Statewide

Amendment 85Plain Language Ballot Titles

Official ballot title

Shall there be an amendment to the Colorado Constitution concerning ballot question language, and, in connection therewith, requiring all state and local ballot questions to be written in plain language and at no more than an 8th grade reading level and prohibiting a state statute from requiring language that conflicts with these requirements in ballot questions for citizen-initiated measures?

Verbatim from: Amendments and Propositions on the 2026 Ballot (Colorado Secretary of State)

Summary

Requires state and local ballot questions to be written in plain language at no more than an eighth-grade reading level.

Plain-language summary written for this guide from the sources below.

What a YES vote does

A “yes” vote on Amendment 85 requires that ballot titles be written in plain language, defined as an eighth-grade reading level, and prohibits any law from interfering with this requirement.

What a NO vote does

A “no” vote on Amendment 85 maintains current law, which requires plain language for ballot titles, but does not specify a particular grade-level reading standard.

Official text from the Blue Book (“What Your Vote Means”).

How it got on the ballot

Citizen initiative petition #234. The Secretary of State found the petition sufficient on Aug 28, 2026. [Colorado Secretary of State: 2025–2026 initiative filings and petition status]
Signatures: 176,224 submitted; 141,305 valid. [Colorado Secretary of State: 2025–2026 initiative filings and petition status]
Requirement: 124,238 valid signatures. Initiatives that amend the Colorado Constitution must also include signatures from at least 2% of registered voters in each state Senate district. [Colorado Secretary of State: 2025–2026 initiative filings and petition status]
Certified to the ballot by the Secretary of State Sept 4, 2026. [SOS ballot certification news release, Sept 4, 2026]

Placed on the ballot by: Citizen initiative (Initiative #234)
Vote needed to pass: 55 percent of votes castBlue Book: “Passes with 55 percent of the vote.” SOS: “Requires 55% approval because it adds language to the state constitution.”

Official fiscal information

May minimally increase workload for the Title Board to update and apply plain-language and reading-level standards.

From the official source’s fiscal section. Figures marked “(Estimated)” are estimates or projections in the source.