Initiative 82, a ballot measure designed to preserve race and gender preferences in public hiring, contracting, and education, failed to make November’s ballot after coming up short by nearly 8,000 signatures, the Secretary of State’s office announced Wednesday afternoon.
The SoS conducted a line-by-line analysis after an initial random sample analysis yielded inconclusive results. In order to be placed on the ballot, initiatives must have 76,047 valid signatures. Initiative 82 had 68,195 valid signatures out of the 117,871 submitted.
Coloradans for Equal Opportunity brought the initiative as a counter-measure to Amendment 46, which is already on the ballot. "We know that signature gathering campaigns are very difficult, but given the fact that this campaign was designed to confuse voters, we're extremely pleased with the result," said Jessica Peck Corry, executive director of the Amendment 46 campaign and editorial contributor to Face The State, in a statement released after the SoS's announcement.
Earlier this year, Face The State caught a signature gatherer for Initiative 82 lying to voters about impact of Amendment 46. The woman falsely claimed to an undercover FTS reporter that Amendment 46 would eliminate battered women's shelters and apply to the private sector.
According to Rich Coolidge, spokesman for the SoS, Initiative 82’s only remaining option is to appeal the decision in Denver District Court. “Or they can come back as early as next year and begin the title board process,” he said, "but the initiative process for this year has concluded."
"Obviously, we are disappointed we fell short on the signatures," said Melissa Hart, spokesperson for Initiative 82. "Our next step is to work to educate the people of Colorado about the deceit of Amendment 46." Hart added that her campaign is unlikely to pursue any further legal avenues.