Why Utah Should Vote
AGAINST Amendment D
Our Constitutional Power to Reform Our Government
The Utah State Constitution gives us as Utahns the right to reform our government through citizen initiatives. Initiatives that reform our government allow us, as voters, to have a check on government power and safeguard our rights from overreaching politicians.
Every Utahn benefits when we are able to engage civilly — together — to make our government work better for all of us. That’s why the framers of Utah’s constitution worked so hard to defend our right to reform.
On July 11, 2024, the Utah Supreme Court upheld the right to reform our government through citizen initiatives unanimously. They held that our legislators can make some changes to initiatives, but that when citizens try to reform our government through an initiative, the legislature can not simply repeal or amend the initiative without a very compelling reason.
Politicians Attempting to Radically Change Our Constitution
However, with Amendment D, the Utah legislature is trying to radically reshape our constitution. If passed, Amendment D will allow the legislature to repeal a citizen initiative reforming our government–without any reason or justification.
Amendment D was rushed through in less than one week. It gives the state government more power, removes checks and balances that we as citizens have, and seeks to rewrite over 100 years of history. It would permanently change what makes Utah so special.
Destructive
Divisive
DECEPTION
Join Utahns Across the State in Voting against amendment D and Protecting Our Constitution
Now, it is up to us the voters to determine whether we support a permanent change to our state constitution that deprives voters of our constitutional rights. We are a coalition of Utahns from across the political spectrum and throughout the state who oppose this amendment. Join our citizen-led movement to protect our power, push back on overreaching politicians, and protect our constitution!
“ A voter has A RIght to know what they are being asked to vote upon.”
Judge Dianna Gibson
The Latest on Amendment D
Due to the deceptive language put forward by legislative leadership to manipulate our election and deceive voters, plaintiffs from Mormon Women for Ethical Government and League of Women Voters of Utah asked a District Court judge to grant an injunction blocking the amendment from appearing on the ballot. The reason for this request was that Utah lawmakers had rushed the process so much that there was no time to reprint ballots with accurate language. Voters should have the opportunity to have a say in amending their constitution without power hungry politicians manipulating our elections.
The District Court judge firmly agreed with the Plaintiffs, finding that the language put forward by legislative leadership deceptively represented Amendment D and was a violation of our constitution. The judge found that accurate ballot language is critical when asking voters to consider something as significant as amending our constitution. Judge Gibson ordered that although the language will appear on the ballot, it will be voided. That means that the votes for or against Amendment D will not be counted.
“A voter has a right to know what they are being asked to vote upon. In many instances, the only real knowledge a voter may have on an issue is when the voter enters the polling location and reads the description of the proposed amendment on the ballot. This court cannot say that the Amendment D ballot language fairly and accurately summarizes the proposed constitutional amendments for the average voter.” -Judge Dianna Gibson
The Utah state legislature has appealed the District Court’s decision to the Utah Supreme Court, which has granted a hearing for September 25th at 9:30am.
Photo: Lindsay Aerts, KSL TV, https://ksltv.com/675455/vote-no-campaign-on-proposed-constitutional-amendment-launched-utah-capitol/
Frequently Asked Questions
Legislative leadership claimed in their proposed ballot language that Amendment D would “strengthen” the voter initiative process and give “deference” to citizens’ purpose in passing a ballot initiative. However, the proposed language clearly does the opposite: it states that nothing in the Utah constitution should be read to limit the legislature’s ability to amend or even repeal any ballot initiative. Legislative leadership completely omitted any mention of their ability to repeal a citizen initiative from the text of the ballot language that voters will see when voting on Amendment D. View amendment language here and proposed ballot language here.
The Supreme Court opinion ensured that citizen initiatives that reform the government can not be repealed or amended by the legislature without a compelling reason.
The legislature voted to approve Amendment D, which would allow them to repeal or alter an initiative without any justification. The amendment was rushed through in less than one week–less than three months out from the November election. Amendment D must now be approved by voters in order to take effect.
A strong coalition of Republican and Democratic legislators opposed Amendment D–recognizing it takes too much power from voters and gives too much power to the legislature. While the majority of the legislature still advanced Amendment D, their votes show that this is a bipartisan opposition to protect our constitution. To see how your legislator voted, click here.
Yes! Legislators may amend initiatives freely. If an initiative alters or reforms the government, the legislature may still amend the initiative if there is a compelling reason.
The Utah Supreme Court was appointed by Republican governors and confirmed unanimously by legislators, both Republicans and Democrats. Justices are chosen based on their experience and qualifications. It is completely nonpartisan and respected across the country.
In Utah, we have passed just 7 initiatives in over a century and have some of the most difficult initiative qualification requirements in the country. The right to ballot initiative is specifically given to Utahns in our State Constitution.
Amendment D’s purpose is to eliminate a century-old constitutional right: the right of citizens to reform their government via ballot initiative. It would allow a few dozen legislators dissatisfied with an initiative to repeal any ballot initiative–without any judicial review.
Amendment D would allow the legislature to repeal or significantly amend any ballot initiative. It would weaken, and virtually eliminate, ballot initiatives–not strengthen them.
No. There is no recorded donation from a foreign country in support of a ballot initiative in Utah history.
All Utahns benefit by being able to organize together–no matter their party or ideology–to enact legislation, either through initiative or by petitioning their individual legislators. Amendment D would virtually eliminate the right of individual Utahns to enact lasting ballot initiatives–eliminating a constitutional right which has existed for over a century.