Wayne Williams v. Tanya Nathan and Lindsey Rasmussen, In the Matter of the Title, Ballot Title, and Submission Clause for Proposed Initiative 2025-2026 240 and Michael Dohr, Theresa Conley, and Kurt Morrison, Title Board In the Matter of the Title, Ballot Title, and Submission Clause for Proposed Initiative 2025-2026 327 Curtis Hubbard v. John Brackney and Robyn Carnes, and Michael Dohr, Theresa Conley, and Kurt Morrison, Title Board

CourtSupreme Court of Colorado
DecidedJune 29, 2026
Docket26SA126
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of Wayne Williams v. Tanya Nathan and Lindsey Rasmussen, In the Matter of the Title, Ballot Title, and Submission Clause for Proposed Initiative 2025-2026 240 and Michael Dohr, Theresa Conley, and Kurt Morrison, Title Board In the Matter of the Title, Ballot Title, and Submission Clause for Proposed Initiative 2025-2026 327 Curtis Hubbard v. John Brackney and Robyn Carnes, and Michael Dohr, Theresa Conley, and Kurt Morrison, Title Board (Wayne Williams v. Tanya Nathan and Lindsey Rasmussen, In the Matter of the Title, Ballot Title, and Submission Clause for Proposed Initiative 2025-2026 240 and Michael Dohr, Theresa Conley, and Kurt Morrison, Title Board In the Matter of the Title, Ballot Title, and Submission Clause for Proposed Initiative 2025-2026 327 Curtis Hubbard v. John Brackney and Robyn Carnes, and Michael Dohr, Theresa Conley, and Kurt Morrison, Title Board) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wayne Williams v. Tanya Nathan and Lindsey Rasmussen, In the Matter of the Title, Ballot Title, and Submission Clause for Proposed Initiative 2025-2026 240 and Michael Dohr, Theresa Conley, and Kurt Morrison, Title Board In the Matter of the Title, Ballot Title, and Submission Clause for Proposed Initiative 2025-2026 327 Curtis Hubbard v. John Brackney and Robyn Carnes, and Michael Dohr, Theresa Conley, and Kurt Morrison, Title Board, (Colo. 2026).

Opinion

2026 CO 57

In the Matter of the Title, Ballot Title, and Submission Clause for Proposed Initiative 2025-2026 #240

Wayne Williams, Petitioner
v.
Tanya Nathan and Lindsey Rasmussen, Respondents

and Michael Dohr, Theresa Conley, and Kurt Morrison, Title Board In the Matter of the Title, Ballot Title, and Submission Clause for Proposed Initiative 2025-2026 #327 Curtis Hubbard, Petitioner
v.
John Brackney and Robyn Carnes, Respondents

and Michael Dohr, Theresa Conley, and Kurt Morrison, Title Board

No. 26SA126

Supreme Court of Colorado

June 29, 2026


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          Original Proceeding Pursuant to § 1-40-107(2), C.R.S. (2025) Appeal from the Ballot Title Setting Board

          Petitioner Wayne Williams, pro se Colorado Springs, Colorado

          Attorneys for Petitioner Curtis Hubbard: Recht Kornfeld, P.C. Mark G. Grueskin Nathan Bruggeman Denver, Colorado

          Attorneys for Respondents Tanya Nathan and Lindsey Rasmussen: Tierney Lawrence Stiles LLC Martha M. Tierney Denver, Colorado

          Attorneys for Respondents John Brackney and Robyn Carnes: Gessler Blue LLC Scott E. Gessler Geoffrey N. Blue Greenwood Village, Colorado

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          Attorneys for Title Board: Philip J. Weiser, Attorney General Peter G. Baumann, Assistant Solicitor General Denver, Colorado

          CHIEF JUSTICE MARQUEZ delivered the Opinion of the Court, in which JUSTICE BOATRIGHT, JUSTICE HOOD, JUSTICE GABRIEL, JUSTICE SAMOUR, JUSTICE BERKENKOTTER, and JUSTICE BLANCO joined.

         EN BANC

          OPINION

          MÁRQUEZ CHIEF JUSTICE

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         ¶1 In these original proceedings pursuant to section 1-40-107(2), C.R.S. (2025), we review the actions of the Title Board regarding two statewide initiatives. Petitioner Wayne Williams challenges the actions of the Title Board in setting the title, ballot title, and submission clause for proposed Initiative 2025-2026 #240 ("Initiative #240"). Petitioner Curtis Hubbard separately challenges the actions of the Title Board in setting the title, ballot title, and submission clause for proposed Initiative 2025-2026 #327 ("Initiative #327"). We conclude that both Initiative #240 and Initiative #327 (the "Initiatives")[1] encompass multiple subjects in violation of article V, section 1(5.5) of the Colorado Constitution and section 1-40-106.5, C.R.S. (2025). Accordingly, we reverse the actions of the Title Board.

         I. Facts and Procedural History

         ¶2 Tanya Nathan and Lindsey Rasmussen are the designated proponents of Initiative #240; John Brackney and Robyn Carnes are the designated proponents of Initiative #327. These Initiatives are substantially similar in language and form and represent two of several proposed initiatives related to congressional redistricting presented to the Title Board during the 2026 election cycle.

