2024 Colorado Proposition 128
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Parole Eligibility for Crimes of Violence | |||||||||||||
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2024 Colorado Proposition 128 was a successful ballot measure that appeared before voters during the 2024 general election in Colorado. The measure requires anyone convicted of a violent felony offense to serve 85% of their sentence before being eligible for parole or any sentence reductions for good behavior.[1]
Background
[edit]Prior to the passage of Proposition 128, people convicted of violent felonies, including murder, assault, kidnapping, arson, burglary, and robbery, were required to serve a minimum of 75% of their sentence before becoming eligible for parole. Proposition 128 raised that requirement from 75% to 85%. Additionally, it bars inmates convicted of violent felonies from having their sentences reduced for good behavior until they've served at least 85% of said sentence. The proposition also requires anyone convicted of a violent felony three times to serve the full duration of their sentence.
Proposition 128 was referred to the ballot by citizen initiated petition. The petitioning and campaigning for the measure are being led by the conservative group Advance Colorado, who also backed Amendment 80 and Proposition 130. Roughly 220 people per year are convicted of a violent felony in Colorado, serving an average of 23 years in prison. As Proposition 128 is likely to increase the amount of time spent in prison for these felons, it is estimated to cost between $12 million and $28 million per year.[2]
Contents
[edit]The proposition appeared on the ballot as follows:[3]
Shall there be a change to the Colorado Revised Statutes concerning parole eligibility for an offender convicted of certain crimes, and, in connection therewith, requiring an offender who is convicted of second degree murder; first degree assault; class 2 felony kidnapping; sexual assault; first degree arson; first degree burglary; or aggravated robbery committed on or after January 1, 2025, to serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed before being eligible for parole, and requiring an offender convicted of any such crime committed on or after January 1, 2025, who was previously convicted of any two crimes of violence, not just those crimes enumerated in this measure, to serve the full sentence imposed before beginning to serve parole?
Campaigns
[edit]Support
[edit]There was no major organized campaign in favor of Proposition 128, though petitioning for the measure was led by the group Advance Colorado. The state's official voter guide also offered the arguments in favor of the measure that it would increase public safety and ensure that justice is served for victims of violent crimes.
Opposition
[edit]Opposition to Proposition 128 was led by the group Coloradans For Smart Justice[6] The official Colorado voter guide also offered the argument against the measure that it removes rehabilitation opportunities for inmates and would increase prison costs without reducing crime rates.
- State representatives
- Organizations
- ACLU of Colorado
- Colorado Democratic Party[8]
- Colorado Working Families Party
