Press Release: Boulder Voters Call for Constitutional Amendment

For Immediate Release: November 1, 2011

Press Contact: Elena Nunez, enunez@commoncause.org, (720) 339-3273

Boulder Voters Call for Constitutional Amendment

Historic Vote Declares that Corporations Should Not Have Constitutional Rights

and Money is Not Free Speech

Boulder-With 85% of the vote reporting at 9:30PM, Boulder voters have overwhelmingly passed Measure 2H with 72.56% vote. By approving 2H, Boulder voters have declared that corporations should not have the same rights as human beings, and that spending money should not be considered a form of free speech.

“At Council meetings we heard from countless Boulder voters who wanted to speak out on this important issue,” said City Councilor Macon Cowles, sponsor of 2H. “Passing 2H was a concrete way for voters to call for real action on a constitutional amendment.”

“The Boulder vote is a significant victory in the movement to reclaim our democracy,” commented Elena Nunez, Executive Director of Colorado Common Cause. “Boulder voters overwhelmingly agreed that we need to stop corporations and other powerful interests from dominating our elections.”

“This referendum grew as a response to the overwhelming influence of corporate power and money on all aspects of our society, including our government, economy, media, environment, education and health care,” noted Carolyn Bninski of the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center, one of the founding groups in this campaign. “We have seen people take to the streets with Occupy Boulder, and with 2H, they were able to take to the ballot box too.”

“We asked Boulder voters to stand up for democracy, and they did,” said Laura Spicer, Vice Chair of the Boulder County Democratic Party. “Together we are sending a powerful message for ending the corruption of corporate dominance and influence on elections and our government.”

“These local referendums have a ripple effect outward to the rest of the country,” concluded Judy Lubow with Boulder Move to Amend. “This vote is an essential step in the direction of regaining control by ordinary citizens.”

Endorsed by: Boulder County Move To Amend, Boulder County Democratic Party, Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center, Colorado Common Cause, Boulder Area Labor Council-AFLCIO, Boulder County Peace Group, Boulder Veterans for Peace, Democratic Women of Boulder County, Earth Guardians, Greater Boulder Green Party, PLAN-Boulder County, Power Past Coal, Sierra Club-Indian Peaks Group, Student Humans Ending Legal Fiction (SHELF), 350.org

YES on 2H Management Team: Carolyn Bninski, Regina Cowles, Gina Hardin, Judy Lubow, Elena Nunez & Laura Spicer