It will likely take planning, preparation and perseverance to get through the longest ballot in Colorado history amid unprecedented turnout for the historic 2008 election. Even though more than half of the state’s active voters have already cast a ballot, it all comes down to Election Day, when as many as one million Colorado residents will trek to their local polling place and exercise their right to vote.

(Photo/mystereys, Flickr)

Here’s what Colorado voters need to be able to vote on Election Day:

• The polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and voters in line by 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote. Plan on a long wait — bring an iPod, a magazine or a friend to keep each other company. Depending on physical condition, some voters may want to bring folding chairs in case the lines are extremely long. Lines are usually longest at the very start of voting, over the lunch hour and after work, so voting mid-morning or mid-afternoon could help avoid longer lines.

• Must be registered to vote by Oct. 6. Check the nonpartisan Just Vote Colorado site to confirm your registration. If you believe you are registered but don’t show up in the records, call 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-888-687-8683) for assistance from the same group.

• Show up at your neighborhood polling place. Because polling places change from year to year, and information from candidates isn’t always correct, verify your polling place before heading to the polls. No one wants to wait in line only to find it’s the school, not the church, and have to start all over.

• Colorado voters must bring suitable identification to vote. The list of acceptable forms of I.D. is long — see the list at the bottom of this page — but includes a valid driver’s license or state-issued I.D. card, as well as multiple options if these aren’t available.

• If you’re sure you’re registered and you’re sure (remember, check you’re at the right polling place before heading to the polls), you can request a provisional ballot and cast your vote that way. Provisional ballots will be verified and then, if valid, counted after regular ballots, so it’s worth double-checking your voter info before casting one. Most provisional ballots are cast because voters wind up at the wrong polling place — an easy mistake to avoid by checking Just Vote Colorado. Provisional votes cast at the wrong polling place will be thrown out and not counted, so don’t assume because you’re registered a provisional ballot will count.

• Early voting in Colorado ended on Friday but hundreds of thousands of mail-in ballots have yet to be returned. Many voters plan to drop their ballots off on Election Day — if you didn’t mail your ballot by Friday, it’s too late to mail it now and must be delivered to the right location — but it’s important to check where to drop off your mail-in ballot. In some counties, any polling place will do, but in many counties you’ll have to find a central location to deliver your ballot. Important: It’s too late to mail mail-in ballots, and they must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day to be counted. Check for the nearest drop off for mail-in ballots and select your county from the pulldown menu labeled “OR get ballot drop-off and polling places for County.” Many counties are offering drive-by drop-off locations for mail-in ballots.

(Photo/aperryz302, Flickr)

Voters who requested mail-in ballots but have not received them in time to vote can fill out a provisional ballot and attest that they haven’t otherwise voted. Contact your county election officials (select your county from the pulldown menu) to find out how to do this.

Reach the same officials if you or a member of your family needs to request an emergency absentee ballot — anyone hospitalized or unable to make it to the polls after the deadline to request a mail-in ballot can write a statement affirming their condition and allow a relative by blood or marriage to retrieve and deliver an emergency absentee ballot.

Here’s a link to an interactive map to find contact information for your county’s election department, where you can verify registration, find polling places and learn where to drop off mail-in ballots that haven’t already been mailed. And here’s a printable list of county election officials with detailed contact information.

There’s a 100-foot rule that prohibits campaigning within shouting distance of the polls, so keep those Obama shirts and McCain hats in the car, or be prepared to turn them inside out before entering.

Some polling places using electronic vote machines also restrict cell phone use near the machines, so plan conversations accordingly — voters at these polls won’t be allowed to use a lifeline and call a friend for help sorting through the ballot measures, for instance.

(Photo/Colorado Luis, Flickr)

About those ballot measures — this year’s amended ballot has 14 statewide questions — and though four of them (Amendments 53, 55, 56 and 57) were withdrawn by their supporters last month they still appear on the ballot. The rest include the controversial Personhood Amendment, a so-called Right-to-Work measure and a move to raise mineral severance taxes to fund higher ed.

