University of Denver Digital Commons @ DU Colorado Legislative Council Research All Publications Publications 2002 0502-6 2002 Ballot Information Booklet Colorado Legislative Council Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.du.edu/colc_all Recommended Citation Colorado Legislative Council, "0502-6 2002 Ballot Information Booklet" (2002). All Publications. 529. https://digitalcommons.du.edu/colc_all/529 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Colorado Legislative Council Research Publications at Digital Commons @ DU. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Publications by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ DU. For more information, please contact [email protected],[email protected]. ', Legislative Counc~lof the Research Publication ' Colorado General Assembl OLORADO STATE DOCUMEFITS No 502-6 JE ?FERSON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY LAKEWOOD. COLORADO OCT 2 4 2002 2002 BALLOT L t$$T and :'. Recom~ndationson ~etentionof ~udges ELECTiON-DAYIS Tuesday, November.5,2002 Polling places open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Early Voting Begins October 21, 2002) A YES vote Jefferson County Publlc Llbrary CO 'OR OF changing cur- ..., . C1140332840 ,.- ...., -.. -,...,-e.s, and a NO vote on any ballot issue is a vote AGAINST changing current law or existing circumstances.1 COLORADO GENERAL ASSEMBLY EXECUTIVE CWITTEE COMMITTEE .....Rm Dntnn man Chairman- ~- - ~ Sen Ken Chtouber Sen. Stan Matsunaka. Vice Chairman - Sen. Mark Hiliman Sen. John Andrews Sen. Doug Linkhart Rep. Dan Grossman Sen. Marilyn Musgrave Rep. Lola Spradley Sen. Ed Perlmutter Sen. Bill Thiebaut Sen. Terry Phillips Rep. Rob Fairbank STAFF Rep. Keith King Charles 5. Em.Director Rep. William Sinclair Daniel Chapman. Assistant Rep. Joe Stengel Director. Administration Rep. Abel Tapia Deborah Godshai1,Assistant Rep. Jennifer Veiga Director. Research LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ROOM 029 STATE CAPITOL DENVER. COLORADD 80203-1784 E-mail: 1cs.gaQstate.co.u~ (303) 8663521 FAX: 8663855 TDD: 866-3472 September 10, M02 Dear Colorado Voter: This booklet Drovides information on two subiects to be decided bvvders at the November 5. %2, elect on h he first subject 1s proposed changes to the state const tut on and state statutes Tne second subject 1s tne retention of Idages The book el presents th s informal on in three sections. Analyses of Proposed Changes to the Colorado Constitution and the Statutes Thefirstsectioncontainsananalysisofeach proposedchangetothestateconstitutionand state statutes. The state constitution requires the nonpartisan research staff of the General I Assemblvto Dreoare theseanalvsesand to distributethem in a ballot information booklet to active raoistered- vdters. Each anaivsisdescribes the maior, .orovisions of a ,Drooosal , and commentson the proposal'sappl catlon and effect t also summarizes major arguments for and agalnst eacn proposalana the proposal's est mated fswi mpacr Careful cons aeratlon has Deenglrentotne arguments in an effort to fairlv represent both sidesof the issue. The Legislative Council, the committee ofthe General ~ssembl~responsible for reviewing the analyses,takes no position on the merits of the proposals. Title and Text of Proposed Referred and Initiated Measures The second section contains the title and the legal languageof each proposed change to the state constitution and state statutes. Information onthe Retention of Judges lnformatlon about the performanceof Coloraao SupremeCourt Justlcffi, Co~rtofAppeals Juages and tr a1 judges in your area of the state IS Included in tne thlra sectlon of tnls boodet The Informal on was preparea by the state and d str ct Comm sslons on Lalclal performance to provide voters with fair, responsible, and constructive evaluations ofjudges and justices seeking retention in office. Each profile includes a recommendation stated as "RETAIN: "OONOTRETAIN: Or "NO OPINION." Sincerely. Representative Doug dean. Chairman TABLE OF CONTENTS Amendment 27 Campaign Finance ........................ 1 Title and Text of Proposal ................. 33 Amendment 28 Mail Ballot Elections ....................... 8 Title and Text of Proposal ................. 47 Amendment 29 Selecting Candidates for Primary Elections .... 11 Title and Text of Proposal ................. 60 Amendment 30 Election Day Voter Registration ............. 15 Title and Text of Proposal ................. 69 Amendment 31 English Language Education ............... 18 Title and Text of Proposal ................. 70 Referendum A Exempt Elected District Attorneys from Term Limits ......................21 Title and Text of Proposal ................. 76 Referendum B PublicIPrivate Ownership of Local Health Care Services ................... 24 Title and Text of Proposal ................. 