Local ballot measure
Boulder Vacancy Tax on Homes Occupied 183 Days or Less
On the November 3, 2026 ballot
City of Boulder ballot issue 2J
Who is asking
City of Boulder
On the ballot in
- Boulder County ballot: 2J
The ballot question
RESIDENTIAL VACANCY EXCISE TAX (TABOR) SHALL THE CITY OF BOULDER TAXES BE INCREASED $6,000,000 ANNUALLY (WHICH AMOUNT REPRESENTS ESTIMATED REVENUES IN 2028, THE FIRST FULL FISCAL YEAR OF COLLECTION), AND BY SUCH AMOUNTS RAISED ANNUALLY THEREAFTER, BY IMPOSING A $4,000 TAX ON VACANT HOMES THAT ARE OCCUPIED FOR 183 DAYS OR LESS PER YEAR, WITH SUCH AMOUNT NEVER FALLING BELOW $4,000 BUT INCREASING ANNUALLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DENVER-AURORA-LAKEWOOD CONSUMER PRICE INDEX UP TO, BUT NEVER EXCEEDING $7,000, WITH THE REVENUE FROM SUCH TAX TO BE USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUPPORTING CITY SERVICES, INCLUDING: POLICE AND FIRE PROTECTION; PARKS AND RECREATION; TRANSPORTATION AND MAINTENANCE; AND OTHER GENERAL SERVICES IMPORTANT TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE CITY; AND SHALL THE REVENUES FROM SUCH TAXES AND ANY RELATED EARNINGS BE COLLECTED, RETAINED, AND SPENT AS A VOTER-APPROVED REVENUE CHANGE WITHOUT LIMITATION AND AN EXCEPTION TO THE REVENUE AND SPENDING LIMITS OF ARTICLE X, SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION?
Where the question's words come from
What a vote does
- A yes vote means
- Approves the vacancy excise tax, which the referring ordinance puts in place by January 1, 2028 (the ballot's first full fiscal year of collection), and the authority to retain its revenue.
- A no vote means
- Rejects the tax on homes occupied 183 days or less a year.
County ballots
Other local measures on the same ballot
- 1A, Boulder County: Boulder County Child Care Property Tax of 2.579 Mills
- 200, Boulder County: Boulder County Commission Expansion to Five Members
- 201, Boulder County: How Boulder County Would Elect Five Commissioners
- 2A, City of Lafayette: Lafayette LaMont Does Park Tax Through 2046
- 2B, City of Louisville: Louisville Historic Preservation Tax Through 2038
- 2C, City of Louisville: Louisville Executive Sessions on More Topics
- 2D, City of Louisville: Louisville Taking Office After Election Certification
- 2E, City of Louisville: More Signatures for Louisville Petitions
- 2F, City of Louisville: Louisville Public Meetings Beyond Public Buildings
- 2G, City of Louisville: Louisville Required Review of Citizen Initiatives
- 2H, City of Louisville: Louisville Charter Wording Changes
- 2K, City of Boulder: Boulder Bonds for Recreation Centers, Police and City Buildings
- 2L, City of Boulder: Boulder Firefighter Collective Bargaining Charter Amendment
- 2M, City of Boulder: Boulder Charter Debt Limit Based on Actual Value
- 300, Proposed Municipality of Niwot: Niwot Incorporation as a Municipality
- 301, Proposed Municipality of Niwot: Niwot Home Rule Charter Commission
- 302, Proposed Municipality of Niwot: Niwot 2.5% Sales and Use Tax
- 303, Proposed Municipality of Niwot: Niwot Four-Mill Property Tax
- 304, Proposed Municipality of Niwot: Niwot Three-Percent Marijuana Sales Tax
- 305, Proposed Municipality of Niwot: Niwot Retention of Revenue Above State Limits
- 306, Proposed Municipality of Niwot: Niwot Revenue Bonds for Streets and Roads
- 6A, Eldorado Springs Public Improvement District of Boulder County: Eldorado Springs Wastewater Plant Borrowing
- 6B, Sombrero Ranch Public Improvement District of Boulder County: Sombrero Ranch Road District and Property Tax
- 6C, Summerlin Public Improvement District of Boulder County: Summerlin Public Improvement District for Road Resurfacing
- 7C, Allenspark Fire Protection District: Allenspark Fire District Property Tax Increase
- 7A, Front Range Passenger Rail District: A permanent 0.333% sales and use tax and up to $580 million in borrowing for Colorado Connector passenger rail
- 3E, Town of Erie: Erie Lodging Tax of 3.5 Percent
- 3F, Town of Erie: Erie Community Center Debt and Sales Tax Increase
- 3A, City of Longmont: Longmont Sales and Property Taxes for Public Safety
- 3B, City of Longmont: Longmont Voter Approval for Open Space Sales
- 3C, City of Longmont: Longmont Ranked Choice Voting From November 2029
- 3D, City of Longmont: Longmont Council Seats Grouped Into Alternating Elections
- 7B, Timberline Fire Protection District: Timberline Fire Protection District Six-Mill Levy Increase
The guide opens October 12
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Key dates
- October 2 to October 9: county clerks mail ballots to active voters.
- October 12: drop boxes open.
- October 26: last suggested day to return a ballot by mail.
- From October 27: return your ballot to a drop box or vote center instead of mailing it.
- November 3, 2026, Election Day: ballots are due by 7:00 p.m.
Page updated September 29, 2026