A few of the ballot questions are worded simply and straightforwardly, but many aren’t, so it’s a good idea to determine how you’ll vote before entering the voting booth. All registered voters should have received the state’s Blue Book with arguments for and against statewide ballot measures, as well as information on judges facing retention votes — it’s fine to take a marked-up copy of that into the polls. The Blue Book is also available online as a PDF. The nonpartisan League of Women Voters Colorado ballot guide is also available online. Voters may also want to browse Project Vote Smart for online resources.

While the vast majority of Colorado voters will be able to cast a ballot without a hitch, here are resources for voters who encounter problems voting:

• The nonpartisan Just Vote Colorado organization has an online form voters can fill out to report a problem voting.

• Call 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-888-687-8683) to report a problem and ask for assistance from the same group.

• Call 303-863-VOTE (8683) to reach the League of Women Voters hot line.

• This printable HAVA form allows Coloradans to file complaints alleging violations of the federal Help America Vote Act — everything from a polling place that closes early to inaccessibility for disabled voters.

• While it probably won’t be your first call, if you encounter problems voting — including extremely long lines, voter intimidation or violation of election rules — send an e-mail to the Colorado Independent so we can let other know about it.

Just Vote Colorado prepared this three-minute video to explain the basics of voting, including tips on how to deal with some of the more common problems voters might encounter:

Whether your voting experience is seamless or fraught, voters with videocams are encouraged to document their experience and share it with others at the Video Your Vote site, sponsored by PBS and YouTube.

Here’s a list of acceptable identification for voting, as listed on the Colorado Election Protection Web site:

A valid Colorado driver’s license;

A valid identification card issued by the Department of Revenue in accordance with the requirements of part 3 of article 2 of title 42, C.R.S.;

A valid United States passport;

A valid employee identification card with a photograph issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the United States government or of this state, or by any county, municipality, board, authority, or other political subdivision of this state;

A valid pilot’s license issued by the federal aviation administration or other authorized agency of the United States;

A valid United States military identification card with a photograph;

A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address;

A valid Medicare or Medicaid card issued by the United States health care financing administration;

A certified copy of your birth certificate issued in the United States;

Certified documentation of naturalization; or

A valid student identification card with a photograph issued by an institution of higher education in Colorado, as defined in section 23-3.1-102 (5), C.R.S.

If you do not have one of these forms of identification, you will be required to fill out a provisional ballot.

Amendment 46 — Rescinds Affirmative Action
NO: Arvada Press, Aspen Times, Aurora Sentinel, Boulder Weekly, Colorado Springs Business Journal, Colorado Springs Independent, Cortez Journal, Daily Camera, Denver Post, Durango Herald, Fort Collins Coloradoan, Golden Transcript, Lakewood Sentinel, Longmont Times Call, Loveland Reporter Herald, Wheat Ridge Transcript,Yellow Scene

YES: Grand Junction Sentinel, Rocky Mountain News

———–

Amendment 47 — “Right to Work”
NO: Aurora Sentinel, Boulder Weekly, Colorado Springs Independent, Cortez Journal, Denver Post, Durango Herald, Fort Collins Coloradoan, Grand Junction Sentinel, Greeley Tribune, Steamboat Pilot & Today, Yellow Scene

YES: Arvada Press, Colorado Springs Business Journal, Daily Camera, Golden Transcript, Lakewood Sentinel, Longmont Times Call, Loveland Reporter Herald, Salida Mountain Mail, Wheat Ridge Transcript

————

Amendment 48 — Personhood for fertilized eggs
NO: Arvada Press, Apsen Times, Aurora Sentinel, Boulder Weekly, Colorado Springs Business Journal, Colorado Springs Independent, Cortez Journal, Daily Camera, Denver Post, Durango Herald, Fort Collins Coloradoan, Golden Transcript, Grand Junction Sentinel, Lafayette News, Lakewood Sentinel, Longmont Times Call, Loveland Reporter Herald, Rocky Mountain News, Steamboat Pilot, Superior Observer, Wheat Ridge Transcript, Yellow Scene

