A Legacy of Reform in Colorado
Colorado Common Cause Accomplishments
2005 Voter verified paper trail bill. Colorado Common Cause led the effort to pass election reform bills that will increase voter confidence. The bills will create a voter verifiable paper trail, meaningful audits of electronic voting machines and will count provisional ballots cast in the wrong precinct for federal and statewide races.
2004 State Treasurer Lawsuit. This ruling sets an important precedent - elected officials can not utilize public funds to advocate for or against an initiative. Election Lawsuit. Colorado Common Cause succeeded in an action against Colorado's Secretary of State to allow voters who requested but did not cast their absentee ballot to vote by provisional ballot on Election Day at their polling place.
2002 Statewide Campaign Finance Reform. Colorado Common Cause led the campaign to author, qualify and pass Amendment 27, a strong, comprehensive initiative that limits campaign contributions and spending and ensures full disclosure of the money spent to influence our elections. Amendment 27 passed overwhelmingly with 66% of the vote
2001 Denver Ethics Code. Colorado Common Cause worked with the League of Women Voters and City Council members to draft, lobby, and pass a stronger ethics code. The code permits citizens to file complaints, creates an ethics board with subpoena power, bans the hiring of family members, and restricts gifts
1999 City of Boulder Campaign Finance Reform. Common Cause worked with a coalition of local citizens, the League of Women Voters and CoPIRG to pass a local campaign finance reform initiative on the November ballot that limits contributions and spending and provides public funding to qualifying candidates
1989 GAVEL Lawsuit. Colorado Common Cause began legal action against the House majority caucus in 1989 for violation of the anti-binding caucus provision of GAVEL. In April 1991 Common Cause won a major victory in a Supreme Court decision determining the enforceability of this constitutional amendment initiated and passed by the voters of Colorado.
1988 GAVEL Amendment. Passed by initiative in 1988, the GAVEL (Give A Vote to Every Legislator) Amendment prevents the arbitrary pocketing of bills by committee chairs, the killing of bills in the House Rules Committee and the practice of the binding caucus prior to full floor debate.
1984 Office of Consumer Counsel - Public Utilities Commission. Created an office of consumer counsel to represent residential, small business and agricultural ratepayers before the Public Utilities Commission.
1984 Motor Voter Law. An initiative passed by the voters in 1984 that permits voter registration in drivers license facilities. Significantly increased voter registration in Colorado from 59% of eligible voters in 1984 to 82% in 1988.
1979 Repeal of the State Sales Tax on Food. After years of lobbying for removal of this tax, success was finally achieved in 1979. Recent efforts to reenact this tax have gone down to resounding defeat.
1976 The Nation's First Sunset Law. This nationally acclaimed legislation was drafted by Common Cause members in Colorado and has been adopted by 35 other states. The law reviews and terminates government agencies that cannot justify their continued existence.
1974 Campaign Reform Act of 1974. Requires public disclosure of campaign contributions - before elections - for the first time in Colorado history. This statute was strengthened in 1988 and 1992.
1972 The Nation's First Sunshine Law. Requires open meetings (including caucuses), disclosure of financial interests by elected officials, reports by lobbyists of how much they spend on lobbying and on gifts to public officials.