DENVER – With less than 30 days until the most consequential election in American history, ACLU of Colorado launched its 2020 Voter Guide today to help people better understand the candidates’ positions on critical civil liberties issues and what ballot initiatives to look out for including: Amendment 76 regarding citizenship qualification of electors, Proposition 113 for the national popular vote, Proposition 115 concerning the ban on abortion later in pregnancy and Proposition 118 for paid family and medical leave. This year’s Voter Guide specifically focuses on the race for District Attorney, highlighting candidates in Judicial District 1 for Jefferson and Gilpin county and Judicial District 18, which includes Arapahoe, Douglas, Lincoln and Elbert counties.
"We all know who we are going to vote for at the top of the ballot, but we need everyone to be informed about ballot measures and down-ballot races like the District Attorney,” said ACLU of Colorado Campaigns Director Delana Maynes. “These races and ballot issues will have an immediate effect on the lives of Coloradans and set precedent for the entire country. It is critical for all voters to be armed with the facts and able to educate others in their community.”
ACLU does not endorse candidates, but it does take positions on amendments and propositions. This year, ACLU of Colorado is urging people to vote against misleading ballot initiatives like Amendment 76, aimed at disenfranchising younger voters and limiting accessibility at the ballot box, and Proposition 115, a politically motivated attack on abortion rights that disregards health or individual circumstances. The Guide also uplifts propositions worth saying yes to, like Proposition 118 that would allow more Colorado families access to paid family and medical leave, and Proposition 113, in support of the national popular vote to ensure that every vote in a presidential election counts.
This year’s Voter Guide is part of ACLU of Colorado’s first-ever virtual Get Out the Vote campaign in collaboration with ACLU activists and supporters. ACLU’s Get Out the Vote work will run through Election Day and continue with any necessary accountability work needed post-election.
“Colorado has been a beacon for the nation when it comes to expanding voting rights for working people,” said ACLU of Colorado Campaign Coordinator Jen Samano. “But expansion without education is not enough. With election noise at a fever pitch, we want to give concerned Coloradan’s much-needed clarity on what’s at stake so they can vote and take meaningful action for their future.”