YES: Colorado Springs Gazette

———–

Amendment 49 — Political donations by union members
NO: Aspen Times, Aurora Sentinel, Boulder Weekly, Cortez Journal, Fort Collins Coloradoan, Durango Herald, Steamboat Pilot & Today, Yellow Scene

YES: Arvada Press, Colorado Springs Business Journal, Colorado Springs Gazette, Daily Camera, Denver Post, Golden Transcript, Grand Junction Sentinel, Lakewood Sentinel, Longmont Times Call, Loveland Reporter Herald, Rocky Mountain News, Salida Mountain Mail, Superior Observer, Wheat Ridge Transcript

————

Amendment 50 — Increases gambling wagers
NO: Cortez Journal, Denver Post, Fort Collins Coloradoan, Steamboat Pilot

YES: Arvada Press, Aurora Sentinel, Boulder Weekly, Centennial Citizen, Colorado Springs Business Journal, Daily Camera, Durango Herald, Golden Transcript, Grand Junction Sentinel, Lakewood Sentinel, Longmont Times Call, Loveland Reporter Herald, Rocky Mountain News, Tri-Lakes Tribune, Wheat Ridge Transcript, Yellow Scene

————

Amendment 51 — Funds services for the developmentally disabled
NO: Arvada Press, Cortez Journal, Denver Post, Golden Transcript, Grand Junction Sentinel, Lakewood Sentinel, Longmont Times Call, Loveland Reporter Herald, Wheat Ridge Transcript

YES: Aurora Sentinel, Boulder Weekly, Colorado Springs Business Journal, Colorado Springs Independent, Daily Camera, Durango Herald, Fort Collins Coloradoan, Rocky Mountain News, Yellow Scene

————-

Amendment 52 — Diverts severance taxes to transportation projects
NO: Arvada Press, Boulder Weekly, Colorado Springs Independent, Cortez Journal, Daily Camera, Denver Post, Durango Herald, Fort Collins Coloradoan, Golden Transcript, Lakewood Sentinel, Longmont Times Call, Loveland Reporter Herald, Rocky Mountain News, Steamboat Pilot, Wheat Ridge Transcript, Yellow Scene

YES: Colorado Springs Business Journal, Grand Junction Sentinel

————

Amendment 53 — withdrawn by sponsors

————

Amendment 54 — Prevents campaign contributions from government vendors
NO: Arvada Press, Aurora Sentinel, Boulder Weekly, Colorado Springs Independent, Cortez Journal, Daily Camera, Denver Post, Durango Herald, Fort Collins Coloradoan, Golden Transcript, Grand Junction Sentinel, Lakewood Sentinel, Longmont Times Call, Loveland Reporter Herald, Pueblo Chieftain, Rocky Mountain News, Salida Mountain Mail, Steamboat Pilot & Today, Wheat Ridge Transcript, Yellow Scene

YES: No endorsements to date.

————

Amendment 55 — withdrawn by sponsors

————

Amendment 56 — withdrawn by sponsors

————

Amendment 57 — withdrawn by sponsors

————

Amendment 58 — Repeals property tax credit for oil and gas sector
NO: Arvada Press, Denver Post, Fort Collins Coloradoan, Golden Transcript, Grand Junction Sentinel, Lakewood Sentinel, Longmont Times Call, Loveland Reporter Herald, Rocky Mountain News, Steamboat Pilot, Wheat Ridge Transcript

YES: Boulder Weekly, Colorado Springs Business Journal, Colorado Springs Independent, Cortez Journal, Daily Camera, Durango Herald, Yellow Scene

————-

Amendment 59 — Creates rainy day fund for education
NO: Arvada Press, Golden Transcript, Lakewood Sentinel

YES: Aspen Times, Boulder Weekly, Colorado Springs Business Journal, Colorado Springs Independent, Cortez Journal, Daily Camera, Denver Post, Durango Herald, Fort Collins Coloradoan, Grand Junction Sentinel, Longmont Times Call, Loveland Reporter Herald, Rocky Mountain News, Steamboat Pilot, Wheat Ridge Transcript, Yellow Scene

————

Referendum L — Lowers age limit for state legislators
NO: Daily Camera

YES: Aspen Times, Cortez Journal, Denver Post, Durango Herald, Fort Collins Coloradoan, Grand Junction Sentinel, Lafayette News, Longmont Times Call, Loveland Reporter Herald, Rocky Mountain News, Superior Observer, Yellow Scene

————

Referendum M — Removes obsolete constitutional language on taxation
NO: No endorsement to date.

