2016 Colorado Amendment 69

2016 Colorado Amendment 69

November 8, 2016
Creation of ColoradoCare System
Results
Choice Votes % Yes 568,683 21.23% No 2,109,868 78.77% Total votes 2,678,551 100.00%
County results No   >90%   80–90%   70–80%   60–70%   50–60%

2016 Colorado Amendment 69 was an initiated constitutional amendment that appeared on the November 8, 2016, ballot. The measure aimed to create universal healthcare for state residents by introducing ColoradoCare, which would be paid for through the introduction of a 10% payroll tax. ^[1]

Background

ColoradoCare would have been primarily funded through the introduction of a 10% payroll tax, with two-thirds paid by employers and one-third paid by employees. Provisions in the Affordable Care Act mean that Colorado also could've received federal funding towards the universal healthcare system. ^{[2] [1]}

Endorsements

Yes

U.S. senators

• Bernie Sanders, Vermont (2007–present) (Independent) ^[3]

State legislators

• Jeanne Nicholson, former state senator from the 16th district (2011–2015) (Democratic) ^[4]
• Irene Aguilar, state senator from the 32nd district (2011–2019) (Democratic) ^[4]

Individuals

• Noam Chomsky, linguist and political activist ^[5]
• Gloria Steinem, journalist (Democratic) ^[6]
• T. R. Reid, journalist ^[7]
• Arn Menconi, environmental activist (Green) ^{[8] [a]}
• Paul Noel Fiorino, perennial candidate (Republican) ^{[9] [b]}

Organizations

• League of Women Voters of Colorado ^[10]
• Our Revolution ^[3]
• Progressive Democrats of America ^[11]
• American Friends Service Committee ^[11]
• Healthcare Now ^[11]
• Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington ^[11]
• Public Citizen ^[11]

Newspapers

• The Aurora Sentinel ^[12]
• Colorado Springs Independent ^[12]

No

U.S. senators

• Michael Bennet, Colorado (2009–present) (Democratic) ^[13]

U.S. representatives

• Ken Buck, CO-04 (2015–2024) (Republican) ^[12]
• Mike Coffman, CO-06 (2009–2019) (Republican) ^[12]
• Doug Lamborn, CO-05 (2007–2025) (Republican) ^[12]
• Scott Tipton, CO-03 (2011–2021) (Republican) ^[12]

Statewide officials

• John Hickenlooper, governor of Colorado (2011–2019) (Democratic) ^{[14] [c]}
• Bill Ritter, former governor of Colorado (2007–2011) (Democratic) ^[14]
• Bill Owens, former governor of Colorado (1999–2007) (Republican) ^[15]
• Walker Stapleton, treasurer of Colorado (2011–2019) (Republican) ^[16]
• Wayne Williams, secretary of state of Colorado (2015–2019) (Republican) ^[15]
• Cynthia Coffman, attorney general of Colorado (2015–2019) (Republican) ^[12]

State legislators

• Morgan Carroll, President of the Colorado Senate (2013–2015) from the 29th district (2009–2017) (Democratic) ^[12]
• Bob Gardner, former state representative from the 20th district (2011–2015) and 21st district (2007–2011) (Republican) ^{[17] [d]}
• Crisanta Duran, House Majority Leader (2015–2017) from the 5th district (2011–2019) (Democratic) ^[18]

Individuals

• John Elway, former NFL quarterback and manager of the Denver Broncos (Republican) ^[19]

Labor unions

• Colorado Hospital Association ^[14]
• United Food and Commercial Workers ^[18]

Organizations

• Americans for Prosperity ^[20]
• NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado ^[21]
• ProgressNow ^[18]
• Yampa Valley Medical Center ^[22]
• Colorado Medical Society ^[23]
• San Luis Valley Health ^[24]

Newspapers

• The Denver Post ^[14]
• Fort Collins Coloradoan ^[12]
• Longmont Times-Call ^[12]
• Reporter-Herald ^[12]
• Greeley Tribune ^[12]

Declined to endorse

Individuals

• Jill Stein, Green Party nominee for President in 2012 and 2016 (Green) ^{[8] [e]}

