People may alter or abolish form of government - proviso

• Currency: Current through 11/8/2022 Election
• Citation: Colo. Const. art. II § 2

The people of this state have the sole and exclusive right of governing themselves, as a free, sovereign and independent state; and to alter and abolish their constitution and form of government whenever they may deem it necessary to their safety and happiness, provided, such change be not repugnant to the constitution of the United States.

Cite as Colo. Const. art. II § 2

Source:

Entire article added, effective August 1, 1876, see L. 1877, p. 29.

ANNOTATION

Equal protection clause not designed to protect state instrumentalities from people's right under section. The equal protection clause of the fourteenth amendment was not designed to protect state instrumentalities such as municipalities and counties against state action, much less against the constitutional right of the people to alter and abolish their constitution and form of government whenever they may deem it necessary to their safety and happiness. Bd. of County Comm'rs v. City & County of Denver, 150 Colo. 198, 372 P.2d 152 (1962), appeal dismissed, 372 U.S. 226, 83 S. Ct. 679, 9 L. Ed. 2d 714 (1963).