Anti-Wolf Ballot Measure Drive Fails to Gather Enough Signatures in Colorado

A Colorado anti-wolf ballot measure initiative has failed to gather enough signatures to move forward, ensuring wolf reintroduction will continue in the state. Initiative 13, led by Colorado Advocates for Smart Wolf Policy, sought to secure a 2026 ballot measure to end the voter-mandated reintroduction of wolves that began in late 2023. However, even if the ballot initiative had moved forward, several additional wolf releases could have taken place before it went into effect.

While Colorado Advocates for Smart Wolf Policy claims it has “paused” its petition gathering effort, the state law requiring signatures to be gathered during a six-month window does not provide an option for that period to be paused or extended. Since the ballot measure initiative deadline has passed, organizers would need to start from scratch if they choose to move forward in the future.

Initiative 13 faced opposition from ranchers, hunters, conservationists, and community leaders alike. Colorado Parks and Wildlife has worked closely with ranchers and community leaders since introduction began to address concerns. A January poll from Colorado Nature Action found that a growing majority of Coloradans support the reintroduction of gray wolves and express strong confidence in Colorado Parks and Wildlife to manage the process effectively.

The failure of this effort comes on the heels of a special legislative session compromise to continue wolf reintroduction rather than pause the program as lawmakers intended, influenced by hours of public testimony and engagement supporting the program.

“Coloradans have again shown their support for wolf reintroduction by rejecting this paltry effort to overturn Proposition 114,” said Tom Delehanty, senior attorney with Earthjustice’s Rocky Mountain Office. “It’s time to accept the results of the democratic process and continue working together to ensure the best outcomes for both wolves and the communities that live alongside them.”

Coloradans’ support of wolf reintroduction reflects the species’ benefits, including the inherent value of restoring a native species to its historic territory as well as potential economic effects. Wolf-watching in Yellowstone National Park generates approximately $83 million annually for local communities. In Wisconsin, wolves saved an estimated $10.9 million in a single year by altering deer behavior and reducing deer-vehicle collisions. And initial research suggests that wolves may suppress spread of chronic wasting disease, an always-fatal contagion that is devastating Colorado’s deer and elk herds and imposes tens of millions of dollars in direct and indirect costs each year.