Direct democracy, Colorado’s fourth branch of government, is shaping up to be COVID-19’s first major 2020 election-day casualty.
Voters have the power to initiate legislation as either a statute or a constitutional amendment, but because of the pandemic, this popular vehicle is headed for a concrete wall.
Dating back to 1992, when Douglas Bruce changed the Colorado political landscape for perhaps forever, voter-initiated ballot issues have become wildly popular. Between 1999 and 2019, 108 measures have appeared on the statewide ballot with only 42% being approved.
While ballot issues are used to advance good solutions outside of the legislative process, there is a dark side too.
Click here to read the full article in the Denver Post.