Count My Vote

The Count My Vote initiative is a 2014 Utah state ballot citizens initiative with the purpose of reforming and modernizing the state caucus selection process with a direct primary intended to increase civic engagement and voter participation.

Purpose

Count My Vote states that with the parties mandating the party caucus system many voters are being left out of the candidate selection process entirely. With seven states following the caucus and convention system Utah is the only state which does not allow an alternative method for candidates to get on the ballot without winning the party caucus. They state that due to the current flawed system many Utahns are entirely left out of the selection process due to military or Federal government service, religious service, child care, school, and work obligations. They also claim that instead of focusing on the voters the current caucus process focuses instead on a select group of delegates who lean to each of the party’s extremes and do not represent Utah’s interests. Candidates running in convention must spend more money for less votes.

• The initiative proposes a direct primary election for federal, state, and county-level public offices.
• It establishes a signature gathering process for political candidates to qualify and appear on the ballot for the direct primary election.

The initiative has until April 15 to get 102,000 signatures from across 26 of 29 state senate districts. They must obtain the signatures of at least 10% of people who voted in the previous Presidential election in each state senate district for the initiative to be successful to get on the 2014 ballot.

Effects on the Utah Caucus System

Count My Vote states that the reforms outlined in the initiative will not remove the current Utah caucus system but will rather give voters a greater chance at participation in the early states of the political process. The caucus systems will still exist and can still endorse candidates for the parties but will no longer be the primary mechanism to select the candidates. Candidates will instead be required to gain 2% of party voters from the district they are seeking political office to run in the primary election.

Support

The initiative is supported by many prominent political leaders within Utah including Mike Leavitt, Rich McKeown, Norma Matheson, Gail Miller, Ben McAdams, Norm Bangerter, Kirk Jowers, Ralph Becker, Pat Jones, Eleanor Muth, and Sheryl Allen. It is also supported by organizations such as the Utah Student’s Association, Utah Parent-Teacher Association, Utah School Boards Associations, Utahns for Public Schools, Utah Education Association, American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations, and the League of Women Voters. Count My Vote was also recently supported by former Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney.

Opposition

The initiative is opposed by the Protect Our Neighborhood Elections who seek to preserve the current caucus system.

S.B. 54 Legislation

S.B. 54 (also referred to as the Count My Vote bill) is a Utah Senate bill proposed by Senator Curt Bramble that recently passed Senate vote which opposes the Count My Vote Initiative by giving the parties a choice to use the current caucus system or to adopt the Count My Vote changes.

S.B. 54 contains the same language as the initial Count My Vote Initiative to include allowing 1) allowing party members to vote remotely or by absentee ballot for their neighborhood delegates, 2) provide a procedure to designate an alternate delegate should the delegate be unable to attend the convention, 3) establish a 65% minimum delegate vote threshold to avoid a primary election, and 4) permit unaffiliated voters who don’t belong to a particular party to vote for a candidates in a primary election. Should the political parties adopt these changes, they would be exempt from the Count My Vote language, thus preserving the caucus system and avoiding direct primary elections.

Many opponents of the bill, including the Count My Vote initiative are claiming that the bill is a “clever” move way to avoid a constitutionally guaranteed public initiative. Utah Governor, Gary Herbert, has hinted at vetoing the bill if it passes and is deemed to be gaming the system.

However, as of Sunday March 2nd Count My Vote and the Utah legislature managed to work out a compromise deal in which S.B.54 would add additional language to the legislation allowing for candidates to get on the primary ballot in Utah by completing a write in campaign. This bill is expected to go to vote within the week.

S.B. 54 Updated Language

The new version of the bill is going to include language to allow for an alternative path for the primary election ballot. Candidates running for statewide office will need to gather 28,000 signatures; a Congressional candidate would need around 7,000 signatures; state Senate candidates would need to collect 2,000 signatures; and, lastly, a House Candidate would need 1,000 signatures.

This new version will create a hybrid primary election system that allows for both a party caucus and a direct primary election. Additionally, this legislation will allow for unaffiliated voters to participate in the primary election. On Wednesday March 5th the bill passed the House legislature vote with 49-20-6 and is awaiting the signature of Governor Gary Herbert.