2024 Boulder Voting Guide

This voting guide is largely based on information provided by former Boulder Mayor Suzanne Jones and former Boulder County Commissioner Elise Jones, as well as Progress Now Colorado's voter guide. You can find more information about the ballot from the following sources:

• Colorado Blue Book (official, non-partisan guide)

• Progressive Voting Guide (provided by Progress Now Colorado)

If you do not have a ton of time to do your own research for every single candidate and issue, this guide can help you get started.

President: Kamala Harris / Tim Walz. The choice couldn’t be any clearer. David Sedaris perhaps characterized it best as deciding between an airplane meal of chicken versus a platter of shit with broken glass in it; we’ll just say if you care about preserving our democracy, protecting the environment, maintaining basic freedoms like reproductive and LGBTQ rights, or having an inclusive country, you have to vote for Kamala and Tim this election. Period.

U.S. Representative: Joe Neguse. Joe is one of the best public servants we’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing and he deserves your vote to continue serving us in Congress. He’s an amazing orator, smart, personable, able to work with Republicans and Democrats alike, a great progressive and committed climate champion, and an all-round gold star human being.

State Board of Education, District 2: Kathy Gebhardt (uncontested)

Regent of CU At Large: Elliott Hood. Elliott is the Democratic candidate for the open statewide regent seat (the nine regents oversee the Univ. of CO’s four campuses). A CU–Boulder grad and former teacher, Elliot is now an attorney who represents school districts and teachers. He’s articulate, progressive and as a regent wants to focus on making CU more affordable, inclusive, and sustainable (e.g., committed to a goal of net zero emissions).

The following races feature incumbent progressive Democratic candidates who have proven records in the state legislature doing work that we support and new candidates for open seats, and we urge you to vote for them:

State Senator District 17: Sonya Jacquez Lewis

State Senator District 18: Judy Amabile

State Representative District 10: Junie Joseph

State Representative District 11: Karen McCormick

State Representative District 12: Kyle Brown

State Representative District 19: Jillaire McMillan

State Representative District 49: Lesley Smith. Lesley has a long and impressive career working for 30 years as a scientist and educator at CU, serving on the Boulder Valley School Board for eight years, and currently serving as our at-large CU Regent (she is also the first woman aquanaut in the underwater Aquarius research facility!). We will be well-served to have her expertise and experience in the legislature, where she intends to focus on addressing school funding, gun violence, climate change and affordable housing. She is widely endorsed by a long list of progressive orgs and elected officials.

District Attorney, 20th Judicial District (Boulder County): Michael Dougherty (uncontested)

RTD Director, District I (Longmont, Erie Lafayette): Karen Benker (uncontested)

County Commissioner, District 1: Claire Levy (uncontested)

County Commissioner, District 2: Marta Loachamin. An incumbent, Marta is the first commissioner of color ever elected in Boulder County and has focused on making county programs more inclusive and accessible, and giving voice to residents who aren’t at the table.

County Coroner: Jeff Martin (uncontested)

Vote yes to retain all of the judges on the Boulder County ballot. All of them met performance standards according to the Colorado Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation. 

Amendment G (Constitutional) – Property Tax Exemption for Veterans with Disabilities: VOTE YES. CO provides for reduced property taxes for seniors and veterans who are 100% disabled; this measure expands it to veterans who might not be 100% disabled but who have a service-connected disability that prevents them from working.

Amendment H (Constitutional) – Judicial Discipline Procedures: VOTE YES. Currently, the discipline of judges in CO has been self-regulated; this measure creates a new board to hear ethics complaints against state judges as a way to address recent scandals and add transparency and independent oversight to judicial discipline. It is endorsed by most members of the state legislature and by the Judicial Branch.

Amendment I (Constitutional) – Bail Exception for First Degree Murder: VOTE YES. This restores the ability for judges to deny bail for persons charged with first degree murder, which was inadvertently eliminated when Colorado repealed the death penalty. It adds first degree murder back to the list of offenses for which a person can be held without bail in Colorado.

