Colorado voters are poised to approve a measure on the November ballot that would change most of the state’s primaries so candidates from all parties run against each other, with the top four vote-getters advancing to a ranked choice voting general election.
That’s according to the results of a poll commissioned by Colorado Voters First, the organization supporting Proposition 131. The poll was conducted among 800 likely voters from Aug. 28 to Sept. 1 by Colorado pollster Keating Research, a Democratic firm with a track record of accurately predicting the outcome of races. The poll had a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points. …
But if the initiative passes, it won’t go into effect right away — if ever. That’s because of a controversial clause added to Senate Bill 210, which was passed by the legislature this year.
The clause requires 12 Colorado municipalities in counties of a certain size and with a specific demographic makeup to conduct ranked choice elections before a ranked choice election could be used in a race for state or federal office. Additionally, the amendment said that Colorado could not move to the new primary system until that requirement has been met.
Gov. Jared Polis nearly vetoed Senate Bill 210, a broader elections measure, because of the clause, which was added in the final days of the General Assembly’s lawmaking term and first reported publicly by The Colorado Sun. Polis said the provision may violate the state constitution — and at least was designed to frustrate the will of voters. Polis wrote in a statement explaining his decision to sign the bill that he thinks statewide ranked choice voting could be implemented in Colorado by 2028. He vowed to bring state leaders together to make that happen.