Amendment A seeks to remove a portion of the state Constitution that essentially permits forcing jail and prison inmates to work for free, or nearly free as “slavery.”
Currently, as outlined in the Constitution, convicted criminals can be forced to work in prison without pay or restitution.
The Constitution reads: “There shall never be in this state either slavery or involuntary servitude except as a punishment for crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.”
The amendment looks to remove “except as a punishment for crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted” from the constitution.
This isn’t the first time voters considered the issue.
A nearly identical measure appeared on the 2016 General Election ballot as Amendment T, but if failed to pass by a slim margin (50.32 percent for ‘no’ and 49.6 percent for yes).
Supporters at the time argued that the amendment failed because voters may have been confused by how the ballot question was worded.
Abolish Slavery Colorado has led the charge in support of Amendment A, raising more than $50,000 in campaign funds.
“This won’t have a direct impact on prison reform or how inmates are treated. But it is definitely more impactful than removing something like a Confederate monument, because this will actually change the text of a living document”, Kamau Allen of Abolish Slavery Colorado said in a statement. “Two years ago, we lost by a slim margin, and it was because of the language on the ballot and the placing on the ballot. This time around, I don’t see that happening.”
The proposal is part of a nationwide movement to end free prison labor, which some estimate pushes $2 billion a year.
The State Ballot Issue Committee, or 13 Issues, has also supported the measure.
Other notable supporters include: the ACLU of Colorado, Colorado Council of Churches, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry of Colorado, Interfaith Alliance of Colorado, and United for a New Economy.
“Whatever our corrections system may be, even in areas where there is legitimate debate, we should all agree that it should never consist of actual slavery or involuntary servitude,” said John Krieger, Director of Communications and Outreach for ACLU of Colorado. “Amendment A is a truly bipartisan measure that was passed unanimously by all Republicans and all Democrats in the Colorado legislature. It is more than a symbolic measure, because it closes the door on the possibility of future abuses, and it also sends a positive message in a time of great division in our nation.”
No groups have officially registered against Amendment A.
On the identical measure that failed in 2016: A total of 2,859,216 ballots were cast in the 2016 general election. However, only 2,576,758 votes were cast on Amendment T — a difference of 282,457 votes — more than enough to swing the nearly deadlocked vote in either direction.