2026 Voter Guide: This article is part of Johnstown Republic’s guide to the Nov. 3 ballot.
Colorado voters will decide Amendment 85, a proposed constitutional amendment that would require ballot titles to be written in plain language at no more than an eighth-grade reading level.
The citizen-initiated amendment requires at least 55% of the vote to pass, according to Colorado’s official 2026 Blue Book.
What would Amendment 85 do?
Amendment 85 would require all ballot titles in Colorado to use plain language and be written at no higher than an eighth-grade reading level.
Colorado law already requires ballot titles for citizen initiatives to be brief, understandable to a broad audience and written in plain language when possible. Measures referred to voters by the state legislature are also subject to requirements that their titles use plain, nontechnical language.
Amendment 85 would add the eighth-grade reading-level standard to the Colorado Constitution. The state’s ballot analysis describes that level as language generally understood by a majority of people, typically using shorter sentences, familiar words and a conversational tone.
The amendment does not specify a formula for measuring reading level or designate who would determine whether a ballot title meets the standard.
It would also prohibit state laws from requiring specific wording in the ballot title of a citizen initiative when that wording interferes with the plain-language requirement.
Current Colorado law requires certain initiatives, including some involving taxes, to include specific information in their ballot titles. Amendment 85 could prevent those requirements from being enforced when the required wording conflicts with the new constitutional standard. That restriction on mandated language applies to citizen initiatives, not measures referred to voters by the state legislature.
What does a YES vote mean?
A YES vote would require ballot titles to be written in plain language at no more than an eighth-grade reading level.
It would also prohibit state laws from requiring wording in citizen-initiative ballot titles when that wording interferes with the plain-language requirement.
What does a NO vote mean?
A NO vote would leave current law in place.
Colorado would continue requiring ballot titles to use plain language and be understandable to a broad audience, but there would be no constitutional requirement that they meet a specific grade-level reading standard.
What would it cost?
Amendment 85 is expected to have minimal financial impact.
The Legislative Council Staff fiscal analysis estimates no change in state revenue or expenditures.
The state Title Board could face a minimal increase in workload as it develops and applies standards for determining whether citizen-initiative ballot titles meet the plain-language and eighth-grade reading-level requirements.
Arguments for and against
Supporters argue that Amendment 85 would provide a clearer standard for determining whether ballot titles are understandable. They contend that requiring an eighth-grade reading level could make complicated ballot measures easier for voters to understand and prevent future legislatures from requiring overly complex wording in citizen-initiative titles.
Opponents argue that Colorado already requires ballot titles to use plain language and that the amendment does not establish a method for determining whether the eighth-grade standard has been met. They contend that the uncertainty could result in additional legal challenges over ballot titles.
Opponents also argue that some information currently required in ballot titles, particularly information about tax and spending effects, can help voters understand the consequences of a proposal even if it makes the title more complex. The arguments for and against the measure are summarized in the official Blue Book analysis.
What does this mean for Johnstown?
Amendment 85 would apply statewide, including to ballot questions presented to Johnstown voters.
The amendment contains no provisions specific to Johnstown. Its effect locally would be on how future state and local ballot titles are written for measures appearing before Johnstown-area voters.
Official information
The complete ballot analysis, fiscal-impact statement and measure documents are available through the Colorado General Assembly’s official Amendment 85 page.