Hey y’all! As I’ve been sitting down to do my homework on this year’s massive ballot, I’ve found myself stopped at Amendment 81, asking a lot of “whys.”
At first glance, the commercials make it sound incredibly simple. But once you look past the 30-second TV ads, you realize it forces us to make a major choice about government control. For me, this is a firm NO.
Here is why: I don’t think we should be giving state and federal employees that much power. Hardcoding these rigid mandates into our state constitution shifts too much control around. Let’s get real—if a criminal does something serious enough, the federal government is going to get involved anyway. Our systems already have ways of taking care of business when it matters most. Instead of adding sweeping constitutional mandates that expand employee power, each local law enforcement agency should simply be privy to the necessary records and information sharing to keep us safe, without the extra overreach.
A House Divided!
Now, even in my own home, we don’t completely agree on this one! My husband is actually leaning toward voting YES. His perspective is that if someone is already in custody, it’s much easier to just handle it right then and there to remove the threat from the streets.
I totally get where he’s coming from! His focus is on immediate safety, while my focus is on the long-term danger of giving the government too much unchecked power. That’s the beauty of doing your homework—two people living under the same roof can look at the exact same law, weigh the facts, and see two completely different sides of the coin!
Don’t let the attack ads panic you into a reckless vote. Do your homework and decide what is best for your community!
If you want to read the actual arguments for and against it yourself, check out the official facts here:
Official Colorado Blue Book:Colorado General Assembly Blue Book Portal
Non-Partisan Breakdown:Colorado Newsline 2026 Voter Guide
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