)
* John Hickenlooper, U.S. Senator from Colorado (2021-present) (Democrat)
Statewide officials
* Phil Weiser, 39th Attorney General of Colorado (2019-present) (Democrat)
* Dave Young, 57th Treasurer of Colorado (2019-present) (Democrat)
U.S. Representatives
* Diana DeGette, U.S. representative from CO-1 (1997–present) (Democrat)
* Joe Neguse, U.S. representative from CO-2 (2019–present) (Democrat)
* Jason Crow, U.S. representative from CO-6 (2019–present) (Democrat)
* Brittany Pettersen, U.S. representative from CO-7 (2023–present) (Democrat)
* Yadira Caraveo, U.S. representative from CO-8 (2023–present) (Democrat)
State Senators
* 19 Democratic state senators
State Representatives
* 31 Democratic state representatives
Labor unions
* Colorado Education Association
* CWA Local 7799
* SEIU Local 105
* UCW-CWA 7799
Organizations
* Advocates for Youth
* ACLU of Colorado
* American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
* Anti-Defamation League Mountain States
* Catholics for Choice
* Center for Reproductive Rights
* Colorado Democratic Party
* Colorado Working Families Party
* Feminist Majority Foundation
* Freedom From Religion Foundation
* League of Women Voters of Colorado
* National Abortion Federation
* National Council of Jewish Women
* National Women's Law Center
* Planned Parenthood Rocky Mountains
* Reproductive Health Access Project
* SIECUS
* Small Business Majority
State Representatives
* Brandi Bradley, state representative from the 39th district (2023–present) (Republican)
Organizations
* Colorado Catholic Conference
* Colorado Republican Party
* March for Life

## Results

Amendment 79 :
| Choice | Votes | % |
| Yes | 1,921,593 | 61.97 |
| No | 1,179,261 | 38.03 |
| Total votes | 3,100,854 | 100.00 |

