NEWS BRIEF
The Denver Gazette reports that Colorado voters will decide in November whether Amendment 85 should require state and local ballot questions to use plain language at no higher than an eighth-grade reading level.
The proposed constitutional amendment would also bar laws requiring specific wording in citizen-initiated ballot titles when that wording conflicts with the plain-language standard. Current law already calls for plain-language ballot titles, while House Bill 1320 added further plain-language requirements during the 2026 session.
What to know
Amendment 85 would add a specific eighth-grade reading-level requirement to the Colorado Constitution. A yes vote would establish that standard and restrict conflicting title-language requirements; a no vote would retain current plain-language law without a set grade level.
Reporting: Thelma Grimes · Denver Gazette · 10-02-2026
