Colorado Springs November 2026 Ballot: What Homeowners Should Know

Election Day in Colorado is Tuesday, November 3, and by now most El Paso County voters already have a ballot in hand. A handful of measures on this year's ballot touch homeowners directly: a school bond that would raise property taxes, a county sales tax renewal, a regional transit question, and statewide measures that affect how your home is taxed. We are not here to tell anyone how to vote. We are here to make sure you know what each measure would actually mean for your home and your monthly budget, so the decision is an informed one.

District 11's Issue 4A: The One With the Property Tax Impact

Ballot Issue 4A is the measure with the most direct effect on a homeowner's tax bill. It would authorize $775 million in new bond debt, the district's first new bond since 2004, repaid through a property tax increase capped at $49.8 million a year. District officials estimate the average homeowner would pay roughly $22 to $27 more per month, depending on the value of the home. The money would repair and modernize aging schools in phases through 2036, including air conditioning and renovations at Coronado High School, continued rebuilding at Holmes Middle School, and the next phase of work at Palmer High School.

School quality and home values are tied together in Colorado Springs, which is why we pay attention to measures like this. Strong schools are one of the first things buyers ask about, and districts that keep their buildings in good shape tend to hold their appeal.

El Paso County's Issue 1A: A Renewal, Not a New Tax

Issue 1A renews the county's existing 0.23% public safety sales and use tax through January 1, 2037. It is not a rate increase and it is not a new tax, and because it is a sales tax, it has no direct property tax impact. It brings in roughly $40 million a year for the Sheriff's Office, detention operations, fire response, and emergency communications. A no vote lets the tax expire in 2029.

Ballot Issue 7A: A Transit Question for the Springs

Voters in Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs will also weigh Ballot Issue 7A, which would create a Front Range passenger rail district funded by a sales tax of 33 cents per $100 purchase, with exemptions for gasoline, food, residential electricity, prescription drugs, and medical care. Commute times are part of how people choose neighborhoods, so better connections along the Front Range matter to the way this region grows.

The Statewide Questions That Touch Your Home

Two statewide measures are worth a homeowner's attention. Amendment 87 would replace Colorado's flat income tax with graduated brackets while keeping the current 4.4% tax on the sale of a principal residence, and Proposition 136 would cap income tax rates at 4.4% of federal taxable income. Both are worth understanding if you plan to sell. Amendment 82 would create a constitutional right to buy natural gas for cooking and heating, a question that matters for anyone comparing gas and electric homes in Colorado.

Make Sure Your Ballot Counts

The practical part: in El Paso County, your ballot must be received by the Clerk and Recorder's Office by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, and postmarks do not count. The county recommends mailing by October 26, or dropping your ballot in a 24/7 secure drop box or at a Voter Service and Polling Center. Ballots have already gone out, so if yours has not arrived, that is the first thing to check.