Colorado’s ballot measure would add requirements to the state mail-voting system intended to verify voters’ identity.
The measure is backed by the Colorado Voter Trust Initiative, a state-level political action committee whose donors include a out of Ohio that spent $2.2 million on the amendment as of mid-September.
The state constitutional amendment will need at least 55% support from voters to pass in the Nov. 3 election.
What would Amendment 84 do if passed?
If passed, Amendment 84 would change the Colorado Constitution to require voters to provide additional identification information beyond the existing signature requirement for their mail ballots to count, no matter how they return them.
Voters in federal and state elections would be required to include the last four digits of a government-issued identification number — their Social Security number, a Colorado driver’s license number or a state ID card number — on the envelope when submitting their mail ballot.
The county election office would be required to contact the voter and tell them how to remedy the situation if their identification information was missing or couldn’t be matched to the state’s voter registration database. The ballot would not be counted unless the voter corrected the information within eight days of Election Day, according to .
In 2024, 92% of all ballots cast in Colorado were mail ballots, most of which were deposited in drop boxes, according to the state voter guide.
As it stands, Colorado uses voter signatures to verify that ballots are legitimate.
What would Amendment 84 cost?
The amendment would increase spending by up to $2.7 million during the 2026-2027 fiscal year, which ends June 30, and by $1.2 million annually in future years, divided between state and local governments, the state voter guide said. The costs would fund voter outreach, printing and election staff.
What do supporters say?
Supporters of the measure argue Amendment 84 would strengthen election security because government-issued identification documents are more consistent than the current signature-verification process, according to the state’s Blue Book voter guide.
If a voter doesn’t have one of the required forms of identification, they could vote in person, supporters argue.
What do opponents say?
Opponents of the measure argue Amendment 84 adds needless obstacles to voting without improving election security, the state’s Blue Book voter guide said. They argue the current signature-verification method is safe and secure and that Amendment 84 would discourage people from utilizing Colorado’s most frequently used voting method.
