Submitting to the registered electors of the state of Colorado an amendment to the Colorado constitution concerning a prohibition on a person being a state legislator for a term of office immediately following the unexpired term for which th...
Summary
House Concurrent Resolution 26-1005 proposes a constitutional amendment to be submitted to Colorado voters at the November 2026 general election. The measure would bar a person from serving as a state representative or state senator for the term immediately following a term in which that person was appointed to fill a vacancy in the same legislative district. In effect, if someone is appointed midterm to the General Assembly, they would be ineligible to run for or serve in the next full term right after that appointed term ends.
The resolution also sets out the ballot language and requires approval by at least 55% of voters on the question for the amendment to become part of the Colorado Constitution. It amends Article V, section 4, which currently lists qualifications for legislators, by adding a new restriction tied specifically to appointment-based service in the same district.
Impact
If approved by voters, the measure would change Colorado’s constitution and directly affect eligibility for legislative office in cases where a vacancy is filled by appointment. It would not alter ordinary election qualifications such as age, citizenship, or residency, but it would add a new disqualification for the immediately subsequent term after an appointed vacancy fill. The practical effect would be to limit the ability of appointed legislators to continue seamlessly into the next term, potentially affecting succession planning, vacancy appointments, and candidate recruitment in the General Assembly.
Sentiment
The available record shows little public debate in the provided materials, and the bill was ultimately postponed indefinitely in the House Committee on State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs. That action suggests the proposal did not advance out of committee and may not have had sufficient support or priority to move forward. Because there are no recorded votes or committee transcripts here, the overall sentiment can only be characterized as limited and inconclusive, with no documented floor-level support or opposition in the supplied context.
Contention
The main policy issue is whether appointed legislators should be allowed to immediately seek or serve the next full term in the same district. Supporters of such a restriction would likely argue it prevents appointed incumbency advantages and preserves the idea that appointed service is temporary. Opponents would likely view it as an unnecessary limitation on voter choice and a penalty on individuals who were selected to fill vacancies, especially in districts where appointments are used to maintain continuity. The committee’s postponement indefinitely indicates the proposal did not reach a point of resolved consensus.