Colorado Voters Will Consider Plain Language Ballot Measure

Amendment 85 aims to simplify ballot language by mandating that questions be written at an 8th grade reading level.

Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Elections

Isometric editorial illustration of a ballot envelope, a wooden stylus, and a ballot slip, representing clear communication in voting policy. — Colorado voters will consider Amendment 85 in 2026, a constitutional measure requiring state and local ballot questions to meet an eighth-grade reading level. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should all state and local ballot questions be legally required to meet plain language standards?

Colorado voters will decide the fate of Amendment 85 in the 2026 election, a measure that would mandate plain language standards for all state and local ballot questions. The proposal specifically requires that all such questions be written at no higher than an 8th grade reading level.

Why it matters

The measure seeks to improve public accessibility to the democratic process by ensuring that complicated legal phrasing does not hinder a voter's ability to understand the questions they are being asked to decide. It also prevents state statutes from requiring language that conflicts with these new plain language mandates for citizen-initiated measures.

Initiative #234 requires that all ballot questions maintain a reading level of no higher than 8th grade. Constitutional amendments in Colorado require 55% voter approval to pass.

The details

The measure modifies the Colorado Constitution to establish these strict readability standards for all state and local ballot items. By formalizing these language requirements, the proposal aims to limit complex bureaucratic jargon in future elections.

Amendment 85 will appear on the ballot for Colorado voters in 2026.

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Political Context

Amendment 85 represents a direct constitutional change to the Colorado Constitution, effectively overriding existing legislative control over ballot phrasing. This initiative reflects a broader movement to ensure that citizen-initiated measures are not obscured by dense legal terminology.

If passed, this amendment will change how every Colorado citizen interacts with their ballot by mandating more readable and accessible language. Voters will no longer need to navigate highly complex, dense legal phrasing to understand the core intent of future initiatives.

The takeaway

Simplifying ballot language is a frequent goal of electoral reform aimed at increasing voter comprehension and participation. Citizens should track how these proposed reading standards compare to the current complexity of legal drafts in their local jurisdictions.