With so much news coverage of the initiative process, little attention has been directed referred measures on the ballot. Referendum O is before voters by a vote of the General Assembly and, if passed, would make significant changes to the process by which citizens pursue statutory and constitutional initiatives.

RobertsState of Colo.

Face The State sat down with Rep. Ellen Roberts, a strong proponent of the measure. She explains how Ref. O would for the first time differentiate between statutory and constitutional changes in signature-gathering requirements and introduce geographic diversity requirements for petitions seeking an amendment to the Constitution.

The goal, she says, is to provide incentive for voters to initiate and pass statute, which would be constitutionally shielded from change for five years after passage. Such a protection from interference from the General Assembly does not currently exist. Constitutional changes are still possible, but now require signatures equal to 6% of the votes cast in the last Governor's race, up from 5% of votes for the Secretary of State.

Support for Referendum O comes from diverse quarters, as does its opposition. Liberal and conservative interests at the capitol worry the changes make constitutional changes prohibitively difficult to pursue, while others see no problem with the current system and question proponents' motivations for proposing change.