Colorado voters rejected on Tuesday an amendment to the state constitution that would have established a right to school choice for K-12 education, and turned back a statewide proposition that would have created a new all-candidate primary election for some federal and state offices.

Gaining voter approval was Proposition JJ, which will allow the state to retain and spend the sports betting tax revenue above $29 million per year to help fund the state water plan. In 2019, voters had approved Proposition DD, which legalized sports betting in Colorado and 21 authorized the state to collect up to $29 million per year in tax revenue from sports betting. The 2024 vote in adopting Proposition JJ changes that equation.

?We are incredibly grateful and excited Colorado voters made a historic choice to conserve and protect our water, CAPOW!” said Brian Jackson, Co-Chair of the Yes on JJ Campaign. “With Proposition JJ, we have secured a stable, sustainable funding source for the projects that safeguard our water for future generations. This is a victory for everyone who values Colorado and wants a resilient water future for our state.”

>>FULL RESULTS
Stories and vote totals will be updated on AlamosaCitizen.com throughout the week.

Amendment 80

A bit over 52 percent of voters cast a “No” vote on the amendment that would have established a right to school choice for K-12 education. The proposal had drawn backlash from public educators.

Proposition 131

A new all-candidate primary for certain federal and state offices was going down in defeat, nearly 56 percent of voters opposed.

Proposition 79

Abortion rights were secured within the Colorado Constitution Tuesday night. The constitutional amendment was approved with 61 percent of the vote. Now, the right to abortion is formally recognized in the Colorado Constitution and with its passing, state and local governments are prohibited from denying, impeding or discriminating against anyone exercising their right to an abortion. It will also allow abortion services to be covered under health insurance programs. 

Proposition 127

Hunting Colorado’s big cats will continue to be maintained and regulated by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Position 127, dubbed “Cats Aren’t Trophies,” would have banned hunting mountain lions and the hunting and trapping of bobcats. It was voted down by 55 percent. 

It would have also banned the hunting of Lynx, but the Lynx is already a federally protected species and it is already illegal to hunt or trap them. 
The proposition garnered immense support from biologists, environmental activists and animal advocates and most notably from current and former CPW wildlife commissioners. Other wildlife experts have maintained that “ballot-box biology” is not an effective way to manage wildlife in Colorado.