Colorado ballots are being sent out to all registered voters. With ballots come ballot guides, and the Colorado Times Recorder has compiled a list of major Colorado voter guides that have been released by progressive and conservative organizations as well as by media outlets and the state of Colorado.
Colorado’s Official Guide
The Ballot Information Booklet (a.k.a. the blue book): The 90-page guide known for its blue cover is sent to every registered Colorado voter and is carefully crafted to give arguments for each side of the issue fair representation. The guide is created by a nonpartisan, independent research arm of the state government.
“The state constitution requires that the nonpartisan research staff of the General Assembly prepare these analyses and distribute them in a ballot information booklet to registered voter households,” the booklet’s introduction states.
Progressive Groups‘ Ballot Guides
Colorado Progressive Voters Guide: Presented by Progress Now Colorado, this guide combines information on the endorsements made by Colorado’s leading progressive organizations with extensive research about presidential, senate, and all legislative candidates and statewide ballot measure. The guide also provides endorsements made by other progressive groups for each ballot measure. See the list of progressive groups involved here.
Colorado Voter Guide (ACLU): The American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado released a guide where voters can enter their address and see races they can vote on, as well as information on four of the ballot propositions. The guide also includes an easy way to locate ballot boxes and polling centers.
Racial Justice Ballot Guide: Created by Leaders of Color Collaborative, directors of color from ten Colorado organizations, this ballot guide focuses on all of the statewide ballot measures and views them from a racial justice lens. The guide is the first of its kind.
AFSCME Colorado Endorsements: The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 18 – Colorado released its comprehensive list of endorsements in September. The list includes congressional candidates as well as candidates for county commissioner across Colorado.
Colorado Coalition for the Homeless 2020 Ballot Guide: The homeless advocacy group only took formal positions on Proposition EE and Proposition 116 but included pros and cons for the other issues on the statewide ballot as well.
Conservative Groups‘ Guides
The Centennial Institute 2020 Voter Guide: The Centennial Institute out of Colorado Christian University released its voter guide which includes advocating against repealing the Gallagher Amendment of 1982 and against the reintroduction of grey wolves in Colorado.
Colorado GOP 2020 Positions: The State’s Republican Party gives its positions on ballot propositions and candidates running for office in Colorado.
iVoterGuide Colorado: This nationwide ballot guide has a Colorado-specific guide. iVoterGuide is funded by the American Family Association, labelled a Christian homophobic hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Ross Kaminsky’s 2020 Voter Guide: Ross Kaminsky, Colorado radio host for 630 KHOW, released a guide focused on the statewide ballot measures but included endorsements of Lauren Boebert, Cory Gardner, and Steve House. For Prop. 113 (National Popular Vote) and Prop. 118 (Paid family leave) Kaminsky said “Not just no, but HELL NO!”
News Outlets‘ Guides
The Aaron Harber Show ™: Election 2020: Thirteen different programs that include the major statewide ballot issues and several that also are on the ballots of citizens in the City & County of Denver. “The almost one million Colorado voters waiting until the last minute to cast their ballots during this final week are likely to be the ones who have yet to make up their minds on various complex ballot issues so we hope this series is a valuable resource for them,” explains series host Aaron Harber in a news release.
Colorado Newsline’s Voter Guide has information on state ballot measures and major party candidates in many races. It includes a questionnaire answered by many candidates.
Colorado Public Radio’s Colorado Voter’s Guide: The 2020 Colorado guide from CPR not only includes comprehensive articles about each federal race, the constitutional amendments, and the statewide propositions, but also information about candidates for the RTD Board of Directors in each district.
The Colorado Sun’s Quick Guide: The Sun gives voters a chance to read its coverage on each ballot measure and to watch debates it co-hosted with PBS-12 and CBS4.
The Denver Post’s 2020 Voter Guide: Along with explainers on each ballot measure and amendment, the Denver Post’s voter guide provides Q&A’s with candidates in statewide and local races.
Colorado Politics Voter Guide: This 64-page voter guide is presented like a magazine and gives information and context about every question on the Colorado ballot. It provides analysis of key state races and basic information on 83 contests.
Denverite’s Ballot Guide: Denverite compiled their reporting on Denver ballot measures and judges in their voter guide. Voters can decide if judges should stay on their benches, but the state of Colorado has an independent commission that recommends all the judges on the ballot to remain in office. For more information on judges, an oft-overlooked section of voters’ ballots, click here for Denverite’s guide.
COLab Interactive Voter Guide: The Colorado News Collaborative (COLab) released an interactive guide where voters can sort news stories about the 2020 election based on which county they live in, which election topic they are interested in, and which of the 23 media outlets in partnership with COLab they want to get their analysis from.
5280‘s Guide to Colorado’s Elections: The Denver magazine released a voter guide containing information on how to cast ballots this year as well as links to 5280 coverage on the election.
Editor’s note: If we’ve missed a serious ballot guide, please let us know.
Update: The Racial Justice Ballot Guide was added to this post on Oct. 15. COLab’s and Denverite’s guides were added Oct. 21. 5280 and Ross Kaminsky were added Oct. 26.
Update: The Aaron Harber Show was added.