Initiatives to Change Colorado Liquor Laws on the November Ballot

The signatures are in.

August 26, 2022

Bacchus Wine and Spirits in Highlands Ranch. Katrina Leibee

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On August 26, the Colorado Secretary of State's Office announced that multiple liquor-related initiatives will be on the ballot this November.

If passed, Initiative 96, “Concerning Liquor Licenses,” would increase the number of liquor licenses a person can hold or have a share in; Initiative 121, “Sale of Alcohol Beverages,” would allow grocery and convenience stores to sell wine; and Initiative 122, “Third-Party Delivery of Alcohol Beverages,” would allow third-party companies like Uber Eats and DoorDash to deliver alcohol from stores and restaurants.

Each of these initiatives needed 124,632 legitimate signatures to get on the ballot. Initiative 96 delivered 225,400, Initiative 121 turned in 192,017 and Initiative 122 submitted 185,790. After taking a 5 percent random sample of the signatures, the Elections Division of the Secretary of State's Office projects the amount of valid signatures. If the projected amount is greater than 110 percent, the initiative is set for the ballot; each of these initiatives met that requirement.

Local liquor stores located near grocery stores are concerned about the impact of 121. In conversations with Westword, two owners said they were worried about the possible impact of Initiative 121 passing; they predict that the measure will tank their sales, forcing them to lay off employees and cut their budgets.

Grocery stores, on the other hand, say they are fighting for convenience for shoppers, adding that Initiative 122 would be beneficial for every store that sells liquor.

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Katrina Leibee is the social media editor at Westword where she’s worked since August 2020. In her role, Katrina oversees and creates strategies for all of Westword’s social channels, including Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, X and LinkedIn. During the day, she can often be spotted at community events or at local businesses filming content. At night, she’s a musician singing her original songs at various Denver venues. Katrina graduated with honors from Colorado State University. While attending school, she was editor of the student newspaper, the Rocky Mountain Collegian.

Contact: Katrina Leibee

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