Colorado Ballot Measure to Repeal Wolf Reintroduction Program Gets Rejected

Filed by a group known as the Colorado Advocates for Smart Wolf Policy, Initiative 35 was a proposed ballot measure for the 2026 general election, aimed at repealing the state's gray wolf reintroduction program, which was mandated by Proposition 114 in 2020. The initiative sparked significant debate upon its introduction back in January, reflecting the ongoing tension between conservation efforts and the concerns of rural communities, particularly ranchers and livestock producers. 

As you’ll likely recall, Colorado voters narrowly approved Proposition 114 with 50.9% in favor in back in November of 2020. The historic vote made the Centennial State the first to pass legislation via ballot initiative to reintroduce wildlife. The newly-approved measure directed the Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Commission to develop a plan to reintroduce and manage gray wolves west of the Continental Divide by December 31, 2023. At the onset, the goal was to establish a self-sustaining wolf population, with an initial target of 30 to 50 wolves released over three to five years.

By December 2023, CPW had released the first 10 wolves from Oregon in Grand and Summit counties, followed by 15 wolves from British Columbia in Eagle and Pitkin counties in January 2025.

Following countless conflicts, Initiative 35 was filed on January 3, 2025, with the sole aim of repealing Proposition 114, citing economic harm to ranchers, rising grocery prices due to increased costs for livestock producers, threats to food security, and the need to preserve Western heritage.

 The initiative proposed to:

• End the wolf reintroduction program by December 31, 2026.

• Remove the "nongame" status of gray wolves, potentially altering their protections.

• Redefine livestock to include guard and herding animals for compensation purposes.

• Prohibit the importation of wolves into Colorado.

The initiative was one of two proposed measures to halt wolf reintroduction, the other being Initiative 13, which more narrowly focused on ending the program by the same date without additional policy changes. 

In order to qualify for the 2026 ballot, Initiative 35 faced an uphill battle. I-35 needed to pass review by the Colorado Legislative Council Staff and the Title Board, followed by the collection of 124,238 valid signatures, including at least 2% of registered voters in each of Colorado’s 35 state Senate districts, by August 27, 2025. The Legislative Council Staff reviewed the draft proposition on January 17, 2025, but, unsurprisingly, the initiative faced immediate scrutiny.

Opponents, including the Colorado Wildlife Conservation Project—a coalition of 22 hunting, fishing, and conservation groups—argued that Initiative 35’s timeline was impractical, as CPW was likely to complete its reintroduction goals before November 2026. They also criticized the measure for not addressing shortcomings in the wolf management plan, such as transferring management authority from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to CPW or delisting wolves from the state’s endangered species list.

“Initiative 35’s timeline is impractical, and it fails to address critical gaps in the wolf management plan,” said Gaspar Perricone, Chair of the Colorado Wildlife Conservation Project. “It’s a missed opportunity for meaningful collaboration with ranchers and wildlife managers.”

A coalition of Western Slope county commissioners, ranchers, and agricultural groups, including the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, urged proponents to withdraw the initiative, citing a lack of stakeholder unity and potential social and political consequences if the campaign failed.

Last week, the Board rejected Initiative 35 on a technicality, siding with opponents who argued that the measure violated Colorado’s single-subject rule. The rule requires ballot initiatives to address only one subject to ensure clarity for voters. The Board found that Initiative 35 encompassed four unrelated subjects: ending wolf reintroduction, removing the “nongame” status of wolves, redefining livestock, and banning wolf importation. 

The Initiative seemingly attempted to bite off more than it could chew, just as some supporters had warned about, stopping it in its tracks before advancing to the signature-gathering phase.

And while Initiative 35 is DOA, Initiative 13, which focuses solely on ending wolf reintroduction by December 31, 2026, was approved by the Title Board back in February, and is currently in the signature-gathering phase. Proponents, led by the same Colorado Advocates for Smart Wolf Policy, are now focused on collecting the 124,238 valid signatures needed by August 27, 2025, to secure a spot on the 2026 ballot. However, it faces similar criticisms about its timeline and relevance, as CPW may very well complete the reintroduction before the election.