- SEIU Local 105
Results
[edit]Proposition 128 required a simple majority to pass. It did so with 62% of voters supporting the measure.[9]
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
 Yes
|
1,869,231 | 62.11 |
| No | 1,140,284 | 37.89 |
| Total votes | 3,009,515 | 100.00 |
Results by county
[edit]| County | For | Against | Margin | Total votes cast | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | # | % | ||
| Adams | 139,792 | 64.53% | 76,831 | 35.47% | 62,961 | 29.06% | 216,623 |
| Alamosa | 4,673 | 66.28% | 2,377 | 33.72% | 2,296 | 32.57% | 7,050 |
| Arapahoe | 189,754 | 62.11% | 115,754 | 37.89% | 74,000 | 24.22% | 305,508 |
| Archuleta | 5,725 | 65.26% | 3,048 | 34.74% | 2,677 | 30.51% | 8,773 |
| Baca | 1,118 | 58.97% | 778 | 41.03% | 340 | 17.93% | 1,896 |
| Bent | 1,490 | 71.05% | 607 | 28.95% | 883 | 42.11% | 2,097 |
| Boulder | 85,402 | 46.74% | 97,334 | 53.26% | -11,932 | -6.53% | 182,736 |
| Broomfield | 26,519 | 60.21% | 17,525 | 39.79% | 8,994 | 20.42% | 44,044 |
| Chaffee | 7,970 | 58.40% | 5,677 | 41.60% | 2,293 | 16.80% | 13,647 |
| Cheyenne | 693 | 68.28% | 322 | 31.72% | 371 | 36.55% | 1,015 |
| Clear Creek | 3,449 | 60.27% | 2,274 | 39.73% | 1,175 | 20.53% | 5,723 |
| Conejos | 2,419 | 61.69% | 1,502 | 38.31% | 917 | 23.39% | 3,921 |
| Costilla | 1,188 | 62.89% | 701 | 37.11% | 487 | 25.78% | 1,889 |
| Crowley | 1,130 | 68.44% | 521 | 31.56% | 609 | 36.89% | 1,651 |
| Custer | 2,635 | 71.25% | 1,063 | 28.75% | 1,572 | 42.51% | 3,698 |
| Delta | 12,682 | 67.81% | 6,019 | 32.19% | 6,663 | 35.63% | 18,701 |
| Denver | 172,795 | 50.98% | 166,137 | 49.02% | 6,658 | 1.96% | 338,932 |
| Dolores | 870 | 64.93% | 470 | 35.07% | 400 | 29.85% | 1,340 |
| Douglas | 157,066 | 68.00% | 73,908 | 32.00% | 83,158 | 36.00% | 230,974 |
| Eagle | 14,988 | 58.32% | 10,713 | 41.68% | 4,275 | 16.63% | 25,701 |
| El Paso | 250,759 | 69.05% | 112,395 | 30.95% | 138,364 | 38.10% | 363,154 |
| Elbert | 14,876 | 75.26% | 4,890 | 24.74% | 9,986 | 50.52% | 19,766 |
| Fremont | 17,566 | 71.79% | 6,904 | 28.21% | 10,662 | 43.57% | 24,470 |
| Garfield | 16,851 | 58.75% | 11,830 | 41.25% | 5,021 | 17.51% | 28,681 |
| Gilpin | 2,372 | 60.29% | 1,562 | 39.71% | 810 | 20.59% | 3,934 |
| Grand | 5,659 | 60.27% | 3,731 | 39.73% | 1,928 | 20.53% | 9,390 |
| Gunnison | 5,490 | 53.72% | 4,729 | 46.28% | 761 | 7.45% | 10,219 |
| Hinsdale | 369 | 64.85% | 200 | 35.15% | 169 | 29.70% | 569 |
| Huerfano | 2,800 | 66.94% | 1,383 | 33.06% | 1,417 | 33.88% | 4,183 |
| Jackson | 511 | 64.20% | 285 | 35.80% | 226 | 28.39% | 796 |
| Jefferson | 207,327 | 60.43% | 135,755 | 39.57% | 71,572 | 20.86% | 343,082 |
| Kiowa | 603 | 73.63% | 216 | 26.37% | 387 | 47.25% | 819 |
| Kit Carson | 2,603 | 74.29% | 901 | 25.71% | 1,702 | 48.57% | 3,504 |
| La Plata | 19,357 | 58.05% | 13,986 | 41.95% | 5,371 | 16.11% | 33,343 |
| Lake | 2,158 | 58.88% | 1,507 | 41.12% | 651 | 17.76% | 3,665 |
| Larimer | 131,042 | 61.64% | 81,548 | 38.36% | 49,494 | 23.28% | 212,590 |
| Las Animas | 4,999 | 68.39% | 2,311 | 31.61% | 2,688 | 36.77% | 7,310 |
| Lincoln | 1,731 | 69.30% | 767 | 30.70% | 964 | 38.59% | 2,498 |
| Logan | 6,915 | 71.08% | 2,814 | 28.92% | 4,101 | 42.15% | 9,729 |
| Mesa | 58,174 | 66.67% | 29,088 | 33.33% | 29,086 | 33.33% | 87,262 |
