While much of the attention for Nov. 3 has focused on the presidential, U.S. Senate and other top-of-the-ballot races, voters in 70 towns and cities also will be asked to decide tax, broadband, marijuana and energy measures.

The Colorado Municipal League on Monday issued a preview of those municipal measures, with tax and marijuana questions the top question posed in 19 municipalities.

Questions about allowing recreational and/or medical marijuana are coming in nine communities, with additional questions on taxes for marijuana in five of the nine. 

Seven of the nine are in rural Colorado, ranging from Eckley in Yuma County, to Cedaredge in Delta County. But Lakewood and Littleton voters also will be asked for permission to open recreational dispensaries as well. Lakewood has allowed medical dispensaries since at least 2009, but voters rejected recreational marijuana dispensaries in 2014.

It’s led to concerns that surrounding communities — Denver, Wheat Ridge and Edgewater — are raking in the tax revenue that Lakewood could be raising.

Littleton has had medical dispensaries since 2010 but this will be the first time its voters have been asked about recreational dispensaries.

Eight communities also will be asked to vote on taxes tied to marijuana sales, with Broomfield the largest.

Berthoud, Denver and Englewood are also seeking voter permission to opt out of a statewide restriction on locally-supplied broadband services, dating back to a 2005 law that prohibits local governments from entering into the broadband market. CML said that voters in 112 communities have approved this opt-out.

Boulder and Littleton will ask voters whether their mayors should be directly elected rather than chosen by city councils. 

Requests for de-Brucing from the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights are in front of voters in Grand Junction and La Junta; Colorado Springs is looking for permission to retain excess revenues in 2019 and 2020. The CML pointed out that voters almost always approve those requests. 

Among the tax issues: a fee on disposable bags in Louisville; an excise tax in Boulder, to be paid by residential landlords and to fund rental and legal assistance to those vulnerable to eviction; taxes in Eads for a public swimming pool and in Hayden for parks and recreation; and in Mead and Monument for police departments.

Severance voters will decide if they should become a home rule municipality. 

Boulder, Cañon City and Montrose voters are all being asked about electricity. In Boulder, voters will decide whether to grant a franchise to Xcel for gas and electricity distribution; Cañon City voters will decide on a franchise for Black Hills Energy, and Montrose voters will look at a franchise for the Delta-Montrose Electric Association.

Finally, Denver voters will decide whether to retain a ban on pit bulls on a question allowing owners to obtain provisional permits. 

A full list of all the municipal ballot questions can be found here.