John TytusColorado 2026 ballot

Amendment 86: Rules for redrawing congressional districts between censuses

Constitutional amendment, citizen initiative. Needs 55% to pass.

What it does

Colorado redraws its eight U.S. House districts once a decade after the census, through the Independent Congressional Redistricting Commission voters created in 2018. Last done in 2021, next in 2031. This measure says that if districts are ever changed between those regular cycles, the change must be approved by the commission and adopted by the Colorado Supreme Court, after at least three public hearings, and may not intentionally favor a party or unnecessarily split communities. The Blue Book notes at least ten states have redrawn districts mid-decade since 2025. A Democratic-backed initiative to allow a mid-decade Colorado redraw was thrown out by the Colorado Supreme Court in June on single-subject grounds. The Colorado Sun reports that initiative was funded by money tied to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Blue Book arguments

For: It keeps any mid-decade map change transparent and public, keeps partisan politics out, and honors the voters' 2018 decision to use an independent commission.

Against: It puts a constitutional barrier in the way if voters ever want new districts mid-decade, whether in response to other states' partisan maps or changed priorities; the commission that drew the districts should not play a role in changing them, and voters should always have the final word.

What it costs

About $370,000 in any year the commission has to convene off-cycle, plus minor court workload. No other costs are listed in the Blue Book.

Who is paying

Money as of the Sept 21, 2026 filing.

For: $252,550 in dedicated committees, plus a share of A Brighter Colorado's $306,625 eight-measure pool

Committee Raised Spent
Fair Redistricting Colorado $252,500 $250,010
Fair Maps Colorado $50 $0
A Brighter Colorado (eight measures) $306,625 $35,489

Fair Redistricting Colorado has two donors: American Revival PAC, Alexandria VA, $250,000, which is House Speaker Mike Johnson's leadership PAC, and Advance Colorado, $2,500. 99% out-of-state. The Colorado Sun reports the failed Democratic map would have given Democrats an outsized chance at flipping three Republican-held seats, which would leave the GOP with one of the state's eight. The Colorado Sun reports Republicans kept the measure going after the Democratic effort failed, as a proactive step against future mid-cycle Democratic redistricting efforts.

Against: $0

Committee Raised Spent
Colorado Draws the Line $0 $0

Colorado Draws the Line, an issue committee the Colorado Sun describes as tied to Democrats, says it will fight the measure. Coloradans for a Level Playing Field, the issue committee that worked on the failed Democratic redistricting measure, says it will not campaign against this one; the Colorado Sun reports Democrats spent $4.7 million on that effort.

Where the parties stand

Democrats: the Colorado Democratic Party opposes Amendment 86 (State Central Committee positions release). The party is urging a no vote, as reported by CPR News (Caitlyn Kim, Sept 25, 2026).

Republicans: no position from the Colorado Republican Party found as of Sept 30, 2026. The Weld County Republican Party, a county party, recommends a yes vote (its Resolution WCRCC-2026-09, adopted Sept 15, 2026).

No minor-party position found as of Sept 30, 2026.

What isn't known

Whether any organized opposition materializes. As of the Colorado Sun's Sept 29 report, the one committee pledging to fight it had reported no money.

Sources