SALT LAKE CITY – Organizers behind an initiative aimed at changing the way Utahns select candidates for political office say a bill in the Utah legislature is aimed at making their initiative meaningless, and they said such legislation is detrimental.
Count My Vote is a movement seeking to do away with Utah’s caucus system by putting a measure enacting such a change on the November ballot.
Officials with the group said Senate Bill 54, sponsored by Sen. Curt Bramble, R-District 16, would establish rules political parties would have to follow—or they would have to move to a direct primary election.
In the statement, Count My Vote officials said the bill takes power away from citizens and could “harm the good faith efforts of citizens to vote and enact a law” because if SB 54 is passed and the political parties adopt the changes then a voter initiative to end the caucuses would be directly impacted.
“We are saddened that the Legislature is considering SB54, which could damage the proper and legal citizen action creating a direct primary election in Utah,” the statement reads.
County My Vote officials are currently working to secure the necessary signatures to place their proposal on the ballot.
Others in the state are working to oppose measures that would eliminate Utah’s caucuses.
