Colorado
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In Colorado, Connerly’s CCRI (Colorado Civil Rights Initiative) was rejected by voters on November 4, 2008, making this the first state in which a Connerly initiative has been voted down. The campaign against the amendment was led by a local activist group named Vote No on 46. The Vote No group drew together a grassroots campaign which spread the word about the deceptive nature of the initiative and why Coloradans should vote against it and preserve equal opportunity programs.
In addition to the Vote No campaign, the group also filed a lawsuit regarding the validity of the initiative’s signatures. The lawsuit had to be abandoned when the judge ruled that the group couldn't include challenges to entire petitions based on questions about the legality of the signature gatherers themselves.
Coloradans for Equal Opportunity introduced an alternative initiative, Amendment 82, which would have protected affirmative action. The group submitted nearly 116,000 signatures to the Secretary of State, but the Secretary of State did not find enough valid signatures to place the initiative on the ballot. The group filed suit against the Secretary of State for wrongful disqualification of 8,000 signatures.
Colorado Coalition Members
Colorado Unity Coalition
Co-Chairs: Carlos Valverde & Jason McKain,
Colorado Progressive Coalition State Office
Linda Meric, 9to5 National Association of Working Women
Vote No on Amendment 46
Contacts: Patricia Barela Rivera, Craig Hughes
Coloradans for Equal Opportunity
Colorado News and Publications
‘Mislead’ Petition Signers Say Amendment 46 Defeat Brings Relief – The Colorado Independent – November 10, 2008
Obama Helped Defeat Anti-Affirmative Action Initiative – The Washington Times – November 8, 2008
Colorado Becomes First State to Reject Ballot Measure to Ban Affirmative Action – Chronicle of Higher Education – November 6, 2008
Colorado Voters Preserve Affirmative Action – Rocky Mountain News – November 6, 2008
Colorado May Become First to Support Preference Programs – Rocky Mountain News – November 5, 2008
Anti-Affirmative Action Initiative Too Close to Call – Denver Post – November 5, 2008
Hart and Rivera: Amendment 46 Deceptive – Rocky Mountain News – October 30, 2008
Health Advocates Call 46 the Wrong Prescription for Colorado – Public News Service – October 30, 2008
Poll Shows Amendment 46 Support at 53 Percent – CBS News – October 28, 2008
Civil Rights? Hardly – The Denver Post – October 23, 2008
Discrimination Fight Is Not Over – The Denver Post – October 23, 2008
CU Basketball Coach Against Amendment 46 – Colorado Daily – October 22, 2008
CU Students on Amendment 46: “We Didn’t Get Any Free Handouts” – Colorado Daily – October 22, 2008
Reject Amendment 46, Hickenlooper Tells Voters – Rocky Mountain News – October 17, 2008
Odd Foe for Rights Initiative? – Rocky Mountain News – October 16, 2008
Poll: Affirmative Action Measure Will Pass Easily – CBS – October 14, 2008
Civil Rights Initiative Is Disingenuous – Colorado Daily – October 12, 2008
Amendment 46: Why It Is Still Necessary to Consider Race – Colorado Daily - October 11, 2008
‘No’ on Amendment 46 – Denver Business Journal – October 10, 2008
Affirmative Action Debate at Heart of Amendment 46 – Denver Business Journal – October 10, 2008
Amendment 46: A Step Back on Race and Gender – The Denver Post – October 7, 2008
(Denver City) Council Opposes Four Ballot Initiatives – The Denver Post – October 7, 2008
Secretary of State’s Office Sued Over Signature Disqualifications – Rocky Mountain News – October 4, 2008
Amendment 46 Worries UNC Officials – The Greeley Tribune – October 4, 2008
Ritter: Anti-Affirmative Action Initiative Will ‘Destroy Years of Progress’ – The Colorado Independent – September 29, 2008
No on 46: Nice Idea, Grounded in a Nonexistent World – Daily Camera – September 28, 2008
Business Group Opposition to Measure Grows – The Denver Post – September 25, 2008
Judge Dismisses Complaints that Anti-Affirmative Action Petitioners Misled Voters – The Colorado Independent – September 24, 2008
Measure to End Affirmative Action Goes to Voters – The Colorado Independent – September 18, 2008
Race, Gender at Forefront of Amendment 46 Debate – Denver Post – September 19, 2008
Amendment 46 Foes End Lawsuit – Rocky Mountain News – September 18, 2008
Measure Targets Affirmative Action – Rocky Mountain News – September 17, 2008
Colorado Decides Ballot Issue Debate: Amendment 46 – KBDI-12 (PBS) – September 8, 2008
One Less Initiative on Hefty Colorado Ballot – Rocky Mountain News – September 3, 2008
The Status of Minorities and Women in Colorado’s Higher Education Institutions – The Piton Foundation – August 2008 (Executive Summary)
Pro-46 Dems Baffle Party – Denver Post – August 24, 2008
Dueling Civil Rights Amendments May Vie for Votes – Rocky Mountain News – August 8, 2008
Amendment 46 Would Shake Up CU Scholarships – The Denver Post – July 25, 2008
Amendment 46, Initiative 82 Backers Go Toe-to-Toe in Accusations – The Colorado Statesman – July 18, 2008
Affirmative Action’s Dividing Line – The Denver Post – July 16, 2008
Ballot Initiative Under Fire – Denver Daily News – July 8, 2008
Debate – Democracy Now Radio – June 30, 2008
Amendment 46 Gains an Opponent - The Denver Post - June 11, 2008
Foes of Ballot Issue Get Big Name Backer - Denver Post - June 3, 2008
Group Challenges Anti-Affirmative-Action Initiative - The Denver Post - April 24, 2008
Fraud Alleged in Ballot Petitions - The Denver Post - April 2, 2008
Colorado Petition Draws Charges of Deception - New York Times - April 1, 2008
Colorado Unity Decline to Sign Flyer
Colorado Unity Decline to Sign Campaign Press Release
Colorado Legal Challenges – ACLU – July through September 2007