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         ¶3 By way of background, in 2018, voters adopted Amendment Y, which is codified at article V, sections 44 to 44.6 of the Colorado Constitution. S. Con. Res. 18-004, secs. 1-3, art. V, §§ 44-44.6, 2018 Colo. Sess. Laws 3082, 3082-95; Off. of the Sec'y of State, State of Colo., 2018 Abstract of Votes Cast, at 144, https:// historicalelectiondata.coloradosos.gov/document/492?page=147 [https://perma.cc/3BBN-288T] (showing the abstract of votes cast for Amendment Y in the November 6, 2018 general election). These provisions established an independent congressional redistricting commission ("Commission") and set forth the procedure the Commission must follow in adopting a congressional redistricting plan. The plan the Commission adopts must adhere to specific criteria, including making a good-faith effort to achieve precise mathematical population equality between districts, preserving whole communities of interest and whole political subdivisions, maximizing the number of politically competitive districts, and prohibiting maps drawn to favor any political party. Colo. Const. art. V, § 44.3(1)(a), (2)(a), (3)(a), (4)(a). Additionally, these provisions authorize the Commission to create a new redistricting plan only in a redistricting year, which is defined as the year following the federal decennial census. Id. at § 44(2), (3)(d); cf. People ex rel. Salazar v. Davidson, 79 P.3d 1221, 1226 (Colo. 2003).

         ¶4 Sections 2-1-100.5 to -109, C.R.S. (2025), supplement the constitutional directives regarding congressional redistricting. These sections include a

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legislative declaration that congressional districts shall be divided pursuant to the most recent federal decennial census data, § 2-1-100.5, C.R.S. (2025); a directive that the Commission must submit a final congressional redistricting plan to the supreme court for approval and file an approved plan with the Secretary of State, § 2-1-105, C.R.S. (2025); and a process for the Secretary of State to make technical amendments to the plan to correct minor errors, § 2-1-106, C.R.S. (2025).

         ¶5 The Commission designed Colorado's current congressional district map, approved in 2021, in accordance with Amendment Y's constitutional directives. See Colo. Indep. Redistricting Comm'n, Final Congressional Redistricting Plan (Oct. 1, 2021), https://redistricting.colorado.gov/rails/active_storage/disk/ eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaDdDVG9JYTJWNVNTSWhaR2N6Ymp nNE9YWnphM0ZxWXpKcmFuQjFkMk15Y3pWNVozSXhPUVk2QmtWVU9oQ mthWE53YjNOcGRHbHZia2tpQWNCcGJteHBibVU3SUdacGJHVnVZVzFsUFN KR2FXNWhiQ0JEYjI1bmNtVnpjMmx2Ym1Gc0lGSmxaR2x6ZEhKcFkzUnBibW NnVUd4aGJpQjNhWFJvSUVWNGFHbGlhWFJ6SUVacGJHVmtJREV3TFRFdE1 qRXVjR1JtSWpzZ1ptbHNaVzVoYldVcVBWVlVSaTA0SnlkR2FXNWhiQ1V5TUV OdmJtZHlaWE56YVc5dVlXd2xNakJTWldScGMzUnlhV04wYVc1bkpUSXdVR3h oYmlVeU1IZHBkR2dsTWpCRmVHaHBZbWwwY3lVeU1FWnBiR1ZrSlRJd01U QXRNUzB5TVM1d1pHWUdPd1pVT2hGamIyNTBaVzUwWDNSNWNHVkpJa FJoY0hCc2FXTmhkR2x2Ymk5d1pHWUdPd1pVT2hGelpYSjJhV05sWDI1aGJXVT

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ZDbXh2WTJGcyIsImV4cCI6IjIwMjYtMDYtMjRUMTc6MTg6NDMuMjc0WiIsInB 1ciI6ImJsb2Jfa2V5In19--ee88a809834a09cefd2345abf9eb1c9e3213542e/Final%20 Congressional%20Redistricting%20Plan%20with%20Exhibits%20Filed%2010-1-21.pdf [https://perma.cc/4C86-QX9L]; see also Colo. Const. art. V, §§ 44(1), 44.2(3), 44.3-44.4.

         ¶6 Initiative #240 and Initiative #327 are substantively similar in that both seek to temporarily change the frequency of redistricting and replace the current congressional district map. Both Initiatives would accomplish this by amending article V, section 44 of the Colorado Constitution to add a subsection (1.5), which would allow mid-decade congressional redistricting for the 2028 and 2030 election cycles.

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Wayne Williams v. Tanya Nathan and Lindsey Rasmussen, In the Matter of the Title, Ballot Title, and Submission Clause for Proposed Initiative 2025-2026 240 and Michael Dohr, Theresa Conley, and Kurt Morrison, Title Board In the Matter of the Title, Ballot Title, and Submission Clause for Proposed Initiative 2025-2026 327 Curtis Hubbard v. John Brackney and Robyn Carnes, and Michael Dohr, Theresa Conley, and Kurt Morrison, Title Board, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wayne-williams-v-tanya-nathan-and-lindsey-rasmussen-in-the-matter-of-the-colo-2026.