ELECTIONS, POLITICS, & GOVERNMENT

Utah lawmaker proposal would lower signature requirements for political office

Jan 15, 2025, 6:00 AM

Generic image of signature counting. The man hired by Bruce Hough's campaign to gather signatures f...

FILE: A pair of hands counting piles of ballot papers during an election. (Getty Images)

(Getty Images)

SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah lawmaker wants to reduce the signature requirements for someone to run for office in the state if they’re not going through the caucus/convention system.

According to Rep. Ray Ward, R-Bountiful, the number of signatures needed in Utah is much higher than it is in other states.

Related:  Auditor review of signature-gathering boosts confidence in primary

“Our signature thresholds here are much much much higher,” Ward said. “They are ten times higher than the signature thresholds in other states to run for office, on average.”U

Utah signature requirements are too tough, lawmaker said

Ward said the current requirements allow only two groups to successfully run for office: wealthy people who can pay for help gathering signatures and people whose priorities line up perfectly with the delegates in their district.

The proposed bill, H.B. 193 Ballot Signature Amendments, would lower the number of signatures required for candidates running for a state-wide position like governor or U.S. senator. The current number is 28,000 signatures. Ward wants to lower that number to 1,000.

Ward’s bill would also lower the number of signatures necessary for other political offices.

“I think it would encourage more candidates to run who really are good matches for the voters in their district.”

Ward said the hardest part about running for office should be winning the election, not getting on the ballot.

The 2025 Utah Legislative Session begins  Tuesday, Jan. 21.

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Utah lawmaker proposal would lower signature requirements for political office