Amendment J (Constitutional) – Repealing Definition of Marriage: VOTE YES. While court rulings currently allow same sex marriage in CO, the state’s Constitution still defines marriage as between one man and one woman – and would become law again if the Supreme Court reversed the Obergefell v. Hodges decision that allowed same sex couples to marry. Amendment J addresses this by deleting that definition.

Amendment K (Constitutional) – Modifying Election Deadlines: VOTE YES. Amendment K would require citizen initiatives to file their signatures one week earlier. Additionally, judges and justices seeking retention would be required to also file their “Declaration of Intent” one week earlier. Lastly, official text and ballot measure titles would have to be published one month sooner. This will give election officials more time to review and finalize ballots before they’re printed.

Amendment 79  (Constitutional) – Right to Abortion: VOTE YES. While CO thankfully has laws on the books protecting the right for a woman to get an abortion and make decisions about her reproductive health, this measure would enshrine that right in the state constitution, making it harder to take away that right if the political leadership of the state changes. It would also remove the current ban on state and local funding for abortion services for government employees and Medicaid recipients, making it an option for policymakers to fund such services in the future if they want.

Amendment 80 (Constitutional) – Right to School Choice: VOTE NO. Colorado law already provides for school choice; this unnecessary measure, pushed by conservative “parental rights” interests, would threaten our public school system by potentially opening the door to diverting funding from public schools to private and home schools. In addition, this would open the door for those who seek to justify book banning and abandon curriculums that include sex education, race, and ethnicity, and it would allow parents to sue schools for following non-discrimination laws and interfere with school activities. Colorado Public Radio has an explainer on Amendment 80.

Proposition JJ (Statutory): Retain Sports Betting Tax Revenue: VOTE YES. Colorado has an existing tax on sports betting, which helps pay to implement Colorado’s Water Plan (e.g., water conservation, watershed health projects, etc.); the amount of taxes collected from sports betting was higher than estimated so this measure allows that money to be retained and spent on water efforts, rather than refunding the money to casinos and betting operators.

Proposition KK (Statutory) – Firearms Excise Tax: VOTE YES. This amendment would create a new sales tax on guns and ammunition to fund crime victim support services, mental health services for veterans and young people, and school safety programs. Gun violence contributes significantly to the need for these critical services, so it’s appropriate to tax guns to help pay for them.

Proposition 127 (Statutory) - Ban on Mountain Lion Hunting: VOTE YES. This measure prevents the hunting and trapping of bobcats, lynx and mountain lions except for circumstances such as self defense, protecting livestock, and scientific research. While in general we support science-based wildlife management, in this case, we don’t believe there is an evidence-based need to manage big cat populations through hunting, and these predators play an important role in culling deer and elk infected with Chronic Wasting Disease. Additionally, cats are not typically hunted for their meat, but for trophies or fur, neither of which we support, and we abhor the common but inhumane practices of dog-treeing, baiting and live-trapping cats. We acknowledge that it’s controversial to make wildlife management decisions by popular vote, and we have friends on both sides of this issue. However, we find ourselves guided on this measure by our understanding of the science, and the ethics we hold around how we believe society should treat the animals we share this planet with. We find this op ed from the former head of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service particularly compelling.

Proposition 128 (Statutory) – Parole Eligibility: VOTE NO. This measure reduces the opportunity for people convicted of certain violent crimes to reduce their prison sentences and be eligible for discretionary parole through earned time (achieved through good behavior and participation in educational and rehabilitation programs in prison). This would decrease the incentive for convicted people to comply with prison rules and work towards preparing themselves for a lawful, productive return to society, and would result in the need to increase spending on prisons and potentially prison overcrowding.

Proposition 129 (Statutory) – Veterinary Associates Degree: LEAN YES. This measure would create a new mid-level position called veterinary professional associate (VPA) between veterinarians, who have eight or more years of education, and veterinary technicians, who have a two-year associate’s degree. The VPA position would require a master’s degree in veterinary clinical care and would be allowed to diagnose animals, perform routine surgeries, and order and perform tests and procedures under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian. This measure could help address the problem of too few veterinarians, especially in rural areas. There are concerns that it could lead to undertrained associates providing substandard care to animals, causing the major veterinary associations to oppose it. Colorado Public Radio has an explainer on Prop. 129. The VPA Master’s program could offer a career path for veterinary technicians to take on more responsibility, provide more options for veterinary care, and reduce the cost to see a veterinarian which will improve access for lower-income pet owners. Note: Suzanne & Elise Jones are a LEAN NO on this proposition.