YES: Aspen Times, Boulder Weekly, Cortez Journal, Daily Camera, Denver Post, Durango Herald, Fort Collins Coloradoan, Lafayette News, Longmont Times Call, Loveland Reporter Herald, Rocky Mountain News, Superior Observer, Yellow Scene

————

Referendum N — Removes obsolete constitutional language on liquor imports
NO: No endorsement to date.

YES: Aspen Times, Boulder Weekly, Cortez Journal, Daily Camera, Denver Post, Durango Herald, Lafayette News, Longmont Times Call, Loveland Reporter Herald, Rocky Mountain News, Superior Observer, Yellow Scene

————

Referendum O — Changes the petition signature limits for constitutional and statutory ballot measures
NO: Daily Camera

YES: Aspen Times, Boulder Weekly, Colorado Springs Business Journal, Cortez Journal, Denver Post, Durango Herald, Fort Collins Coloradoan, Grand Junction Sentinel, Lafayette News, Longmont Times Call, Loveland Reporter Herald, Rocky Mountain News, Superior Observer, Yellow Scene

————

School districts
Denver Public Schools
No endorsement to date

Aurora Public Schools 3A and 3B
YES: Aurora Sentinel

Cherry Creek Schools 3A and 3B
YES: Aurora Sentinel

Jefferson County Schools 3A and 3B
YES: Wheat Ridge Transcript

Mesa Public Schools 3A and 3B
YES: Grand Junction Sentinel

St. Vrain Valley Schools 3A and 3B
YES: Daily Camera, Longmont Times Call

A coalition consisting of the AFL-CIO union federation, the Teamsters and the United Food and Commercial Workers announced today that they would remove four initiatives from the ballot, following an 11th-hour deal between the labor groups and large businesses like Oakwood Homes, a real estate firm, and hospital operator HealthOne.

The deadline to pull the initiatives was today, Oct. 2.

In return, businesses will do whatever it takes to defeat three anti-union measures that are still on the ballot, and they have pledged at least $3 million toward the effort.

One initiative that will be targeted by the joint-campaign effort is Amendment 47, a “right-to-work” effort that would restrict the way unions organize and negotiate in the state. The other two ballot measures, Amendments 49 and 54, would prohibit certain unions from giving to political campaigns and restrict the way organized labor retains dues from state employees.

Gov. Bill Ritter also confirmed today on a media conference call that he would play an active and public role in the campaign, claiming that he had already started to make phone calls soliciting donations from opponents of the anti-union measures.

Labor agreed to pull four measures: Amendment 53, which would have made corporate executives criminally liable for certain offenses committed by their companies; Amendment 55, which would have required businesses to provide a “just cause” for firing an employee; Amendment 56, which would have made certain businesses provide health care to employees; and Amendment 57, which would have given workers stronger legal recourse in cases of workplace injuries.

Because ballots are already starting to be printed, the retracted labor-backed initiatives will appear on the ballot as questions, but they will not be counted in the statewide election.

(Photo/travelin' librarian, Flickr)

A state advocacy group of conservative Democrats is stepping into the fray between business interests and unions by taking a position opposing labor-backed ballot measures that would provide workers injured on the job with stronger legal rights and require employers to state a “just cause” for firing an employee.

The Colorado Democratic Leadership Council, a local affiliate of the national Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) famous for backing business-oriented Democrats and deriding populist positions in the party, has endorsed a campaign by the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce to defeat four union-supported measures that are currently on the state ballot.