Labor unions

• AFL-CIO Colorado ^[25]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size [f]	Margin of error	Yes	No	Undecided
Franklin & Marshall-Colorado Mesa University [26]	September 14–18, 2016	540 (RV)	± 5.10%	30%	56%	14%
Magellan Strategies [27]	August 29–31, 2016	500 (RV)	± 4.38%	27%	65%	8%
Magellan Strategies [28]	January 27–31, 2016	751 (LV)	± 3.58%	43%	50%	7%

Results

Amendment 69

Choice	Votes	%
No	2,109,868	78.77
Yes	568,683	21.23
Total votes	2,678,551	100.00
Source: Colorado Secretary of State

By county

County	For		Against		Total votes cast
	#	%	#	%
Adams	32,199	26.67%	136,235	73.33%	185,793
Alamosa	1,304	22.58%	5,489	77.42%	7,090
Arapahoe	59,879	20.51%	232,136	79.49%	292,015
Archuleta	1,154	16.29%	5,928	83.71%	7,082
Baca	160	7.68%	1,922	92.32%	2,082
Bent	249	13.21%	1,636	86.79%	1,885
Boulder	68,312	38.20%	110,509	61.80%	178,821
Broomfield	7,675	21.90%	29,029	79.10%	36,704
Chaffee	2,661	24.02%	8,416	75.98%	11,077
Cheyenne	73	6.70%	1,016	93.30%	1,089
Clear Creek	1,269	12.12%	4,467	77.88%	5,736
Conejos	571	14.60%	3,338	85.40%	3,909
Costilla	467	27.52%	1,230	72.48%	1,697
Crowley	167	11.17%	1,328	88.83%	1,495
Custer	387	12.77%	2,643	87.23%	3,030
Delta	2,528	15.33%	13,962	84.67%	16,490
Denver	102,543	32.95%	208,676	67.05%	311,219
Dolores	170	14.29%	1,020	85.71%	1,190
Douglas	22,815	12.43%	160,782	87.57%	183,597
Eagle	6,045	25.02%	18,116	74.98%	24,162
El Paso	47,591	15.01%	259,320	84.49%	306,911
Elbert	1,303	8.17%	14,461	91.73%	15,764
Fremont	2,987	13.76%	18,724	86.24%	21,711
Garfield	5,721	22.14%	20,123	77.86%	25,845
Gilpin	948	26.86%	2,581	73.14%	3,529
Grand	1,881	22.22%	6,585	77.78%	8,466
Gunnison	2,924	31.92%	6,235	68.08%	9,159
Hinsdale	102	17.35%	486	82.65%	588
Huerfano	750	20.48%	2,913	79.52%	3,663
Jackson	96	11.85%	714	88.15%	810
Jefferson	60,670	18.90%	260,336	81.10%	321,006
Kiowa	54	6.51%	775	93.49%	829
Kit Carson	275	7.64%	3,323	92.36%	3,598
La Plata	7,831	26.18%	21,965	73.72%	29,796
Lake	872	18.16%	2,225	71.84%	3,097
Larimer	43,007	22.90%	144,792	77.10%	187,799
Las Animas	1,174	18.11%	5,307	81.89%	6,481
Lincoln	207	8.66%	2,183	91.34%	2,390
Logan	844	8.90%	8,643	91.10%	9,487
Mesa	11,439	15.33%	63,683	84.77%	75,122
Mineral	135	21.33%	498	78.67%	633
Moffat	667	10.52%	5,676	89.48%	6,343
Montezuma	2,643	21.16%	9,848	78.84%	12,491
Montrose	2,867	23.79%	17,924	86.21%	20,791
Morgan	1,433	12.28%	10,235	87.72%	11,668
Otero	1,122	13.43%	7,234	86.57%	8,356
Ouray	1,033	32.02%	2,193	67.98%	3,226
Park	1,808	17.73%	8,387	82.27%	10,195
Phillips	203	9.01%	2,050	90.99%	2,253
Pitkin	3,556	35.75%	6,391	64.25%	9,947
Prowers	519	11.57%	4,391	89.43%	4,910
Pueblo	12,272	16.11%	63,900	83.89%	76,172
Rio Blanco	266	7.98%	3,068	92.02%	3,334
Rio Grande	860	15.88%	4,555	84.12%	5,415
Routt	3,496	25.43%	10,192	74.57%	13,668
Saguache	911	32.27%	1,827	66.73%	2,738
San Juan	163	34.98%	303	65.02%	466
San Miguel	1,829	44.93%	2,242	55.07%	4,071
Sedgwick	153	11.52%	1,175	88.48%	1,328
Summit	4,610	29.52%	11,009	70.48%	15,619
Teller	1,803	12.79%	12,297	87.21%	14,100
Washington	170	6.34%	2,512	93.66%	2,682
Weld	20,037	15.24%	111,477	84.76%	131,514
Yuma	394	8.39%	4,300	91.61%	4,694
Total	568,683	21.23%	2,109,868	78.77%	2,678,551

