Colorado Constitution - Ballotpedia

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Colorado Constitution

Preamble
Articles
I • II • III • IV • V • VI • VII • VIII • IX • X • XI • XII • XIII • XIV • XV • XVI • XVII • XVIII • XIX • XX • XXI • XXII • XXIII • XXIV • XXV • XXVI • XXVII • XXVIII • XXIX • Schedule

The Colorado Constitution is the state constitution of Colorado.

The current Colorado Constitution was adopted in 1876.
Colorado has had one state constitution.
The current constitution has 29 articles.
The current Colorado constitution has been amended 171 times.^[1]
Voters most recently approved two new amendments to the Colorado Constitution on November 8, 2022.
Colorado has a process for initiated constitutional amendments, which means constitutional amendments can happen through citizen initiatives, legislatively referred constitutional amendments, or constitutional conventions.

A state constitution is the fundamental document that outlines a state's framework for governance, including the powers, structure, and limitations of the state government, individual and civil rights, and other matters.

Background

Colorado became the 38th state on August 1, 1876. The Colorado constitutional convention convened on December 20, 1876, and 39 delegates spent 87 days drafting the state's constitution, finishing on March 14, 1876. It was approved by Colorado voters on July 1, 1876, with 15,443 residents voting in favor and 4,062 opposed. The constitution took effect when Colorado was granted statehood.^[2]

Preamble

See also: Preamble, Colorado Constitution and Preambles to state constitutions

The constitution's preamble states:


	We, the people of Colorado, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, in order to form a more independent and perfect government; establish justice; insure tranquility; provide for the common defense; promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the "State of Colorado."^[3]

Article I

See also: Article I, Colorado Constitution

Article I is titled "Boundaries" and establishes the boundaries of the state.

Click here to read this article of the Colorado Constitution.

Article II

See also: Article II, Colorado Constitution

Article II is titled "Bill of Rights" and contains the Bill of Rights of the citizens of Colorado.

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Article III

See also: Article III, Colorado Constitution

Article III is titled "Distribution of Powers" and declares the state government shall be divided into three distinct divisions, the legislative, executive and judicial.

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Article IV

See also: Article IV, Colorado Constitution

Article IV is titled "Executive Department" and establishes the powers and limitations of the executive department.

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Article V

See also: Article V, Colorado Constitution

Article V is titled "Legislative Department" and outlines the legislative department.

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Article VI

See also: Article VI, Colorado Constitution

Article VI is titled "Judicial Department" and frames the court system as well as the other sections of the judicial department.

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Article VII

See also: Article VII, Colorado Constitution

Article VII is titled "Suffrage and Elections" and deals with suffrage and elections.

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Article VIII

See also: Article VIII, Colorado Constitution

Article VIII is titled "State Institutions" and describes state institutions, such as the seat of government and its location.

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Article IX

See also: Article IX, Colorado Constitution

Article IX is titled "Education" and concerns education in the state including that all public schools be free.

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Article X

See also: Article X, Colorado Constitution

Article X is titled "Revenue" and concerns state revenue and taxation.

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Article XI

See also: Article XI, Colorado Constitution

Article XI is titled "Public Indebtedness" and describes indebtedness at all levels of government.

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Article XII

See also: Article XII, Colorado Constitution

Article XII is titled "Officers" and concerns state officers, disqualifications, and removal from office.

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Article XIII

See also: Article XIII, Colorado Constitution

Article XIII is titled "Impeachments" and details the impeachment process.

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Article XIV

See also: Article XIV, Colorado Constitution

Article XIV is titled "Counties" and establishes distinct counties within the state. It also addresses the officers of these counties.

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Article XV

See also: Article XV, Colorado Constitution

Article XV is titled "Corporations" and describes the privileges, responsibilities, and limitations of corporations.

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Article XVI

See also: Article XVI, Colorado Constitution

Article XVI is titled "Mining and Irrigation" and concerns mining and irrigation.

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Article XVII

See also: Article XVII, Colorado Constitution

Article XVII is titled "Militia" and describes the state militia.

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Article XVIII

See also: Article XVIII, Colorado Constitution

Article XVIII is titled "Miscellaneous" and has various miscellaneous sections.

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Article XIX

See also: Article XIX, Colorado Constitution

Article XIX is titled "Amendments" and details the amendment process.

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Article XX

See also: Article XX, Colorado Constitution

Article XX is titled "Home Rule Cities and Towns" and concerns cities and towns.

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Article XXI

See also: Article XXI, Colorado Constitution

Article XXI is titled "Recall from Office" and concerns the recall of officers and the filling of vacancies.

