The news was met with shock from state lawmakers, who have been reeling in recent weeks as they cut Medicaid and other state services to address a $1.5 billion budget shortfall.

Colorado's prison system is on track to exceed capacity within the next year, driven by a sharp slowdown in parole releases.

Without enough legislative votes to pass their agenda, conservative activists have turned to the ballot initiative process as the only way to pass a conservative policy agenda.

Local officials had claimed they were already giving detained people ballot access, but the first-in-the-nation mandate forced their hands and increased turnout across the state.