See also

• 2016 United States ballot measures

Notes

1. Menconi has since distanced himself from the Green Party and registered as a Democrat
2. Fiorino ran for U.S. Senate that same year as an 'unaffiliated candidate', but remained a registered Republican. He served as Business Chair of the Colorado Republican Party from 2002 until 2004
3. Since 2021, Hickenlooper has represented Colorado in the U.S. Senate
4. Gardner was later elected to the Colorado State Senate representing the 12th district, serving from 2017 to 2025
5. Stein later ran for President again in 2024
6. Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear

References

1. "Colorado Creation of ColoradoCare System, Amendment 69 (2016)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
2. "Text of Initiative 20 (Amendment 69)" (PDF). Colorado Secretary of State. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
3. Daley, John (August 25, 2016). "Bernie Sanders Backs Universal Health Care Ballot Measure Colorado Care". Colorado Public Radio. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
4. "State Senators Make Case for Universal Health Care Initiative". Public News Service. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
5. Evans, Angela K. (October 6, 2016). "Heath[sic] care: A right or a privilege?". Boulder Weekly. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
6. "Amendment 69 in Colorado: What you need to know about ColoradoCare". The Denver Post. September 24, 2016. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
7. "ColoradoCare measure Amendment 69 defeated soundly". The Denver Post. November 8, 2016. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
8. Hutchins, Corey (August 27, 2016). "In Colorado, Green Party's Jill Stein won't endorse the ColoradoCare universal healthcare ballot measure". The Colorado Independent. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
9. "Paul Noel Fiorino: U.S. Senate". Boulder Daily Camera. October 15, 2016. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
10. "Universal Health Care Ballot Initiative Wins Ally in Colorado". Public News Service. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
11. "Colorado Creation of ColoradoCare System, Amendment 69 (2016) - Supporters". Ballotpedia. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
12. Miller, Blair (October 21, 2016). "7 things to know about Amendment 69". Denver 7 Colorado News (KMGH).
13. Hutchins, Corey (April 21, 2016). "Sen. Michael Bennet comes out against ColoradoCare". The Colorado Independent. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
14. "No on Amendment 69: ColoradoCare would be too costly". The Denver Post. April 1, 2016. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
15. "Colorado Creation of ColoradoCare System, Amendment 69 (2016) - Opponents". Ballotpedia. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
16. "Stapleton stops in Akron to advocate against Amendment 69". Akron News-Reporter. August 3, 2016. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
17. "GUEST COLUMN: Amendment 69 is an unmitigated disaster for Coloradans". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
18. "Progress Now comes out against Colorado Care ballot measure". FOX 31. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
19. McKibbin, Mike (October 25, 2016). "Elway ads promote amendment 71, oppose 69 & 70". Colorado Politics. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
20. Hutchins, Corey (April 21, 2016). "Colorado is in Americans for Prosperity's 'persuasion universe'". The Colorado Independent. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
21. "Would Amendment 69 limit access to abortion in Colorado?". The Denver Post. June 24, 2016. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
22. "YVMC: Hospital opposes Amendment 69". Steamboat Pilot. October 20, 2016. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
23. McGraw, Scott (October 24, 2016). "Amendment 69 Opposition from the Left and Right". CCIG. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
24. "SLV Health Formally Opposes Amendment 69 | San Luis Valley Health". www.sanluisvalleyhealth.org. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
25. "Colorado AFL-CIO Releases Final List of 2016 Election Endorsements | Colorado AFL-CIO". CO AFL-CIO. September 14, 2016. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
26. "Summary of Poll Findings" (PDF). Colorado Mesa University. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
27. "AMENDMENT 69 / COLORDOCARE SURVEY FINDINGS" (PDF). Magellan Strategies. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
28. "Polling, Amendment 69" (PDF). Magellan Strategies. Retrieved October 29, 2025.