Colorado Firefighter Safety Act Petition Elections

More election options for firefighter bargaining

The law adds coordinated elections as an option for votes on public firefighters’ collective bargaining. Eligible elections also include regular municipal elections, regular special district board elections, and statewide primary and general elections. A petition must name an employee organization and ask the public employer to bargain with it. It needs signatures equal to at least 5% of voters in the last municipal or district election. For fire authorities, the 5% threshold uses the total votes in each party’s general election. City charters or local ordinances may govern petition requirements. A qualifying petition requires the employer to place this question on the next eligible election ballot: Should the firefighters employed by the public employer be covered by the Colorado Firefighter Safety Act? A majority voting yes requires collective bargaining, with the named organization serving as firefighters’ exclusive bargaining representative. A majority voting no leaves the employer under the existing meet-and-confer process, without requiring collective bargaining. The law takes effect at 12:01 a.m. after the 90-day period following the legislature’s final adjournment. That date is August 12, 2026, if final adjournment occurs May 13, 2026. A referendum petition filed during that period against the law or any part delays its effect. In that case, voter approval at the November 2026 general election is required. The challenged law or part then takes effect when the governor officially declares the vote results.