SALT LAKE CITY — Officials with the Count My Vote initiative announced they have collected more than 100,000 signatures, and could reach their goal ahead of the April 15 deadline.
The organization needs to get 102,000 signatures from Utah voters in order to put the initiative on the November ballot this year. An initiative must include signatures totaling at least 10 percent of all votes cast for president in a given senate district, and that requirement must be satisfied in 26 of the 29 senate districts in the state. Click here for more details about the signature requirements.
A recent complaint filed with the Lt. Governor’s office calls the authenticity of some of the signatures in to question, as well as raises other questions about the organization’s practices.
Count My Vote wants to move toward direct primary elections rather than the current caucus-convention system.
Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney came out in favor of ‘Count My Vote,’ Monday.
James Humphreys is the media chairman for Protect our Neighborhood Elections, a group opposed to the the Count My Vote initiative. He released the following statement in response to the announcement from Count My Vote:
“We at Protect our Neighborhood Elections find the claim of 100,000 signatures very interesting. Once again though, it is up to us to point out a few facts so that their claim is in context. First, while they may be pleased with such an accomplishment, there is no proof that what they claim is true. Count My Vote has turned in less than 1,000 signatures for review and certification. Second, the goal is not 102,000 signatures with wiggle room, it is 10% of registered voters in 26/29 Senate Districts. It doesn’t matter if they get 150,000 signatures in the SL valley, if they haven’t gotten any in Price, or Beaver, or Richfield.
A half truth is not the truth! We expect them to back up their claim. Count My Vote has a very clear history of using facts and details out of context making much more value appear than is really there.”
