Despite Colorado Springs voters approving the sale of recreational marijuana within city limits in November, the issue will be back on the ballot in April.
The debate over recreational marijuana sales has long divided the city, due in part to the large military population and the city’s proximity to Fort Carson and other military installations. Two years ago, voters turned down a question to legalize recreational marijuana sales with 57 percent voting against it.
But this past fall, 54 percent of Colorado Springs voters supported Ballot Question 300 which would allow existing medical dispensaries to sell recreational marijuana.
This April, voters will decide whether to overturn Ballot Question 300 in the general municipal election.
This will be the third time in less than six months that voters will be asked about allowing recreational marijuana sales. In the weeks leading up to the November election, the city council introduced Ballot Issue 2D — a competing measure to Ballot Question 300 — which aimed to amend the city charter and ban retail marijuana businesses within city limits.
Councilmember Dave Donelson, who led the repeal effort, said that voters must have been “confused” by the competing ballot issues.
“I have heard from voters both before the election and after it that they didn't understand Ballot Question 300,” Councilmember Donelson said in a city council meeting on Tuesday. “So I believe there was confusion among voters. Was it all voters? Absolutely not. Was it even the majority? I don't think so. Was it enough, was it 11,000 voters? I think it may have been.”
Colorado Springs city council voted 7-2 to put the issue back on the ballot with Councilmembers Nancy Henjum and Yolanda Avila voting against it.