### By county

| County | For | For | Against | Against | Margin | Margin | Total votes cast |
| County | # | % | # | % | # | % | Total votes cast |
| Adams | 137,794 | 62.01% | 84,405 | 37.99% | 53,389 | 24.03% | 222,199 |
| Alamosa | 3,615 | 50.99% | 3,475 | 49.01% | 140 | 1.97% | 7,090 |
| Arapahoe | 206,611 | 65.36% | 109,490 | 34.64% | 97,121 | 30.72% | 316,101 |
| Archuleta | 4,625 | 51.59% | 4,340 | 48.41% | 285 | 3.18% | 8,965 |
| Baca | 472 | 24.62% | 1,445 | 75.38% | -973 | -50.76% | 1,917 |
| Bent | 883 | 41.77% | 1,231 | 58.23% | -348 | -16.46% | 2,114 |
| Boulder | 153,538 | 80.43% | 37,361 | 19.57% | 116,177 | 60.86% | 190,899 |
| Broomfield | 31,547 | 68.98% | 14,185 | 31.02% | 17,362 | 37.96% | 45,732 |
| Chaffee | 8,864 | 62.83% | 5,244 | 37.17% | 3,620 | 25.66% | 14,108 |
| Cheyenne | 217 | 21.11% | 811 | 78.89% | -594 | -57.78% | 1,028 |
| Clear Creek | 3,963 | 67.04% | 1,948 | 32.96% | 2,015 | 34.09% | 5,911 |
| Conejos | 1,526 | 38.26% | 2,462 | 61.74% | -936 | -23.47% | 3,988 |
| Costilla | 1,097 | 56.11% | 858 | 43.89% | 239 | 12.23% | 1,955 |
| Crowley | 613 | 36.95% | 1,046 | 63.05% | -433 | -26.10% | 1,659 |
| Custer | 1,528 | 40.38% | 2,256 | 59.62% | -728 | -19.24% | 3,784 |
| Delta | 8,124 | 42.76% | 10,877 | 57.24% | -2,753 | -14.49% | 19,001 |
| Denver | 283,105 | 80.80% | 67,286 | 19.20% | 215,819 | 61.59% | 350,391 |
| Dolores | 505 | 37.16% | 854 | 62.84% | -349 | -25.68% | 1,359 |
| Douglas | 129,390 | 54.49% | 108,063 | 45.51% | 21,327 | 8.98% | 237,453 |
| Eagle | 19,284 | 71.67% | 7,623 | 28.33% | 11,661 | 43.34% | 26,907 |
| El Paso | 193,839 | 51.98% | 179,080 | 48.02% | 14,759 | 3.96% | 372,919 |
| Elbert | 7,346 | 36.87% | 12,580 | 63.13% | -5,234 | -26.27% | 19,926 |
| Fremont | 10,907 | 43.67% | 14,067 | 56.33% | -3,160 | -12.65% | 24,974 |
| Garfield | 17,948 | 60.73% | 11,605 | 39.27% | 6,343 | 21.46% | 29,553 |
| Gilpin | 2,656 | 65.79% | 1,381 | 34.21% | 1,275 | 31.58% | 4,037 |
| Grand | 5,805 | 59.86% | 3,893 | 40.14% | 1,912 | 19.72% | 9,698 |
| Gunnison | 7,668 | 71.91% | 2,996 | 28.09% | 4,672 | 43.81% | 10,664 |
| Hinsdale | 322 | 54.67% | 267 | 45.33% | 55 | 9.34% | 589 |
| Huerfano | 2,327 | 54.08% | 1,976 | 45.92% | 351 | 8.16% | 4,303 |
| Jackson | 330 | 41.10% | 473 | 58.90% | -143 | -17.81% | 803 |
| Jefferson | 232,101 | 65.38% | 122,900 | 34.62% | 109,201 | 30.76% | 355,001 |
| Kiowa | 238 | 28.85% | 587 | 71.15% | -349 | -42.30% | 825 |
| Kit Carson | 980 | 27.54% | 2,579 | 72.46% | -1,599 | -44.93% | 3,559 |
| La Plata | 23,314 | 67.21% | 11,373 | 32.79% | 11,941 | 34.43% | 34,687 |
| Lake | 2,555 | 67.40% | 1,236 | 32.60% | 1,319 | 34.79% | 3,791 |
| Larimer | 140,284 | 64.09% | 78,593 | 35.91% | 61,691 | 28.19% | 218,877 |
| Las Animas | 3,828 | 51.10% | 3,663 | 48.90% | 165 | 2.20% | 7,491 |
| Lincoln | 847 | 33.68% | 1,668 | 66.32% | -821 | -32.64% | 2,515 |
| Logan | 3,448 | 34.96% | 6,416 | 65.04% | -2,968 | -30.09% | 9,864 |
| Mesa | 43,084 | 48.21% | 46,279 | 51.79% | -3,195 | -3.58% | 89,363 |
| Mineral | 389 | 53.80% | 334 | 46.20% | 55 | 7.61% | 723 |
| Moffat | 2,464 | 38.53% | 3,931 | 61.47% | -1,467 | -22.94% | 6,395 |
| Montezuma | 7,119 | 48.83% | 7,460 | 51.17% | -341 | -2.34% | 14,579 |
| Montrose | 10,815 | 43.18% | 14,231 | 56.82% | -3,416 | -13.64% | 25,046 |
| Morgan | 5,018 | 38.48% | 8,024 | 61.52% | -3,006 | -23.05% | 13,042 |
| Otero | 3,829 | 43.92% | 4,890 | 56.08% | -1,061 | -12.17% | 8,719 |
| Ouray | 2,642 | 65.87% | 1,369 | 34.13% | 1,273 | 31.74% | 4,011 |
| Park | 6,238 | 52.65% | 5,610 | 47.35% | 628 | 5.30% | 11,848 |
| Phillips | 641 | 28.65% | 1,596 | 71.35% | -955 | -42.69% | 2,237 |
| Pitkin | 8,797 | 82.01% | 1,930 | 17.99% | 6,867 | 64.02% | 10,727 |
| Prowers | 1,758 | 35.32% | 3,220 | 64.68% | -1,462 | -29.37% | 4,978 |
| Pueblo | 44,162 | 53.50% | 38,381 | 46.50% | 5,781 | 7.00% | 82,543 |
| Rio Blanco | 1,136 | 31.87% | 2,429 | 68.13% | -1,293 | -36.27% | 3,565 |
| Rio Grande | 2,652 | 43.83% | 3,399 | 56.17% | -747 | -12.35% | 6,051 |
| Routt | 11,623 | 72.72% | 4,360 | 27.28% | 7,263 | 45.44% | 15,983 |
| Saguache | 1,911 | 59.18% | 1,318 | 40.82% | 593 | 18.36% | 3,229 |
| San Juan | 395 | 73.69% | 141 | 26.31% | 254 | 47.39% | 536 |
| San Miguel | 3,771 | 81.08% | 880 | 18.92% | 2,891 | 62.16% | 4,651 |
| Sedgwick | 465 | 36.05% | 825 | 63.95% | -360 | -27.91% | 1,290 |
| Summit | 12,816 | 75.52% | 4,154 | 24.48% | 8,662 | 51.04% | 16,970 |
| Teller | 6,696 | 41.81% | 9,319 | 58.19% | -2,623 | -16.38% | 16,015 |
| Washington | 677 | 24.84% | 2,048 | 75.16% | -1,371 | -50.31% | 2,725 |
| Weld | 87,153 | 49.96% | 87,302 | 50.04% | -149 | -0.09% | 174,455 |
| Yuma | 1,298 | 28.62% | 3,238 | 71.38% | -1,940 | -42.77% | 4,536 |
| Total | 1,921,593 | 61.97% | 1,179,261 | 38.03% | 742,332 | 23.94% | 3,100,854 |

#### By congressional district

"Yes" won all eight congressional districts, including four that elected Republicans.
| District | Yes | No | Representative |
| 1st | 81% | 19% | Diana DeGette |
| 2nd | 74% | 26% | Joe Neguse |
| 3rd | 54% | 46% | Lauren Boebert (118th Congress) |
| 3rd | 54% | 46% | Jeff Hurd (119th Congress) |
| 4th | 50.02% | 49.98% | Greg Lopez (118th Congress) |
| 4th | 50.02% | 49.98% | Lauren Boebert (119th Congress) |
| 5th | 52% | 48% | Doug Lamborn (118th Congress) |
| 5th | 52% | 48% | Jeff Crank (119th Congress) |
| 6th | 65% | 35% | Jason Crow |
| 7th | 64% | 36% | Brittany Pettersen |
| 8th | 58% | 42% | Yadira Caraveo (118th Congress) |
| 8th | 58% | 42% | Gabe Evans (119th Congress) |