CO Code § 1-41-103 (2021)
2021 Colorado Code|Title 1 - Elections|Article 41 - Odd-Numbered Year Elections|§ 1-41-103. Local Ballot Issue Elections in Odd-Numbered Years

  At the local election to be held on the first Tuesday of November in 1993, and in each odd-numbered year thereafter, the following issues shall appear on the ballot if they concern local government matters arising under section 20 of article X of the state constitution and if they are submitted in accordance with applicable law:   Amendments to the charter of any home rule city or home rule county initiated by the voters or submitted by the legislative body of the home rule city or county in accordance with said charter;    Ordinances, resolutions, or franchises proposed in accordance with section 1 of article V of the state constitution and section 31-11-104, C.R.S.;    Measures referred to the people pursuant to petitions filed against an ordinance, resolution, or franchise passed by the legislative body of any local government in accordance with section 1 of article V of the state constitution and section 31-11-105, C.R.S.;    Questions which are referred to the people by the governing body of the local government in accordance with the law prescribing procedures therefor;    Questions which are initiated by the people in accordance with the law prescribing procedures therefor.       As used in this section, “local government” means a county, a municipality as defined in section 31-1-101 (6), C.R.S., a school district, or a special district as defined in sections 32-1-103 (20) and 35-70-109, C.R.S.    As used in this section, a “question” means a proposition which is in the form of a question meeting the requirements of section 20 (3)(c) of article X of the state constitution and which is submitted in accordance with the law prescribing procedures therefor without reference to a specific ordinance, resolution, franchise, or other local legislation or a specific amendment to the charter of a home rule city or home rule county.    As used in this section, “local government matters arising under section 20 of article X of the state constitution” includes:   Approval of a new tax, tax rate increase, mill levy above that for the prior year, or extension of an expiring tax, or a tax policy change directly causing a net tax revenue gain pursuant to section 20 (4)(a) of article X of the state constitution;    Approval of the creation of any multiple-fiscal year direct or indirect debt or other financial obligation without adequate present cash reserves pledged irrevocably and held for payments in all future fiscal years pursuant to section 20 (4)(b) of article X of the state constitution;    Approval of emergency taxes pursuant to section 20 (6) of article X of the state constitution;    Approval of revenue changes pursuant to section 20 (7) of article X of the state constitution;    Approval of a delay in voting on ballot issues pursuant to section 20 (3)(a) of article X of the state constitution;    Approval of the weakening of a local limit on revenue, spending, and debt pursuant to section 20 (1) of article X of the state constitution.       The submission of issues at elections in November of odd-numbered years in accordance with this section, or at other elections as provided in section 20 (3)(a) of article X of the state constitution, shall not be deemed the exclusive method of submitting local issues to a vote of the people, and nothing in this section shall be construed to repeal, diminish, or otherwise affect in any way the authority of local governments to hold issue elections in accordance with other provisions of law.    and (7) Repealed.     History. Source: L. 93: Entire article added, p. 1995, § 1, effective June 8. L. 94: (1)(b) and (1)(c) amended, p. 1622, § 6, effective May 31. L. 95: (1)(b) and (1)(c) amended, p. 439, § 24, effective May 8. L. 2001: (6) and (7) added, p. 273, § 31, effective March 30. L. 2010: (6) and (7) repealed, (HB 10-1116), ch. 194, p. 840, § 29, effective May 5.    ANNOTATION   Proposed amendments to home-rule charters and local initiated or referred measures concerning issues arising under the provisions of article X, § 20, of the state constitution may be submitted to the people for a vote at a local election held on the first Tuesday of November in odd-numbered years. The provisions of article X, § 20 (3), apply only to issues of government financing, spending, and taxation governed by article X, § 20. Zaner v. City of Brighton, 917 P.2d 280 (Colo. 1996).   Legislation that furthers the purpose of self-executing constitutional provisions or that facilitates their enforcement is permissible. The general assembly did not exceed its authority by enacting legislation to resolve the ambiguity in article X, § 20, of the state constitution.Zaner v. City of Brighton, 917 P.2d 280 (Colo. 1996).   The term “referred measure” is defined in § 1-1-104 (34.5) to include any ballot question or ballot issue submitted to its eligible electors by any local governmental entity. Such referred measures encompass approval of revenue changes pursuant to § 20 (7) of article X of the state constitution referenced in subsection (4)(d). Havens v. Bd. of County Comm'rs, 924 P.2d 517 (Colo. 1996).