Amendment 76 - Citizenship Qualification of Electors

Summary

Amendment 76 is an amendment to the Colorado constitution requiring that to be qualified to vote at any election an individual must be a United States citizen and would change the text of the Colorado constitution from "Every citizen of the United States" to "Only a citizen of the United States" may vote once they turn eighteen. This amendment would also make it so that voters who are 17 years of age at the time of the primary but will be 18 years of age at the time of the general will no longer be able to vote in the primary.

A "YES" vote on Amendment 76 is a vote in support of amending Article VII, Section 1 of the Colorado Constitution to state "ONLY A CITIZEN of the United States" is qualified to vote and disallowing voters who are 17 years of age at the time of the primary but will be 18 years of age at the time of the general to vote in the primary.

A "NO" vote on Amendment 76 is a vote to maintain the current wording of Article VII, Section 1 of the Colorado Constitution stating "EVERY citizen of the United States" is qualified to vote and allowing voters who are 17 years of age at the time of the primary but will be 18 years of age at the time of the general to vote in the primary.

Arguments

Voting is a fundamental right reserved for U.S. citizens. Amendment 76 guarantees that the state will not be able to pursue policies that allow noncitizens to vote. The measure specifies who can vote in Colorado and provides additional constitutional protections for Colorado’s elections., in support of Amendment 76 (Learn more)

Amendment 76 makes an unnecessary and potentially divisive change. The state already has a secure election system that ensures only those who meet legal requirements can vote in elections. Ultimately, the measure seeks to solve a problem that does not exist, may result in voter confusion about state and local elections, and could discourage and even disenfranchise voters., in opposition to Amendment 76 (Learn more)

Measure Details