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Proposition 131 would fundamentally change the conduct of elections in Colorado and would deliver one of the most sweeping changes to the democratic process in the Centennial State’s 148-year history.
As it stands, elections in Colorado are generally handled the same way as in other states, with partisan contests pitting Republicans against Republicans and Democrats against Democrats in the June primaries. One winner from each party will advance to the general election, where they will be matched against unaffiliated or third-party candidates on the ballot. Voters select their favorite candidates and the candidate with the most votes wins.
This ballot measure would turn that system upside down amid a broader national momentum to pursue open primaries and ranked choice voting.
The measure is backed by Denver millionaire Kent Thiry, the former CEO of dialysis giant DaVita, plus Unite America, a national group he co-chairs, and a small group of equally wealthy donors.
It’s a petitioned initiative on the ballot, and since it would change state law, the measure needs a simple majority to pass in the Nov. 5 election.
What would Proposition 131 do if passed?
Prop. 131 would change elections for the state Legislature, state offices — governor, attorney general, treasurer, secretary of state, the State Board of Education and the University of Colorado Board of Regents — as well as federal races for the seats of Colorado in the US House of Representatives and the United States Senate.
The measure would mean two important things for those elections. First, it would replace the state’s current primary system with one open primary for each affected race. This means that all candidates would compete against each other in a primary, regardless of party. For example, five Democrats, three Republicans, a Green, and a Libertarian could run for governor, all on the same ballot — and all considered by voters with some or no political affiliation.
The top four vote recipients in those primaries would then advance to the general election, again regardless of party. (If only two or three people entered the primaries, they would all advance.)
That’s where the second change comes in: Prop. 131 would implement a ranked-choice voting system, where voters in the general election would rank each candidate in a given race by preference.
If no candidate receives a majority in the first table, the candidate with the fewest top positions is eliminated. Any ballot where that candidate was the top choice then automatically switches to that voter’s second-highest candidate, and tabulation begins again. It continues in rounds until one candidate obtains a majority of active votes.
If there are three or four candidates in the general election, voters don’t have to rank them all; they may only rank as many as they wish. However, there is a risk that their ballot will become inactive if all their ranked candidates are eliminated, as their votes cannot be reallocated.
When would election changes come into effect?
That’s a harder question to answer than you might think. The ballot measure says the reforms would take effect on January 1, 2026. But a late change in the law this year — quietly inserted into a broader elections bill at the end of the regular session in May — now requires 12 counties to use ranked-choice voting before it can take effect for statewide or federal races.
It is unclear if and when this requirement will be met.
Gov. Jared Polis, who apparently was unaware of that amendment when the bill was passed, signed the broader bill into law anyway in June after the change received media attention. But he told lawmakers that if voters pass Prop. 131, he would issue an executive order to convene lawmakers and stakeholders to map out an implementation process. His pledge is to ensure the changes are in place before the 2028 election cycle.
That would still be two years later than the ballot measure stipulates, and it would mean the new system would not be in effect for major races in 2026, including the first open gubernatorial race since 2018.
What do supporters say?
Supporters of the measure present it as a broad balm for all kinds of ills that plague the American elections. They argue that an open primary system would give voters of all stripes a more direct say in choosing candidates for the general election, especially in places — like Denver — where one-party primaries now typically decide who wins the general election in November.
They also argue that ranked-choice voting, the second part of the measure, would allow voters in all districts to influence who wins, while increasing the chances that the eventual winner has won a majority and is a consensus choice.
Proponents also argue that the reforms would increase civility because candidates from different parties would be incentivized to appeal to voters of all stripes; improve attendance by increasing participation in races; and improve candidate diversity because the fear of “spoiler” candidates would be eliminated.
Polis, U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston are among the Colorado political figures who have supported the measure. The Colorado Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters are among groups supporting Prop. 131 have supported, according to Let Colorado Voteof which the main committee supports it.
What do opponents say?
Opponents of the measure argue that the new system would be confusing, especially because some races — such as municipal contests and presidential elections — would still be handled under the current system. They have also argued that implementing the review would take more time for clerks and election officials than supporters have allowed. And they say it’s critical that voters are informed and educated amid the continued — and often unwarranted — attacks on current voting systems.
Critics also argue that the new system would harm political parties because primaries would be open and not as heavily influenced by parties. They are afraid it would cause a draw more money that could be spent on elections, as candidates in crowded fields tried to bring themselves to the attention of voters.
Smaller parties have argued that it will be more difficult — if not impossible — for them to win the general election under Prop. to reach 131.
Opponents include the Democratic and Republican parties, U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette of Denver and at least two issue committees. One of them, Colorado Voters’ Rightsnames a range of unions and progressive advocacy groups that oppose the measure, along with voter advocacy group Colorado Common Cause.
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