Opinion ID: 2521384
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: introduction

Text: In this case, we review a constitutional challenge to a ballot issue approved by voters in Eagle County raising taxes to allow a cost-of-living increase for the school district. Michael Cacioppo, the petitioner for purposes of this appeal, filed suit in Eagle County District Court nearly four months after the election seeking to overturn the election. He argued that the ballot title and the notice sent to voters violated article X, section 20 of the Colorado Constitution, and tainted the results of the election by including deliberately misleading information. The Eagle County School District (the District) countered that all of Cacioppo's claims were time-barred by section 1-11-203.5, 1 C.R.S. (2003), since Cacioppo failed to file a verified petition contesting the ballot title within five days of the setting of the ballot title. Cacioppo argued that section 1-11-203.5 violates article X, section 20 of the Colorado Constitution. The trial court ruled that while section 1-11-203.5 is constitutional, it did not bar any of Cacioppo's claims since that statute bars only form or content challenges to a ballot title and, in the court's view, all of Cacioppo's claims were substantive in nature. However, the trial court ruled in favor of the District on the merits, holding that the ballot issue substantially complied with constitutional requirements. Cacioppo now appeals that decision. The District cross-appeals, reasserting its argument that section 1-11-203.5 operates to bar all of Cacioppo's claims. Cacioppo in turn argues that section 1-11-203.5 is unconstitutional. We now hold that section 1-11-203.5 is constitutional. We conclude that its time limits are reasonable and were carefully crafted to avoid a conflict with the state constitution. We also hold that all of Cacioppo's justiciable claims were time-barred either by section 1-11-203.5 or by section 1-11-213, 1 C.R.S. (2003), which requires a claimant who contests the results of an election to file a written statement of intent within ten days of the filing of the official survey of returns. We hold that one of Cacioppo's claims is not ripe for a decision. We do not reach the merits of any of his claims. Accordingly, we affirm the decision of the trial court refusing to overturn the election, but on different grounds. In this opinion, we first outline the factual and procedural background of the case. We then address the constitutionality of section 1-11-203.5, resolving the meaning of various terms in that statute in order to assess its constitutionality. Having concluded that the statute is constitutional, we next conclude that Cacioppo's claim concerning the ballot title is form and content-based, not substantive, and is thus time-barred by section 1-11-203.5. Lastly, we determine that the claims relating to the notice required by article X, section 20, clause 3(b) of the Colorado Constitution concern the resultsand not the substanceof the election and that they are, therefore, time-barred by section 1-11-213. We conclude by denying Cacioppo's claim for attorney's fees.