1. United States
2. Utah
3. Letter

I am writing to strongly urge you to vote NO on Senate Bill 73 and Senate Joint Resolution 2, which would significantly restrict Utah citizens' access to the ballot initiative process. Citizen ballot initiatives are a cornerstone of our democracy, giving everyday Utahns a direct voice in lawmaking when the legislative process fails to address their concerns. As your constituent, I believe these bills would create unnecessary roadblocks to this essential democratic process that has served our state well for generations. I am particularly concerned about the 60% supermajority requirement proposed in these bills. This change would allow a minority to override the majority's will—directly contradicting the basic democratic principle that decisions should reflect what most voters want. A measure supported by 59% of voters could fail, despite clear majority support. It's important to recognize that our current initiative framework already contains strong safeguards ensuring only serious, well-funded proposals reach voters. The existing requirements for signature gathering across multiple counties, strict deadlines, and procedural rules provide sufficient filters to prevent frivolous initiatives from reaching the ballot. The right of citizens to directly participate in our democracy through ballot initiatives should be protected, not undermined. These proposed changes appear designed to make it significantly harder for citizens to exercise their constitutional right to direct democracy. As your constituent, I respectfully ask that you stand with Utah voters and protect our democratic processes by voting NO on S.B. 73 and S.J.R. 2. Thank you for your public service and for considering my perspective on this important issue. I would appreciate hearing your thoughts on these bills and your intended vote.