| Mineral | 470 | 67.05% | 231 | 32.95% | 239 | 34.09% | 701 |
| Moffat | 4,313 | 68.63% | 1,971 | 31.37% | 2,342 | 37.27% | 6,284 |
| Montezuma | 9,170 | 64.00% | 5,158 | 36.00% | 4,012 | 28.00% | 14,328 |
| Montrose | 16,760 | 68.83% | 7,589 | 31.17% | 9,171 | 37.66% | 24,349 |
| Morgan | 9,045 | 69.99% | 3,879 | 30.01% | 5,166 | 39.97% | 12,924 |
| Otero | 6,229 | 72.22% | 2,396 | 27.78% | 3,833 | 44.44% | 8,625 |
| Ouray | 2,244 | 57.60% | 1,652 | 42.40% | 592 | 15.20% | 3,896 |
| Park | 7,643 | 65.62% | 4,005 | 34.38% | 3,638 | 31.23% | 11,648 |
| Phillips | 1,553 | 71.14% | 630 | 28.86% | 923 | 42.28% | 2,183 |
| Pitkin | 5,079 | 50.31% | 5,017 | 49.69% | 62 | 0.61% | 10,096 |
| Prowers | 3,346 | 68.37% | 1,548 | 31.63% | 1,798 | 36.74% | 4,894 |
| Pueblo | 56,454 | 69.50% | 24,778 | 30.50% | 31,676 | 38.99% | 81,232 |
| Rio Blanco | 2,326 | 66.53% | 1,170 | 33.47% | 1,156 | 33.07% | 3,496 |
| Rio Grande | 4,064 | 68.23% | 1,892 | 31.77% | 2,172 | 36.47% | 5,956 |
| Routt | 8,642 | 56.30% | 6,707 | 43.70% | 1,935 | 12.61% | 15,349 |
| Saguache | 1,887 | 60.29% | 1,243 | 39.71% | 644 | 20.58% | 3,130 |
| San Juan | 300 | 57.03% | 226 | 42.97% | 74 | 14.07% | 526 |
| San Miguel | 2,285 | 52.15% | 2,097 | 47.85% | 188 | 4.29% | 4,382 |
| Sedgwick | 833 | 66.75% | 415 | 33.25% | 418 | 33.49% | 1,248 |
| Summit | 8,963 | 55.35% | 7,230 | 44.65% | 1,733 | 10.70% | 16,193 |
| Teller | 11,643 | 73.97% | 4,098 | 26.03% | 7,545 | 47.93% | 15,741 |
| Washington | 1,871 | 69.58% | 818 | 30.42% | 1,053 | 39.16% | 2,689 |
| Weld | 116,339 | 68.32% | 53,949 | 31.68% | 62,390 | 36.64% | 170,288 |
| Yuma | 3,252 | 72.69% | 1,222 | 27.31% | 2,030 | 45.37% | 4,474 |
| Total | 1,869,231 | 62.11% | 1,140,284 | 37.89% | 728,947 | 24.22% | 3,009,515 |
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ Olivia Prentzel (October 8, 2024). "Proposition 128: People convicted of some violent felonies in Colorado would be imprisoned longer". The Colorado Sun. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ Elaine Tassy (October 13, 2024). "Proposition 128: Longer minimum prison time for violent crimes, explained". Colorado Public Radio. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ "2024 State Ballot Information Booklet" (PDF). Colorado General Assembly. September 11, 2024. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
- ^ "ENDORSEMENT: Keep suspects at bay, make convicts pay — YES on I & 128". The Gazette (Colorado Springs). September 22, 2024. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ "2024 COLORADO BALLOT QUESTIONS". Colorado Republican Party. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ Jena Griswold. "Amendments and Propositions on the 2024 Ballot". Colorado Secretary of State. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ "Project 2025 is on the ballot in Colorado with divisive measures that use fear tactics and confusion to push an extreme, anti-freedom agenda". Coloradans For Smart Justice. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ "November 2024 Ballot Initiatives and Referred Measures". Colorado Democratic Party. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ "Results". Colorado Secretary of State. Retrieved December 3, 2024.