Bill Protecting Constitutional Right to Vote Stuck in Senate Rules Committee

ACT NOW TO HELP MOVE IT TO SENATE FLOOR FOR FULL VOTE

On February 10, 2009, H.B. 49, “Voter Challenge Amendments,” sponsored by Rep. Neil Hansen, was approved by the Utah House of Representatives and moved to the Senate where it has been stuck in the Senate Rules Committee. This bill is an important step forward in preserving and upholding the Constitutional right of Utahns to vote, and will help inspire greater confidence in the voting process by the electorate.

Read a letter by the ACLU of Utah supporting H.B. 49 (PDF) >>

TALKING POINTS:

• The current law is susceptible to misuse for the purpose of disenfranchising eligible voters. The ACLU of Utah learned through an investigation into the 2007 Ogden Election that large numbers of Ogden voters were challenged as ineligible without any justification.
• H.B. 49 modifies the way in which voter eligibility may be challenged by setting clear procedures requiring voter challenges to be lodged with the county clerk in advance of election day giving both the challenger and the challenged an opportunity to provide evidence. This make it harder for an election to be manipulated.
• This much needed legislation will ensure that all eligible voters are able to vote while retaining the ability for appropriate voter eligibility challenges to be made.

Please contact each member of the Senate Rules Committee and encourage them to pass H.B. 49, “Voter Challenge Amendments,” out of Committee and allow a full Senate vote.

Senate Rules Committee