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Article XXII

See also: Article XXII, Colorado Constitution

Article XXII is titled "Intoxicating Liquors" and repeals the Intoxicating Liquor Laws.

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Article XXIII

See also: Article XXIII, Colorado Constitution

Article XXIII titled "Publication of Legal Advertising" has been repealed.

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Article XXIV

See also: Article XXIV, Colorado Constitution

Article XXIV is titled "Old Age Pensions" and concerns pensions for the elderly.

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Article XXV

See also: Article XXV, Colorado Constitution

Article XXV is titled "Public Utilities" and concerns the authority of the Public Utilities Commission of the State of Colorado.

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Article XXVI

See also: Article XXVI, Colorado Constitution

Article XXVI is titled "Nuclear Detonations" and prohibits nuclear detonations within the state.

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Article XXVII

See also: Article XXVII, Colorado Constitution

Article XXVII is titled "Great Outdoors Colorado Program" and establishes the Colorado Great Outdoors Program, which is dedicated to the preservation, protection, enhancement and management of the state's wildlife, park, river, trail and open space heritage.

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Article XXVIII

See also Article XXVIII, Colorado Constitution

Article XXVIII is titled "Campaign and Political Finance" and outlines the campaign and political finance process for candidates and public officeholders.

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Article XXIX

See also: Article XXIX, Colorado Constitution

Article XXIX is titled "Ethics in Government" and contains 9 sections.

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Schedule

See also: Schedule, Colorado Constitution

The Schedule is included to facilitate the transformation of Colorado from a territory to a state.

Click here to read the schedule of the Colorado Constitution.

Amending the Colorado constitution

See also: Amending state constitutions

Colorado Constitution

Preamble
Articles
I • II • III • IV • V • VI • VII • VIII • IX • X • XI • XII • XIII • XIV • XV • XVI • XVII • XVIII • XIX • XX • XXI • XXII • XXIII • XXIV • XXV • XXVI • XXVII • XXVIII • XXIX • Schedule

The Colorado Constitution provides three mechanisms for amending the state's constitution—a citizen-initiated process, a legislative process, and a state constitutional convention. Once on the ballot, a 55 percent supermajority vote is required for the approval of any constitutional amendment put on the ballot by the legislature or by a citizen initiative, except those that only remove language from the constitution, rather than adding language or changing existing language.

Initiative

See also: Initiated constitutional amendment

An initiated constitutional amendment is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends a state's constitution. Eighteen (18) states allow citizens to initiate constitutional amendments.

In Colorado, the number of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment is equal to 5% of the votes cast for the Colorado secretary of state in the preceding general election. Colorado has a distribution requirement for initiated amendments. Signatures must be collected from at least 2% of the registered voters who live in each of the 35 state Senate districts. A 55% vote is required for voter approval.

Combined initiated constitutional amendments and state statutes

See also: Combined initiated constitutional amendment and state statute

A combined initiated constitutional amendment and state statute is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends both a state's constitution and state statute. There are at least two (2) states that allow citizens to initiate combined amendments and statutes.

In Colorado, the number of signatures required for a combined initiated constitutional amendment and state statute is equal to 5% of the votes cast for the Colorado secretary of state in the preceding general election. Colorado has a distribution requirement for initiated amendments. Signatures must be collected from at least 2% of the registered voters who live in each of the 35 state Senate districts. A 55% vote is required for voter approval.

Legislature

See also: Legislatively referred constitutional amendment

A two-thirds (66.67%) vote is required during one legislative session for the Colorado State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 44 votes in the Colorado House of Representatives and 24 votes in the Colorado State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

Convention

See also: Convention-referred constitutional amendment

According to Article XIX of the Colorado Constitution, the state Legislature can refer a state constitutional convention question to the ballot. A two-thirds (66.67%) vote of legislators in each chamber is required.

See also

State Constitutions Ballotpedia.png

External links

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Footnotes

↑ According to Steinglass and Scarselli (2022), the Constitution of 1876 had been amended 166 times through 2018. Since 2018, voters have approved five additional constitutional amendments.
↑ Steinglass, S., et al. (2022). The Colorado State Constitution. New York, NY: Oxford University Press
↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named co

v • e

Colorado Constitution

Colorado Constitution • Preamble • Article I • Article II • Article III • Article IV • Article V • Article VI • Article VII • Article VIII • Article IX • Article X • Article XI • Article XII • Article XIII • Article XIV • Article XV • Article XVI • Article XVII • Article XVIII • Article XIX • Article XX • Article XXI • Article XXII • Article XXIII • Article XXIV • Article XXV • Article XXVI • Article XXVII • Article XXVIII • Article XXIX • Schedule

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