Sen. Scott Jenkins (R)

 

SB 43 (Closed Primary Amendments)

Libertas Institute supports this bill.

The controversial Senate Bill 54, which passed in the 2014 general session, reformed how political parties operate in Utah. Part of the requirement for a qualified political party is to open its primary elections to unaffiliated voters, thus allowing for people not registered in a political party to vote on who its nominee will be. This bill extends the implementation past the 2016 election, allowing resolution for a pending lawsuit challenging the law.

Libertas Institute supports this bill. Effectively forcing parties to open their nomination process to voters not affiliated with the party is a violation of the freedom of association (and thus, disassociation). The underlying law should be delayed at a minimum, but ideally repealed.

EMAIL SEN. SCOTT JENKINS

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