Proposition 130 (Statutory) – Funding for Law Enforcement: VOTE NO. This measure, backed by the conservative advocacy group Advance Colorado, mandates $350 million in spending for law enforcement, without saying how to pay for it, which means that funding would come out of other priorities like education or other important services.

Proposition 131 (Statutory) – Nonpartisan Primary, Ranked-Choice Voting: VOTE YES. This measure would create an open primary in which every candidate, regardless of party, can run, and every voter, regardless of affiliation, can vote for any candidate in every election for every office (a “jungle” primary). The top four candidates in the open primary would advance to the general election, where voters would use ranked-choice voting (RCV) with instant runoff to decide the winner by majority vote. This represents a fundamental change in how Coloradans vote, and it's controversial. Both major parties and most progressive organizations oppose it. Colorado Public Radio has an explainer for Prop. 131.

Regardless of who initiated this proposition, it’s a pro-democracy measure because it gives ordinary citizens more power in choosing their representatives. The non-partisan, top-4 primary will increase candidate options for the general election, and RCV will allow voters to express their preferences more fully. This addresses a key flaw in the current election system, where a small number of primary voters can determine the election outcome, leading to deep partisan polarization across all levels of government. When politicians are accountable only to a narrow segment of voters, they cannot effectively represent the majority interest. We've seen this happen in state houses and Congress, and it's a fundamental issue that Prop. 131 could help resolve.

Could this increase the amount and influence of dark money in elections? It’s certainly possible. With more options available to voters, it will provide more opportunities for dark money interests to sway their decisions. Should we reduce the influence of money in elections by limiting voter choices? Of course not. Instead, we should tackle the issue of dark money directly by passing the Freedom to Vote Act, which includes disclosure requirements and public campaign finance reform.

Election reform of this magnitude certainly carries risks, so it's critical to implement it carefully and securely in Colorado. But it’s achievable, as similar reforms have been successful elsewhere. Colorado’s election system is one of the best, not because it’s perfect, but thanks to the dedication and competence of the people who have implemented and maintained it. We can take on this challenge and set a successful example for other states to follow.

Note: Suzanne & Elise Jones are a VOTE NO on this proposition.

City of Boulder Ballot Question 2C - Council Pay: VOTE YES. Serving effectively on the City Council requires a significant, largely uncompensated, time commitment. If we want our elected bodies to be more inclusive and reflective of the diversity of our community, we have to make it more affordable for would-be Council members who have fewer resources to serve by increasing the compensation for their service.

City of Boulder Ballot Question 2D - Executive Sessions: VOTE YES. Almost all cities and counties use periodic executive sessions to discuss sensitive matters such as real estate purchases, personnel issues, or legal matters – except for Boulder. What’s more, state law places limits on the use of executive sessions (e.g., the topics discussed must be disclosed publicly, and no decisions can be made in them). It’s long overdue to authorize Boulder to use this tool as do other communities in Colorado.

City of Boulder Ballot Question 2E - Boards and Commissions: VOTE YES. This measure allows the City Council to make it easier to update the terms and qualifications for local boards and commissions, so as to improve the effectiveness and diversity of these important bodies.  

Regioal Transportation District (RTD) Ballot Issue 7A - Retain Taxes Already Collected: VOTE YES. While there’s no question that RTD has fallen short of being the transit agency that we need and deserve in the Denver metro area, the answer is to fix and fund RTD’s transit service, not to starve it. 7A is a TABOR “debrucing” measure (like Prop JJ), which allows RTD to keep all the monies already collected from the existing transit sales tax, rather than refunding them. If 7A doesn’t pass, RTD will lose 10% of its funding and our bus and rail service will be in even worse shape than it is now.