On a chamber campaign Web site that tells visitors to “Vote No On Poison Pill Amendments,” the council is listed at the top of the endorsement list.

“We just don’t think that they should be decided on the ballot,” says Jim Gibson, president of the Colorado council. “Those issues should be deliberated on and considered in the legislature.”

Gibson notes that his group is also opposing Amendment 47, an anti-union measure that is considered to be the reason why labor submitted the ballot measures to begin with.

Amendment 47 would restrict the way labor groups organize and negotiate in the state, by banning collective bargaining agreements between unions and businesses that require minimal agency fees from nonmember employees who receive union-negotiated benefits in the workplace.

The council does not represent the Democratic Party in any official capacity, but Gibson has been involved with the DLC since the early 1990s. He has worked with Bill Clinton and praises the North American Free Trade Agreement, legislation that is considered “poison pill” in its own right by labor unions for its lax workers’ rights regulations.

Labor has sponsored four ballot measures this year — Amendments 53, 55, 56 and 57 — that would give employees greater legal recourse when injured on the job or fired, require certain employers to provide health insurance and make corporate executives criminally liable for acts of fraud committed by their businesses.

The Denver chamber believes the union measures would create a disastrous business climate in Colorado, and has so far spent a total of $2.2 million opposing the amendments, according to records with the secretary of state’s office.

Union supporters of the measures did not wish to comment publicly on the state Democratic council’s endorsement of the chamber campaign.

First, Hillary Clinton capitalized on our fear of things that go bump in the night with her primary commercial. “It’s 3 a.m and your children are safe and asleep,” a narrator says while images of sleeping babies flash across the screen. “But there’s a phone in the White House and it’s ringing. Something is happening in the world. Your vote will decide who will answer that call.”

Now Protect Colorado’s Future is using similar language in an effort to quash three ballot initiatives. The pro-union organization, sent out a mailer warning against the “real danger” that could follow if voters pass Amendments 47, 49 and 54, three measures that would weaken collective bargaining in the state.

The mailer features photos of a disgruntled Deputy Sheriff Jeff Shaw from Commerce City with the words, “For officers like Jeff Shaw — our safety is his top priority. But at 2:00 am when he responds to a call — Officer Shaw shouldn’t worry whether or not his vest can take that bullet. But that’s EXACTLY what Amendments 47,49, and 54 will do.” The ad goes on to say that police unions will be diminished by the three measures.

Protect Colorado’s Future is the organization behind two other ballot initiatives. Amendment 53 seeks to quash corporate fraud while Amendment 55 protects workers from being fired for no reason.

Vintage union pamphlet depicting worker breaking his shackles. (Photo/Tobias Higbie)

Two union-supported initiative proposals — Amendment 53 and Amendment 55 — were certified for the state ballot during the hoopla of the Democratic National Convention, adding on to what is now the longest ballot in the nation.

Amendment 53 is considered the “corporate fraud” initiative, and would make corporate executives criminally liable for acts of fraud committed by their businesses, while Amendment 55 would ask voters if an employer should be required to state a “just cause” for firing an employee.

A campaign called Protect Colorado’s Future, which has been primarily funded by labor unions, worked to put the measures on the ballot.

The two amendments were submitted in response to Amendment 47, a “right-to-work” proposal that will also be on the ballot. If passed into law, Amendment 47 would restrict the way labor groups organize and negotiate in the state, by banning collective bargaining agreements between unions and businesses that require minimal agency fees from nonmember employees who receive union-negotiated benefits in the workplace.

Labor supporters have characterized Amendment 47 as being an attempt by stealth business interests to break up unions in Colorado, because the pro-47′s campaign coffers have been funded primarily through anonymous contributions.

That ground war is being fought between the lines of Internal Revenue Service loopholes governing certain political committees, better known by their tax law subsection number as 527s, and tax-exempt 501c4 charitable organizations that have less stringent rules on accountability and transparency.

Because of new 527 regulations, nonprofit groups are becoming a more attractive option for political donors who don’t want their names to see the limelight on public disclosure forms, according to Sheila Krumholz, an executive director with the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan group that tracks money in politics.

