Colorado Counties Will Vote on Secession Tomorrow

And other strange 2013 ballot measures
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 4, 2013 3:29 PM CST
Colorado Counties Will Vote on Secession Tomorrow
Voters cast ballots in Colorado in this 2008 file photo.   (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Could "North Colorado" soon become the 51st state? Voters in 11 northern Colorado counties will get to weigh in tomorrow on whether or not they'd like to secede from the state, CNN reports. Ten of the conservative-leaning counties would become North Colorado, while the other would become a panhandle for Wyoming. Of course, CNN thinks there's zero chance this actually happens, because the entire state and congress would have to vote to approve the move. But it still stands as one of the more intriguing ballot measures up for vote tomorrow. Others include:

  • Colorado is also voting on whether or not to impose a 15% excise tax on now-legal marijuana sales, which would go to fund school construction, and an additional 10% sales tax to fund marijuana enforcement laws.
  • Washington state has a measure that would require special labeling for genetically-modified food—a proposal that met with ardent opposition and eventual defeat in California last year. Sure enough, out-of-state opponents have poured money into this race as well, the Seattle Times reports; of the whopping $22 million raised in opposition, $550 has come from Washingtonians.
  • New Jersey will consider a constitutional amendment to raise the state's minimum wage to $8.25 an hour.
  • New Yorkers are considering whether or not to allow the construction of seven casinos, with the proceeds going towards education and/or cutting property taxes. New Jersey is also considering a gambling bill of sorts, the Star-Ledger reports, allowing veterans' groups to raise money via Bingo games, raffles, and similar games.
(More ballot initiative stories.)

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