Election 2020: Coloradans vote on tax, abortion, family leave

Colorado voters sent mixed messages on taxes, while favoring paid family and medical leave for workers, and rejecting new restrictions on abortion in the election that ended Tuesday.

Meanwhile, measures to change how presidents are elected and on reintroducing wolves in western Colorado remained undecided in partial returns early Wednesday.

In Denver, the "yes" vote was leading on new taxes for climate and homelessness programs, and voters favored a repeal of the city's pit-bull ban.

With about 85% of the statewide vote tallied early Wednesday, Proposition 115, a measure to bar abortions after the 22nd week of pregnancy unless a woman’s life is at risk, was losing with a 59% no vote.

Proposition 118, calling for creation of a statewide program of paid family and medical leave for workers, was ahead with a 57% yes vote in partial returns.

And Amendment 76, which would write into the state constitution that all voters in state elections be U.S. citizens, enjoyed a 63% yes vote early Wednesday. The measure needs a 55% yes vote to pass.

As for several ballot questions involving taxes, Colorado voters favored some and opposed others. Of these, the marquee measure was Amendment B, a repeal of the state constitution's Gallagher Amendment, a 1982 provision that created a property tax formula that supporters say has cut into funding for schools, fire protection and other local programs in some areas. Early Wednesday, the yes side was leading with 57% of the vote.

And Proposition EE, raising taxes for tobacco and vaping products, was passing by better than 2-1.

But voters also were agreeing to Proposition 116, cutting the state income rate to 4.55% from the current 4.63%. Prop 117, requiring voter approval for certain state programs charging fees, was narrowly leading in partial returns.

Still close early Wednesday: Proposition 113, making Colorado part of a multistate pact to decide presidential elections by national popular vote rather than by state-by-state wins, was ahead by just a few percentage points. And the vote on Proposition 114, calling for reintroducing wolves in western Colorado, was a virtual tie.

In the city and county of Denver, Ballot Measures 2A and 2B, raising sales taxes to fund programs to combat climate and homelessness respectively, were both passing by wide margins in partial returns.

Denver voters also were supporting measure 2E, giving the city council power to approve or reject the mayor's appointment of various officials, with a 59% yes vote, while 2G, giving the council more budget authority, was favored by 55%. And city voters gave broad support to measure 2J, repealing the city ban on pit bull dogs, and 2H, which would give Denver the option of setting up a municipal high-speed internet service.

Ballot Measures 4A and 4B, boosting funding for Denver Public Schools through a bond issue and mill-levy increase, both were passing.

Check state and local results here:

https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/CO/105975/web.264614/#/summary