Be Counted
Before It Counts
Recalls, constitutional amendments, citizen initiatives — know if the numbers are there before anyone files paperwork. Real people, real names, verified to their district.
How it works
Three steps. That's it.
Find what matters
Recalls, amendments, initiatives, referendums. If it affects your community, it's here.
Put your name on it
Your address verifies your district — we never share your personal information. You'll see exactly where you map to: your house district, senate district, and county.
Watch the numbers build
Every issue shows real-time viability — how many people, from which districts, against the legal threshold. When the numbers are there, what comes next becomes inevitable.
The numbers
Colorado gives you real power. Most people don't know it.
Colorado's constitution gives citizens four direct mechanisms to check their government: recalls, citizen initiatives, constitutional amendments, and referendums. These aren't symbolic. They're legally binding — and they have specific signature thresholds.
25%
of votes cast to recall an elected official
~124,632
signatures for a citizen initiative
60–180
days to collect, depending on type
35
senate districts must each contribute 2%
Most petition efforts fail because organizers discover too late that they don't have the numbers. By A Thread shows you viability in real time — district by district, against the actual legal threshold — before you spend a dollar on signature collection.
Colorado law
Petition Types & Legal Requirements
Each petition type has different thresholds, timelines, and rules. These are the real numbers from Colorado law.
Recall
Elected OfficialRemove an elected official. Threshold is 25% of votes cast for that specific office in the last general election. Must state grounds. Official must have served 6+ months. Signers must be registered in that district.
Colo. Const. Art. XXI; C.R.S. § 1-12-101 et seq.
Citizen Initiative
New StatutePropose a new state law. Requires title board approval. Must collect 2% of registered electors in each of 35 senate districts. Measure goes on next general election ballot.
Colo. Const. Art. V, § 1; C.R.S. § 1-40-101 et seq.
Constitutional Amendment
State ConstitutionPropose a change to the Colorado Constitution. Same signature threshold as initiatives, but requires 55% voter approval to pass (TABOR).
Colo. Const. Art. V, § 1; Art. XIX
Referendum
Existing LawRepeal or suspend a law passed by the legislature. Must be filed within 90 days of legislative session adjournment.
Colo. Const. Art. V, § 1(3)
*5% of votes cast for Secretary of State in the most recent general election (2024). Updates after each election cycle.
The story
Why "By A Thread"?
In the old fable, a courtier named Damocles envied the king's power. The king offered to trade places for a day. Damocles sat on the throne — then noticed a sword hanging directly above him, suspended by a single thread.
The point: power comes with peril. Those who wield it should remember that the thread can snap.
Citizens hold the thread.
Your name carries weight
This isn't a click-to-sign petition mill. Your name is tied to your district, verified by address. That's what makes the data real.
See viability before you commit
Every issue shows real-time progress against its legal threshold, broken down by district. Know if the numbers are there before anyone spends a dollar.
We count. That's all.
We don't file petitions, run campaigns, or take sides. We show how many people care about what, and where they are. What happens next is up to someone else.
What happens with your data
Your address is used to verify your legislative district — that's it. We never share your personal information. By default, you appear as "Resident, HD-42" — your name is only shown if you choose to make it public. Your email is used for deduplication so each person counts once.
Read our full privacy policy →For organizations
Embed on Your Site
Running a campaign? Advocacy group? News outlet? Embed intent collection directly on your website.
Your visitors can sign issues without leaving your site. You get real-time counts. We handle the district verification, deduplication, and data integrity.
For embed partners
Request your issue
We set up a dedicated issue for your campaign or cause
Get your embed code
Simple iframe or JavaScript widget — works on any site
Collect verified intent
Visitors sign directly on your site, we verify districts
Access your data
Export verified supporter lists when you're ready to act