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What does Amendment J do?
Amendment J stems back to the vote in 2006 vote that approved an amendment to the Colorado state constitution that only the union of "one man and one woman" is a valid or recognized marriage in Colorado. Amendment J repeals this language which has since been determined to be and declared unconstitutional by the state and the federal supreme court systems.
Because this language has been ruled unconstitutional, it does not currently impact the ability of same-sex couples to marry in Colorado. However, if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns its previous rulings, the legality of same-sex marriage would revert to each state. In the case of Colorado, the current constitutional definition of a valid marriage would revert to only recognizing same-sex marriages between a man and a woman, as well as an existing Colorado statute that defines marriage similarly, could prohibit new same-sex marriages in the state. It is currently unclear how Colorado's court rulings would be affected by a change in the current federal ruling.
In short, Amendment J aims to reset the definition that is codified in Colorado law to make sure that the current protections of marriage remain as a part of institutional and legal protections in the state.
What does a 'Yes' mean?
A “yes” vote on Amendment J repeals language in the Colorado Constitution that defines a valid marriage as a union between one man and one woman. This would rewrite the language to avoid potential impact to the legality of same-sex couples in Colorado. A vote of Yes keeps protections in place for all existing marriages.
What does a 'No' mean?
A “no” vote on Amendment J maintains the current language in the Colorado Constitution that defines a valid marriage as a union between one man and one woman. A vote of No potentially risks the legality of marriages in Colorado while maintaining outdated language that currently exists on the books.
Cast Your Impala Ballot
The Impala Ballot is a polling system we plan to use to look at the issues our community cares about and where their feelings lie. These polls are in no way affiliated with any party in the area and the information will only be used by the Poudre Press and potentially PHS Government classes.
Amendment J: Are you planning to vote/want to vote for or against?
- Yes to Amendment J!
- No to Amendment J!
References
“Three Minute Legal Talks: The Respect for Marriage Act | UW School of Law.” 2022. UW School of Law. https://www.law.uw.edu/news-events/news/2022/respect-for-marriage-act.
“2024 State Ballot Information Booklet.” 2024. Colorado General Assembly |. https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/2024-blue-book-english-accessible.pdf.
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