“It’s an enormous problem,” Krumholz told the Colorado Independent in June. “It’s the last great refuge for donors who want to give unlimited contributions and maintain their anonymity while doing so.”

At the same time, groups campaigning against Amendments 53 and 55 claim that the proposals would dissuade businesses from investing in the state and be disastrous for the economy.

The possibility of a sharply divided political clash between labor and business groups moved high-profile public officials like Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter to try to encourage the backers of the three measures to surrender their plans to put the proposals up for a vote.

In an Aug. 22 story in the Denver Business Journal, Kate Horle, a spokeswoman for the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, said she hopes both sides will back off.

“We really want this to go away,” Horle said. “It is so potentially devastating.”

On Monday, the campaign for Amendment 47, called A Better Colorado, sent out a press statement announcing clearly that sponsors of the measure had no intention of pulling their proposal off the ballot.

Defend Our Economy, a pro-business campaign created specifically to oppose Amendments 53 and 55, announced last week it would also be supporting Amendment 47.

It’s also the longest ballot in the country, according to a tally by the Denver-based National Conference of State Legislatures. Perennial leaders California and Oregon take second place this year with 12 ballot questions each.

Colorado voters considered a record 32 questions in 1912, but are unlikely to reach that number as it’s become more difficult to get measures on the ballot over the years. Referendum O, referred by the legislature this year, would add further requirements for constitutional amendments and ease access for statutory initiatives. All 14 of the initiated measures this year are constitutional amendments, which cannot be altered by the legislature once enacted.

Many of the Colorado questions this year concern labor, workplace and corporate issues, with business and labor interests offering dueling amendments.

Here’s a list of the questions qualified for the state ballot, with links to the most recent draft [PDF] of the Legislative Council’s “Blue Book” analysis on each:

Amendment 46 — Discrimination and Preferential Treatment by Governments

Amendment 47 — Prohibition on Mandatory Labor Union Membership and Dues

Amendment 48 — Definition of Person

Amendment 49 — Allowable Government Paycheck Deductions

Amendment 50 — Limited Gaming in Central City, Black Hawk, and Cripple Creek

Amendment 51 — State Sales Tax Increase for Services for People with Developmental Disabilities

Amendment 52 — Use of Severance Tax Revenue for Highways

Amendment 53 — Criminal Accountability of Business Executives — WITHDRAWN BY PROPONENTS

Amendment 54 — Campaign Contributions from Certain Government Contractors

Amendment 55 — Allowable Reasons for Employee Discharge or Suspension — WITHDRAWN BY PROPONENTS

Amendment 56 — Employer Responsibility for Health Insurance — WITHDRAWN BY PROPONENTS

Amendment 57 — Additional Remedies for Injured Employees — WITHDRAWN BY PROPONENTS

Amendment 58 — Severance Taxes on the Oil and Natural Gas Industry

Amendment 59 — Education Funding and TABOR Rebates

Referendum L — Qualifications for Serving in the State Legislature

Referendum M — Obsolete Constitutional Provision Relating to Land Value Increases

Referendum N — Obsolete Constitutional Provisions Relating to Alcohol Beverages

Referendum O — Citizen-Initiated State Laws

The initiative, which is now officially titled Amendment 53, would make business executives in Colorado liable for fraud offenses associated with their companies and is considered to be one of the toughest laws in the nation targeting corporate crime.

Protect Colorado’s Future, a campaign supported by labor unions and other advocacy groups, submitted petitions to put the measure on the ballot, citing public cases like the trial of Qwest Communications CEO Joseph Nacchio, who was sentenced to six years in federal prison for insider trading offenses before having his conviction overturned on appeal in March.

The corporate fraud proposal is one of two measures submitted for the ballot by Protect Colorado’s Future to counter two other ballot questions that could restrict the way unions organize and collect dues from members.

Another proposal supported by Protect Colorado’s Future would require certain companies to provide a just cause for firing employees, but it has not be certified for the ballot yet.