Voters in Colorado will decide on a ballot measure related to the right to purchase and sell natural gas to homes and businesses.
Initiative 177
The measure — known as Initiative 177 — would add a new section to Article XVIII of the Colorado Constitution to establish the right for consumers to purchase natural gas for cooking or heating in homes or businesses, as well as for distributors and utilities to sell natural gas.
The Colorado secretary of state's office certified Initiative 177 for the ballot on Aug. 6, 2026, announcing that its proponents submitted 146,165 valid signatures, thereby surpassing the required minimum of 124,238.
If passed, Initiative 177 would affect both present and future laws across the state, with the legislative fiscal summary of the bill stating, "Local governments that currently have or are considering building codes that prohibit or restrict natural gas in commercial and residential development will have increased costs to conform the codes with state law, and to modify permitting, inspection, and compliance activities." For example, Boulder's current Energy Conservation Code, which requires all new buildings — residential, multifamily, and commercial — to be all-electric, with some exceptions, would likely be affected by the passage of Initiative 177.
Initiative 177 was filed on Dec. 5, 2025, as an initiated constitutional amendment, and is supported by Advance Colorado, an organization that describes its mission as "[pushing] back on the progressive policies that have put our state on the wrong track."
Speaking in support of the initiative, Michael Fields, the president of Advance Colorado, said, "Natural gas is a clean, reliable and affordable form of energy that more than 70% of Colorado homes use today. That right should be protected."
Speaking in opposition to the initiative, state House Speaker Julie McCluskie (D-13) said that the initiative is "overly broad, lacks clarity and could upend years of work to craft durable policy that advances our goals of better air quality, more affordable transit and cleaner energy."
Since Initiative 177 is a constitutional amendment, it would require a 55% supermajority vote for approval.
The last time voters in the U.S. decided on a statewide ballot measure related to natural gas policy was in 2024. On Nov. 5, 2024, voters in Washington considered Initiative 2066, which prohibited state and local governments from restricting access to natural gas; prohibited the state Building Code Council from prohibiting, discouraging, or penalizing the use of natural gas; and required gas and utility companies to provide natural gas to any person or corporation, even if other energy services may be available. Initiative 2066 was approved by voters, receiving 51.71% of the vote.
With the certification of Initiative 177, a total of eight measures have qualified in Colorado to appear on the statewide ballot for Nov. 3. Additionally, another seven measures are awaiting signature verification from the secretary of state's office. The signature submission deadline for all initiatives was Aug. 3.
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