On November 5, voters in Colorado rejected a ballot measure establishing top four primaries and ranked choice voting in general elections.

Proposition 131 aimed to eliminate party primaries, and instead all candidates, regardless of party, would compete in an open primary.

The top four finishers in each race would advance to the general election, where voters would rank candidates for each office in order of preference.

If one candidate were to receive more than 50% of the vote, he or she would win.

If not, the last place finisher in that race would be eliminated, and the votes would be reallocated to the candidate the voters rank second.

The elimination process would continue until one candidate had 50% of all the votes cast.

As of 9:00 a.m. November 6, with 73% of the precincts reporting, Proposition 131 failed 56% to 45%.

Gov. Jared Polis has issued an executive order which calls for a special session to address the need for an expanded property tax-relief package.

Legislators will work to bring more relief for Colorado residents and businesses and are limited to issues concerning only property taxes.

The session will begin on August 26.

It is projected to last for around three days.

The Aurora City Clerk’s Office increased campaign finance contribution limits August 1 following a city code mandate.

A person, political committee, or non-municipal political organization may not make aggregate contributions to a candidate committee or recall defense committee more than $450 to any one candidate in any one ward race or more than $1,150 to any one candidate in any at-large or mayoral race.

A small donor committee is limited to aggregate contributions to a candidate committee or recall defense committee of $4,500 to any one candidate in any one ward race or $11,500 to any one candidate in any at-large or mayoral race.

The adjustments are based on an amount calculated by the Colorado Secretary of State as prescribed in the Colorado Constitution.

The Colorado Secretary of State’s Office issued a notice of temporary adoption of rules taking immediate effect, implementing contribution limit increases consistent with Constitutional requirements.

The Colorado Constitution requires contribution limits to be adjusted based upon the percentage change over a four-year period in the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Denver-Boulder-Greeley.

The Secretary of State’s Office calculates the adjustment for each limit and specifies the limits in promulgated rules.

Candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, and state treasurer may now accept $725 per election from individuals and political committees, and $7,825 per election from small donor committees.

Additionally, candidates for state Legislature, state Board of Education, University of Colorado regent, and district attorney may now accept $225 per election from individuals and political committees, and $3,100 per election from small donor committees.

Other increases include contribution limits of $23,600 per calendar year from small donor committees to a political party at the state, county, district, and local levels combined.

The next adjustment will take place in the first quarter of 2027.

The Colorado Department of State approved permanent revisions to Campaign and Political Finance Rule 1505-6.

The rule amendments include setting contribution limits to candidates for school district director from persons other than small donor committees for any regular biennial or special school election in the amount of $2,500; setting contribution limits to candidates for school district director from small donor committees for any regular biennial or special school election in the amount of $25,000; and changing the post-election report filing deadline from 30 days to 35 days.

The rules will become permanently effective 20 days after publication in the Colorado Register.

The 73^rd Colorado General Assembly adjourned sine die May 11.

During the session, legislation related to campaign finance was introduced. House Bill 1060 was passed, creating aggregate limits on candidates for school district director from persons other than small donor committees for any regular biennial or special school election of $2,500. Further, a $25,000 limit was established for contributions to candidates for school district director from small donor committees for any regular biennial or special school election. The bill takes effect July 1.

Additionally, Senate Bill 237 relating to ballot measure expenditures was introduced and passed through both chambers as of May 10. The bill would expand the definition of earmark for purposes of the Fair Campaign Practices Act to include contributions or expenditures greater than $1,000 to support or oppose a specified ballot issue or ballot question. Further, the bill would modify the process to determine whether an organization is an issue committee to include an examination of the organization’s pattern of conduct. Additionally, any person who makes a expends $5,000 in aggregate in a calendar year on direct ballot issue or ballot question expenditure expenditures must report to the secretary of state, and any person who makes a direct ballot issue or ballot question expenditure must disclose their name in certain communications about a ballot issue or ballot question. If passed, portions of the bill would become effective immediately and the section providing for disclosure to the secretary of state of $5,000 spent by an individual in a calendar year would become effective September 1.

This does not affect lobbyist reporting.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed into law legislation creating campaign finance limits for school board races for the first time.

House Bill 1060 will cap individual donations at $2,500 and small donor committees at $25,000 per school board candidate.

The legislation, however, won’t affect spending by independent committees.

