Colorado Springs appeals marijuana ballot ruling as overseas voting deadline approaches

A Colorado judge has blocked Colorado Springs City Council's attempt to place a measure on the April ballot that would repeal the recently approved recreational marijuana sales ordinance, known as Question 300. The ruling, based on Amendment 64, mandates that such ballot items must appear only during general elections in even-numbered years. This ruling has resulted in the city missing a critical deadline to send ballots to nearly 5,000 overseas voters and active-duty military members, as the city had to modify the misleading language of the repeal question. The council has filed an emergency appeal with the Colorado Supreme Court, seeking to overturn the injunction, but the higher court has so far upheld the lower court's decision. The ongoing legal battle has created uncertainty regarding the status of recreational marijuana sales, which were set to begin as early as April 14. The city council's actions have drawn criticism for creating chaos around the issue, as highlighted by plaintiffs in the lawsuit against the repeal effort.