77 Referendum C Qualifications for County Coroners ........... 26 Title and Text of Proposal ................. 79 Referendum D Repeal of Obsolete Constitutional Provisions ... 28 Title and Text of Proposal ................. 80 Referendum E Cesar Chavez State Holiday ...............30 Title and Text of Proposal ................. 90 Judicial Performance Reviews ..........................J-I NOTE The lettering and numbering system used to designate this year's statewide ballot issues is based on the following organizational structure: Issues initiated by the People .......... Amendments 27 through 31 Issues referred by the General Assembly .... Referenda A through E NOTES ANALYSES The proposed amendment to the Colorado Constitution: 4 reduces the amount of money that individuals and political committees can contribute to candidates and various political organizations; + limits the amount of money that politicalparties can contribute to candidates; 4 creates small donor commitfees which may accept up to $50 per individual per year, and allows these committees to contribute ten times more to candidates than can an individual; 4 sets voluntary spending limits for political races; + recalculates contribution and spending limits for inflation every four years, but such recalculation may not change contribution limits; 4 requires reporting and disclosure of money spent for certain political advertisements; 4 requires individuals who contribute over $100 to disclose their occupation and employer; and 4 regulates ballot issue committees Background Campaign finance is regulated by federal law for candidates in federal races; Colorado law regulates campaign finance for state and local candidates. Courts have also been involved in campaign finance by setting limits on what such laws can regulate and ruling on specific federal and state campaign finance provisions. This proposal changes Colorado campaign finance law and places the changes in the state constitution. Contribution limits. Table 1 shows the maximum amount of money that can be contributed to candidates under this proposal. Table I. Maximum Contribution Limits for Candidates per Election Cycle' (Limits under the "Proposed column would become effective on December 6.2002; limits under the "Present" column apply to current election cycles) Individual and Political Corporate and Union Committee Political Party Small Donor Committee Contributions to to Candidate to Candidate to Candidate Candidate Proposed Present Proposed' Present Proposed Present Proposed3 Present Primary General Primary General Governor $500 5500 55,WO $500.000 No Limit 55,000 55,000 NA Prohibited $5,000 Lieutenant Governor' NA NA $2,500 NA No Limit NA NA NA Prohibited 52.500 Secretary of State $500 $500 $2,500 $100,WO No Limit 55,000 55.000 NA Prohibited $2.500 State Treasurer $500 5500 $2.500 5100,000 No Limit 55,000 55.000 NA Prohibited $2,500 Attorney General .. $500 5500 $2.500 $100,000 No Limit $5,000 $5.000 NA Prohibited $2,500 State Senate $200 $200 51.500 $18.000 No Limit $2,000 $2.000 NA Prohibited $1,500 State House of ~epresentathes $200 5200 $1.000 $13,000 No Limit $2.000 $2.000 NA Prohibited $1,000 State Board of Education 5200 5200 $1.000 $13.000 No Limit $2.000 $2,000 NA Prohibited $1,000 CU Board of Regents $200 $200 $1,000 513.000 NoLimit $2,000 $2,000 NA Prohibited $1,000 District Attorney $200 $200 $1.500 513,000 No Limit $2,000 $2,000 NA Prohibited 51,500 1. The proposed contribution limits double for a candidate who has accepted voluntary spending limits if his or her opponent has not accepted the voluntary spending limits and has raised more than 10 percent of the spending limit. 2. Spending of personal money is counted as a poliical party contribution when a candidate accepts voluntary spending limits. Any unexpended campaign contributions that are carried forward to a subsequent election are also counted as political party contributions. 3. Corporations and labor unions may establish political committees and small donor committees which may contribute to candidates 4. Under the proposal, the governor and lieutenant governor are considered one office and the contribution and spending limits for governor apply to both candidates. In addition to limiting contributions to candidates, the proposal limits the amount of money that individuals and various organizations may contribute to political parties, political committees, and small donor committees, as follows. Contributions to Political Parties Under current law, individuals, organizations, and political committees can annually contribute up to $25,000 to each affiliate of a political party, including state, county, district, and local affiliates. The proposal limits contributions to a total of $3,000 for all affiliates of a political party. Of the $3,000,