Utah’s Legislature has 75 representatives and 29 senators. If a bill receives 38 House votes (a majority of one) and 15 Senate votes (also a majority of one), the bill passes and goes to the governor for signature. If the governor signs it, the bill becomes law, and everyone believes the process is fair.
Proposition 4, the independent redistricting, anti-gerrymandering ballot initiative, passed by a small majority of Utah voters, yet some legislators have already indicated that we (or, more specifically, the Legislature) should ignore it because the close vote does not express clear-cut support of the measure. How arrogant. How paternalistic. How utterly contemptuous of the democratic process.
Legislators, don’t you dare do it. And Utahns, don’t you dare let it happen. Utah voters have spoken through a fair, transparent and exceedingly difficult ballot initiative process guaranteed by the Utah Constitution, and the 1 million-plus voters who weighed in on Prop 4 are far more representative of the will of the people than the 104-seat Legislature. Any attempt by the Legislature to ignore, revoke or significantly modify Prop 4 would be a gross and inexcusable subversion of democracy.
Scott Bell, West Jordan
