While most of the attention this cycle has gone to the high profile top of the ticket races, there are also millions being spent on a ballot initiative that would allow gaming at horse racetracks in Arapahoe, Mesa and Pueblo counties. Tax revenue generated from proceeds would fund K-12 education.

Now, we don’t have a horse in this race (ha!), but we have to ask: what the heck is the deal with the ads coming from the “vote no” side? Their tagline – “A sweetheart deal for Rhode Island, a bad deal for Colorado” – isn’t explained at all. At best, it is hella confusing for the average voter. At worst, people tune it out because it makes no sense.  Their ad also takes the scare tactic approach and uses some truly horrendous nails-on-a-chalkboard music to imply that this measure is bad news.  Take a look:

But, if we learned anything from the failed Amendment 66 last year, it is that people actually read the ballot language. Despite proponents having spent over $10 million, voters statewide soundly rejected the measure, 66 percent to 34 percent. If the pro-66 folks had been more honest with their message and their advertising, perhaps all that money wouldn’t have been spent in vain.

The proponents of Amendment 68 seem to have actually taken that lesson to heart and are being very upfront in their approach:

Unfortunately, we don’t have any insider knowledge of how the polling looks for Amendment 68, but who has the better ad is no contest.