Amendment 86: Requirements for Off-Cycle Congressional Redistricting
Statewide — all of Colorado
General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026
- Placed on the ballot by citizen initiative. The Blue Book lists 14 statewide measures on the November 3, 2026 ballot. See also Ballotpedia's separate listing of a temporary congressional map initiative that is not on the ballot.[1][2]
The question on the ballot
Shall there be an amendment to the Colorado Constitution concerning congressional redistricting, and, in connection therewith, reenacting the current process for congressional redistricting in the Colorado Constitution and prohibiting modifications to a final map unless at least three public meetings are held, the modifications do not have the effect of dividing communities of interest or purposefully favoring one political party, and are approved by the congressional redistricting commission and the Colorado Supreme Court?[1]
Requires that any change to congressional districts outside the regular post-census redistricting be reviewed by the Colorado Independent Congressional Redistricting Commission after at least three public hearings and approved by the Colorado Supreme Court, and prohibits off-cycle changes that intentionally favor a political party or unnecessarily divide communities of interest. The Blue Book notes that since 2025 at least ten states have changed congressional maps off-cycle. Passes with 55 percent of the vote. Fiscal impact: about $370,000 in any year the commission must convene, plus a small Judicial Department workload increase.[1]
A YES vote means
Requires the Colorado Independent Congressional Redistricting Commission to approve any new congressional districts proposed outside of a scheduled redistricting year.
A NO vote means
Continues the current requirements for changing congressional districts every ten years.
The law today
Colorado's constitution (since a 2018 amendment) creates the Colorado Independent Congressional Redistricting Commission, formed every ten years to draw the state's eight congressional districts using census data, legal criteria and public input; the last commission finished in 2021 and the next will meet in 2031. The current process is designed for redistricting immediately after the census and does not establish a process specifically for off-cycle redistricting (Blue Book).[1]
Official fiscal estimate
Per the Blue Book, the Legislative Department would spend about $370,000 in any year the commission must convene to review off-cycle changes (staff, commissioner reimbursement and legal counsel), and the Judicial Department would have a small workload increase to review new maps.[1]
Arguments made for
- Blue Book argument for: "Amendment 86 protects public participation in any off-cycle changes to congressional districts and ensures that changes are reviewed through a fair and transparent process."[1]
- Michael Fields, who leads Advance Colorado (the sponsor), told Colorado Politics earlier this year, as quoted by The Colorado Sun: "The gist of it is adding criteria around competitiveness and not allowing maps to be drawn to benefit one political party."[4]
Arguments made against
- Blue Book argument against: "If Colorado voters ever want to enact new congressional districts in an off-cycle redistricting year, this measure stands in their way." It adds that "Voters should always have the final word on whether Colorado's congressional districts still reflect the state's needs."[1]
- Val Beck, executive director of Colorado Draws the Line, said in a written statement quoted by The Colorado Sun: "While Republicans freely redraw congressional maps in red states to eliminate Democratic seats, Advance Colorado is trying to make sure Colorado can never fight back."[4]
On record in support
On record in opposition
- Colorado Draws the Line, an issue committee: says it will fight Amendment 86. The Colorado Sun reports there is little organized opposition and that Coloradans for a Level Playing Field does not plan to campaign against it.[4]
Campaign money
Fair Redistricting Colorado, which supports Amendment 86, received $250,000 in August from the American Revival PAC (created by U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson); its only other reported money came from Advance Colorado, which does not disclose its donors. Colorado Draws the Line, which says it will oppose the measure, had reported no money as of Sept. 21 (The Colorado Sun, Sept. 21, 2026).[5]
Research notes & limits
Source: the official 2026 Blue Book (Legislative Council Staff, nonpartisan), which gives the ballot title, the 'what your vote means' text, an analysis with arguments for and against, and the fiscal impact. Its 'for' and 'against' arguments are the staff's own summaries of the main arguments on each side, not statements from named campaigns; the booklet points to the Secretary of State's page for supporting and opposing organizations, which was not reviewed here. Ballotpedia is cited only for the certified-measure count. Ballotpedia notes a separate road-funding initiative was certified but withdrawn after its proponents reached an agreement with the state, so it is not on the ballot.
Sources · 5
Researched 2026-10-19. Green citations are official government records.
- 1.2026 State Ballot Information Booklet (Blue Book) · Colorado Legislative Council Staff · 2026-09-10 Official record
- 2.Colorado 2026 ballot measures · Ballotpedia · 2026-10-18 Reference
- 3.Amendments and Propositions on the 2026 Ballot: information and contacts (registered issue committees) · Colorado Secretary of State Official record
- 4.Amendment 86: Congressional redistricting in Colorado outside the normal process would have more barriers · The Colorado Sun · 2026-09-29 News report
- 5.House Speaker Mike Johnson's PAC pours $250K into Colorado redistricting fight · The Colorado Sun · 2026-09-21 News report