What is a referendum petition?

A referendum petition is a petition circulated to gather the signatures of registered Colorado voters in an attempt to have a bill that was passed by the legislature placed on the ballot as a statewide ballot issue. The right of referendum can be found in Article V, Section 1 of the Colorado Constitution. Referendum proponents are required to gather signatures equal to 5% of the total votes cast in the previous secretary of state general election contest. The signatures must be submitted to the Secretary of State's Office within 90 days of the adjournment of the general assembly in which the bill passed. The right of referendum does not extend to any bills passed by the legislature with a "Safety Clause", which is placed at the end of a bill.

Referendum