Johnstown-area voters will face a lengthy ballot in the Nov. 3, 2026 General Election, with 14 statewide ballot measures along with additional school-district and county issues that may vary depending on where a voter lives.
The Johnstown Republic 2026 Voter Guide is designed to help local residents understand what they are being asked to decide before casting their ballots.
Colorado’s official 2026 Blue Book includes analysis of all 14 statewide measures, including what each proposal would change, arguments submitted for and against the measures, and estimates of their fiscal impacts. Colorado General Assembly
Johnstown Republic will build on those official sources with individual explainers focused on what each measure means in plain language and, where applicable, how it could affect Johnstown-area residents.
This page will be updated as additional voter-guide stories are published.
Statewide Ballot Measures
Every Colorado voter will consider the following 14 statewide ballot measures in the Nov. 3 election. Colorado General Assembly
Amendment 81 — Law Enforcement Communication with Federal Immigration Authorities
The measure concerns when law enforcement agencies must notify federal immigration authorities after certain criminal charges are filed.
Johnstown Republic explainer: https://www.johnstownrepublic.com/amendment-81-law-enforcement-communication-with-federal-immigration-authorities/
Amendment 82 — Constitutional Right to Purchase and Sell Natural Gas
The measure would establish a right in the Colorado Constitution for consumers to purchase natural gas for cooking or heating in homes and businesses and for utilities and distributors to sell natural gas to consumers.
Johnstown Republic explainer: https://www.johnstownrepublic.com/amendment-82-constitutional-right-to-purchase-and-sell-natural-gas/
Amendment 83 — Constitutional Right to Hunt and Fish
The measure would establish a constitutional right to hunt and fish and designate hunting and fishing as preferred methods of managing certain fish and wildlife populations.
Johnstown Republic explainer: https://www.johnstownrepublic.com/amendment-83-constitutional-right-to-hunt-and-fish/
Amendment 84 — Mail Ballot Voter Identification
The measure would require voters using mail ballots in federal and state elections to provide certain identification information in addition to the signature currently used for ballot verification.
Johnstown Republic explainer: https://www.johnstownrepublic.com/amendment-84-mail-ballot-voter-identification/
Amendment 85 — Plain Language Ballot Titles
The measure would establish an eighth-grade reading-level standard for state and local ballot questions.
Johnstown Republic explainer: https://www.johnstownrepublic.com/amendment-85-plain-language-ballot-titles/
Amendment 86 — Requirements for Off-Cycle Congressional Redistricting
The measure would establish additional requirements for changing Colorado congressional district boundaries outside the regularly scheduled redistricting process.
Johnstown Republic explainer: https://www.johnstownrepublic.com/amendment-86-requirements-for-off-cycle-congressional-redistricting/
Amendment 87 — Graduated Income Tax
The measure would replace Colorado’s current flat state income-tax structure with graduated rates and direct additional revenue toward K-12 education, health care and early-childhood care and education.
Johnstown Republic explainer: https://www.johnstownrepublic.com/amendment-87-graduated-income-tax/
Proposition NN — Keep and Spend Money for Education and Other Purposes
The measure concerns state revenue and funding for education and other specified purposes.
Johnstown Republic explainer: https://www.johnstownrepublic.com/proposition-nn-keep-and-spend-money-for-education-and-other-purposes/
Proposition 132 — Increase Penalties for Fentanyl Crimes
The measure concerns criminal penalties involving fentanyl.
Johnstown Republic explainer: https://www.johnstownrepublic.com/proposition-132-increase-penalties-for-fentanyl-crimes/
Proposition 133 — Penalties for Human Trafficking of a Minor
The measure concerns criminal penalties for human trafficking involving minors.
Johnstown Republic explainer: https://www.johnstownrepublic.com/proposition-133-penalties-for-human-trafficking-of-a-minor/
Proposition 134 — Male and Female Participation in School and Collegiate Sports
The measure concerns participation in school and collegiate athletic programs based on sex.
Johnstown Republic explainer: https://www.johnstownrepublic.com/proposition-134-male-and-female-participation-in-school-and-collegiate-sports/
Proposition 135 — Prohibit Surgery on Minors in Response to Perception of Sex or Gender
The measure concerns certain surgeries performed on minors for the purpose of altering biological sex characteristics.
Johnstown Republic explainer: https://www.johnstownrepublic.com/proposition-135-prohibit-surgery-on-minors-in-response-to-perception-of-sex-or-gender/
Proposition 136 — Income Tax Rate Limit
The measure would cap Colorado’s individual and corporate state income-tax rates at 4.4% of federal taxable income beginning in 2027.
Johnstown Republic explainer: https://www.johnstownrepublic.com/proposition-136-income-tax-rate-limit/
Proposition 137 — Direct Sporting Goods Sales Tax Revenue for Conservation
The measure would allow Colorado to retain and direct a portion of existing state sales-tax revenue from sporting goods and equipment toward water, land and forest conservation, wildfire prevention and outdoor-recreation purposes.
Johnstown Republic explainer: https://www.johnstownrepublic.com/proposition-137-direct-sporting-goods-sales-tax-revenue-for-conservation/
Weld RE-5J Ballot Issue 5A
Voters who live within the Weld RE-5J School District will also consider Ballot Issue 5A.
The measure concerns extension of the school district’s existing mill levy override. Because eligibility is based on school-district boundaries, not every person with a Johnstown mailing address will necessarily receive the same local ballot.
Johnstown Republic explainer: https://www.johnstownrepublic.com/weld-re-5j-ballot-issue-5a-mill-levy-override-extension/
For Johnstown Residents in Larimer County
Johnstown crosses the Weld-Larimer county line, meaning some residents will have county-specific ballot questions that their neighbors in Weld County will not.
Larimer County Ballot Issue 1A
Larimer County voters will consider Ballot Issue 1A, which proposes a 0.3% countywide sales-and-use tax to support community resilience and other county needs.
This issue applies to Johnstown residents whose voting residence is within Larimer County.
Johnstown Republic explainer: https://www.johnstownrepublic.com/larimer-county-ballot-issue-1a-community-resilience-and-needs-sales-tax/
Your Ballot May Be Different
Not every Johnstown voter will receive exactly the same ballot.
Johnstown spans two counties and multiple taxing, school and special-district boundaries. A voter’s residential address determines which local races and ballot measures appear.
The statewide measures will appear throughout Colorado, while measures such as Weld RE-5J Ballot Issue 5A and Larimer County Ballot Issue 1A apply only to voters who reside within those jurisdictions.
Johnstown Republic will clearly identify those boundaries in individual voter-guide stories.
How Johnstown Republic Will Cover the Ballot
The purpose of this voter guide is to explain the ballot, not tell readers how to vote.
For each major ballot measure, Johnstown Republic will examine:
- What the measure would change
- What a YES vote would do
- What a NO vote would do
- Financial and taxpayer impacts, where applicable
- Arguments made by supporters
- Arguments made by opponents
- Potential local relevance
- Official ballot language and source documents
Colorado Legislative Council Staff says its Blue Book analyses are intended to fairly present the major arguments for and against each statewide measure and include estimates of fiscal impacts. Johnstown Republic will use those materials along with official county, school-district and other government records when preparing its coverage.