Proposition 131 gives Coloradans a voice and a vote that matters.
Because any voter should be able to vote for any candidate in any taxpayer-funded election.
Through all-candidate Open Primaries and Final 4 Ranked Voting in the general election, Proposition 131 can:
- Give Colorado voters a voice and a vote that really matters in our elections
- Provide equal access to all voters and candidates, regardless of political affiliation
Better Choice and Better Voice
Proposition 131 will change the incentives for candidates and elected officials, resulting in elections and policymaking that better represent the will of the voters.
Here are the details on the reforms Proposition 131 will bring:
- Establishes an Open, All-Candidate Primary Election, with Final 4 Advancing to General Election
- All-Candidate Primary: For a given office, there will be only ONE primary election where all candidates, regardless of party, will appear on a single standard ballot. All registered voters, regardless of party, can participate.
- Final 4: Voters cast their ballot for one candidate in the primary. The four candidates receiving the most votes advance to the General Election.
- Establishes Final 4 Ranked Voting In General Elections
- Ranking Preferences: Voters are allowed, but not required, to rank their candidate choices from 1 to 4.
- Majority Winner: The winner of the General Election must receive a majority of votes (50% +1). If no winner emerges on first tally, instant-runoff voting is used until one candidate receives majority support.
- Repeals the "Midnight Amendments"
- In the closing hours of the 2024 General Assembly, lawmakers snuck an amendment into a routine elections bill attempting to undermine Proposition 131
- Party insiders’ effort to invalidate the will of the people as expressed through the citizen’s initiative process is an affront to our democratic process and must be repealed.
Problem Solving
Open Primaries and Final 4 Ranked Voting address these core problems:
❌ PROBLEM: LACK OF MEANINGFUL VOTES
Most elections in Colorado are already predetermined by party affiliation alone.
In the 2024 primaries, only 4% of voters elected 82% of State House seats and 5% of voters elected 75% of U.S. House seats. Most voters are voting in non-competitive elections that are already predetermined.
✅ SOLUTION: ALL-CANDIDATE, OPEN PRIMARIES AND MAJORITY-WINNER GENERAL ELECTIONS
Give more voters a more meaningful say in who represents them and increase competition in all elections. After Alaska implemented this voting system, there was a 58% increase in the number of Alaskans casting votes that truly determined who represented them.
❌ PROBLEM: THE MOST POLARIZED LEGISLATURE IN THE U.S.
Out of all 50 states, Colorado’s state legislature is ranked as the most polarized, creating gridlock and making positive change difficult.
✅ SOLUTION: GIVE VOTERS (NOT PARTIES) MORE CHOICE AND VOICE
By reforming our Primary Elections and promoting majority support to win the General Election, we change the incentives for candidates and elected officials, limit party insiders’ grip on elections, and get results that represent the will of the voters — rather than the will of the political extremes.
❌ PROBLEM: YOUNG AMERICANS LOSING FAITH IN OUR DEMOCRACY
Support for democracy from young voters is lower than almost any time in recent history. Research shows that 80% of Gen Z voters said the two major parties don’t represent them and that 95% of Gen Z voters support equal access to voting regardless of party affiliation.
✅ SOLUTION: ELIMINATE ANTIQUATED ELECTION RULES THAT LIMIT PARTICIPATION
Give younger voters — and all voters — elections where they have real choices. Recent polling shows that over 70% of young voters strongly support Final 4 Voting in Colorado.
Get Involved
To make Proposition 131 a reality, we need all hands on deck—left, right, and center. If you care about providing equal access to all voters and candidates, regardless of political affiliation, now is the time to get involved. Sign up now for real-time updates from the campaign.