SALT LAKE CITY — Utah could be a big step closer to having voters prove they are US citizens before casting their ballot in state elections.
This after House Bill 209 passed through committee Wednesday.
Is it the logical and sensible thing to do to ensure only US citizens vote in our elections, Or a waste of time and money that will only disenfranchise minority voters?
That was the debate in the committee hearing.
The sponsor of HB 209, Republican representative A. Cory Maloy of Utah County, shared the following statement:
“The main purpose of the bill really is to make sure that we do everything we can to ensure that US citizens are voting in Utah elections.”
That means providing a process for a Utah election officer to independently determine whether a registered voter is not a citizen of the United States.
Meaning the prospective voter must show proof of US citizenship.
Supporters of the bill, including Republican representative Candice Pierucci, said it makes perfect sense.
“When I go to Costco, I have to have my Costco card, which they use my state ID to verify for me to even walk in the door.”
But when asked if there are documented issues of non-citizens voting in Utah, the director of elections, Ryan Cowley, said there were fewer than a half dozen instances.
“So there are some, it’s a non-zero number.”
That’s a big reason why The Utah League of Women Voters opposes this bill.
Helen Moser shared the following statement:
“HB 209 is a solution in search of a problem, claims of non-citizens voting represent an extremely, small fraction of voters as we heard from Ryan Cowley. Even the largest claims never approach more than a few tenths of one percent of eligible voters.”
“We have issues going on across our country with federal law-enforcement and harassment, and I think that would disproportionally affect some of our minority population and showing up to provide these things," said Representative Andrew Stoddard.
In the end, the bill passed on a 9-3 vote.
Democratic minority leader Angela Romero said she was disappointed but not surprised.
Romero also said she’s now a little worried.
“And I have concerns that there’s a county clerk who has a bias when they look at somebody and don’t think that they are a citizen," said Romero. "So these are huge questions that we have to ask ourselves.”
HB 209 is now moving on to the House floor for a vote in about a week.
