An Informed Ballot: The Case for Measurable Ballot Readability Standards

Ballot measures have become a key way for Colorado voters to gain more power in approving or rejecting laws and constitutional amendments, which is why it is essential that voters can understand the questions placed before them. Colorado, to some degree, has recognized this principle by requiring ballot questions to use “clear,” and “concise,” language. However, these terms lack a precise, measurable standard, leaving room for highly complex language to reach voters.

Colorado’s experience demonstrates the problem: over the years, ballot titles have consistently received grade-level readability scores between 21-43. General requirements for accessibility do not necessarily ensure that ballot language is understandable to the average voter. Other states have addressed this issue by adopting more specific plain-language and reading-level requirements all underlining the same principle: voters should be able to fully comprehend what they are being asked to approve or reject.

A specific reading-level requirement (or other measurable standard) would give Colorado an objective benchmark for determining whether ballot language meets a reasonable standard of readability. Though such a requirement would not guarantee that every voter understands every policy or the idea behind it – as that requires additional information from trusted sources, debates, and personal research – a measurable standard would establish a reasonable minimum for the language voters encounter directly on the ballot. Voters should not need specialized legal or academic training to understand the basic question before them. By replacing subjective standards with a clear benchmark, any state can promote a more informed electorate and ensure that voters – not special interest groups or overly technical language – are ultimately the decision-makers.