Early voting backs streamlining of ballot initiatives

Daniel Chaconand John C. Ensslin, Rocky Mountain News

Published August 13, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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A Denver ballot measure that would require police to seize cars from unlicensed drivers appeared to be passing, according to late returns.

Another ballot measure that would streamline ballot initiatives passed.

Initiative 100, which would force the owner of the vehicle to post a $2,500 bond to get a vehicle back, was leading by a 5-to-4 ratio with about 21 percent of the vote counted.

"I'm shocked, what with the mayor, the City Council and the council of churches against it," said Daniel Hayes, a Jefferson County resident who led the initiative. "I'm elated."

The ballot measure singled out illegal immigrants and drew the opposition of Mayor John Hickenlooper, who said it would be a drain on city resources.

"This misguided, impractical and legally questionable measure would divert precious safety resources - both in terms of personnel and funding - from critical public safety efforts," Hickenlooper said recently in a statement.

"We cannot afford to sacrifice public safety or common sense by burdening our safety personnel with additional requirements already covered by existing law," he said.

A majority of City Council members, religious leaders and the downtown business community also opposed it.

Hayes said he hopes the initiative will serve as a "springboard" for a statewide ballot measure. He maintained that it didn't target illegal immigrants.

"It's targeting people driving without a driver's license," he said.

"But I think there's a lot of illegals driving without a license."

Ballot totals also showed voters approved Question 1A, a charter amendment that eliminates the City Council's procedural duty of dealing with citizen initiatives.

Under the City Charter, the council had only two options when it received a citizen initiative or referendum: approve it as is or place it on the ballot.

The council's ministerial duty has created political angst.

Examples of ballot measures that the council has had to refer to voters include a 2004 ballot initiative aimed at banning circuses from exhibiting exotic animals and a successful measure last year to make adult possession of less than an ounce of marijuana Denver's "lowest law enforcement priority."

chacond@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5099

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