SALT LAKE CITY -
It's a first-of-its-kind ruling that could have broader implications for how elections will be handled nationwide in the future. The Utah Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that signatures gathered over the Internet -- so-called "e-signatures" -- are valid.
In a unanimous ruling, the state's top court ruled in favor of an independent candidate for governor who used e-signatures to get on the November ballot. Utah's Lt. Governor would not accept them, so Farley Anderson took his case to the Utah Supreme Court.
"Ultimately, we are persuaded that a signature under (Utah's election code) does not require a signor to physically handle a piece of paper and sign her name with a pen; an electronic signature is sufficient to satisfy the Election Code," the court wrote in its opinion Tuesday.
Anderson was ecstatic.
"I'm so well pleased I could pop a button," he said outside the Matheson Courthouse on Tuesday.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Utah, which represented Anderson in the case, called the ruling a win for democracy.
"The court's opinion, which is the first of its kind nationwide, has the potential to increase significantly the ability of independent candidates to access the general election ballot," said Darcy Goddard, the ACLU of Utah's legal director.
The ruling could have broader implications for ballot initiatives and other election issues. The court did not address a brief filed by the group Utahns for Ethical Government, which is using e-signatures to push ethics reform in the Utah State Legislature.
Reacting to the ruling, Utah's Lt. Governor said that he would review the e-signatures for Anderson, but until the legislature settled the issue it would likely be on a case-by-case basis.
"I have to take the spirit of this and put it in the context of initiatives for instance and decide whether i accept it or not," Lt. Governor Greg Bell said Tuesday.
FOX 13's Ben Winslow reports.
In a unanimous ruling, the state's top court ruled in favor of an independent candidate for governor who used e-signatures to get on the November ballot. Utah's Lt. Governor would not accept them, so Farley Anderson took his case to the Utah Supreme Court.
"Ultimately, we are persuaded that a signature under (Utah's election code) does not require a signor to physically handle a piece of paper and sign her name with a pen; an electronic signature is sufficient to satisfy the Election Code," the court wrote in its opinion Tuesday.
Anderson was ecstatic.
"I'm so well pleased I could pop a button," he said outside the Matheson Courthouse on Tuesday.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Utah, which represented Anderson in the case, called the ruling a win for democracy.
"The court's opinion, which is the first of its kind nationwide, has the potential to increase significantly the ability of independent candidates to access the general election ballot," said Darcy Goddard, the ACLU of Utah's legal director.
The ruling could have broader implications for ballot initiatives and other election issues. The court did not address a brief filed by the group Utahns for Ethical Government, which is using e-signatures to push ethics reform in the Utah State Legislature.
Reacting to the ruling, Utah's Lt. Governor said that he would review the e-signatures for Anderson, but until the legislature settled the issue it would likely be on a case-by-case basis.
"I have to take the spirit of this and put it in the context of initiatives for instance and decide whether i accept it or not," Lt. Governor Greg Bell said Tuesday.
FOX 13's Ben Winslow reports.
Digg
Twitter
Facebook
StumbleUpon