The new contribution limits would be subject to existing laws governing the disclosure of campaign contribution and would require filings with the secretary of state.

The bill goes into effect July 1, 2022.

Colorado lawmakers have proposed campaign finance limits for school board races for the first time.

House Bill 1060 would cap individual donations at $2,500 and small donor committees at $25,000 per school board candidate.

The legislation, however, won’t affect spending by independent committees.

If passed, the new contribution limits would be subject to existing laws governing the disclosure of campaign contributions and would require filings with the secretary of state.

The City of Aurora opened its Lobbyist Registration Portal.

The city’s Ordinance 2021-08 took effect August 1 and quarterly activity reports are now required.

The first report is due October 15.

The city’s website notes the City Clerk will accept complaints regarding compliance beginning January 16, 2022.

The City Clerk’s Office will focus on education and compliance in the regulation of lobbyists during the year the ordinance takes effect.

Lobbyists will not be subject to revocation, suspension nor sanctions for any violations in 2021.

The Colorado General Assembly adjourned sine die for the 2021 session shortly before 8 p.m. on June 8 after debating a controversial climate bill on the House floor.

During the session, a bill was passed relating to local government election codes. Senate Bill 21-160 clarifies that, when computing time for any designated period of days for a local government election, the first day from which the period of days runs is excluded and the last day from which the period of days is included.

The bill also provides a process for dividing a special district into separate director districts and for members to be elected from each director district at large or by the electors within each director district.

The bill takes effect following the expiration of the 90-day period after final adjournment of the General Assembly.

The Colorado Secretary of State will host a rulemaking hearing April 19 on proposed amendments to Colorado Secretary of State Rules Concerning Lobbyist Regulation (8 C.C.R. Section 1505-8).

The proposals amend the definition of redistricting commission lobbyist as a person who is contracted or compensated to communicate directly or indirectly, including through providing public comment.

The proposal further provides such communication would be with a member of a redistricting commission as a whole, with an individual member of a redistricting commission, or with redistricting commission staff, to advocate for the adoption or rejection of any map, amendment to a map, or to otherwise aid or influence such redistricting commission, commissioner, or staff.

The hearing will begin at 3:00 p.m. and will conclude at the end of public comment.

The City Council in Aurora, Colorado passed an ordinance to create lobbyist registration and reporting requirements in the city.

Ordinance 2021-08 requires lobbyists to register their clients and income with the City Clerk and submit quarterly, detailed activity reports by January 15, April 15, July 15 October 15 of each year.

City council members, city staff, commission members, and zoning officials will also have to disclose activities with lobbyists.

Lobbyists who do not comply with the regulations could lose the ability to influence city officials on matters from development to zoning rules, permits, and city contracts, face possible expulsion and up to $2,500 fines per charge.

The ordinance passed on March 22 with one nay vote.

Ordinance 21-08 will become effective on August 1, 2021. This effective date was suggested to allow time for the implementation of a platform the city will use for reporting and developing training materials.

Aurora City Council member Angela Lawson is sponsoring an ordinance to create lobbyist registration and reporting requirements.

Lawson’s sweeping proposals would require lobbyists to register their clients and income with the city and submit quarterly, detailed reports on their activities and financial motivations.

Lobbyists who do not comply with the regulations could lose the ability to influence city officials on matters from development to zoning rules, permits and city contracts, face possible expulsion and up to $2,500 fines per charge.

The rules would apply not only to lobbyists and the City Council but also to the city manager, staff, board and commission members, and presiding judges, among others. The city clerk would be responsible for deciding if rules have been violated and handing down judgments.

City Council members will review the proposal during their next regular meeting on March 8.

The Colorado Secretary of State temporarily adopted lobbyist rules 8 C.C.R. 1505-8 on March 1, defining and establishing new requirements for redistricting commission lobbyists.

The new rules define redistricting commission lobbyist as a person who is contracted or compensated to communicate directly or indirectly with a member of a redistricting commission for the purposes of aiding or influencing such redistricting commission or their staff. Additionally, the rules require those who are registered as professional lobbyists to electronically register as a redistricting commission lobbyist and disclose all clients that contract with or compensate them.

The secretary of state also issued a notice of rulemaking to consider permanent adoption of the temporary rules.

The virtual public rulemaking hearing is scheduled for April 19 at 3 p.m.