Why We Should Blame Ourselves for the Legislature’s Mistakes

by GABBY SAUNDERS

As Utahns discussed the pros and cons of proposed questions and propositions for the election on November 6, a very poor argument resurfaced with stunning regularity. This argument states, “The legislature is going to change it anyway, so we shouldn’t bother taking the time to vote ‘yes’ on it.”

Utahns have become increasingly apathetic when it comes to voting their conscience. There is a belief that, regardless of what the public thinks, the legislature will do what it wants, how it wants, when it wants. Although it is a disheartening viewpoint, it is based on past actions by Utah’s legislature.

In 1994, a citizen initiative was on the rise that would have placed term limits on Utah legislators in the state House and Senate. The legislature, seeing the initiative was going to pass, preemptively changed the state statute on their own, instilling their own term limits on themselves. The public at the time was satisfied with the compromise, and the passion for term limits slowly declined. However, when term limits were no longer the hot button political issue, the legislature repealed their own compromise, leaving the Utah Legislature without terms once again.

Why did this happen? According to Sen. Curt Bramble (R- Provo), “The voice of the people is the ballot box. The only public opinion poll that matters is the first Tuesday in November.” The answer is simple: we don’t vote.

Utah regularly has one of the lowest voter turnouts in the United States. In 2014 alone, only 28.8% of the voting-age population voted. This means that “577,973 voters out of an estimated 2,004,283 Utahns age 18 or older” cast a ballot in 2014. 2014 was a midterm election, meaning that members of the Utah House and Senate were up for re-election, and over 2 million potential voters did not vote.

Members of the 2 million non-voters regularly offer excuses for why they did not vote, but the most common one remains, “My vote doesn’t matter anyway.” However, that is not true. When Utahns collectively speak up, they are heard.

In 2007, the Utah Legislature passed HB 148, which implemented school vouchers, to the public’s dissatisfaction. Later that year, a referendum was placed on the ballot to repeal the Legislature’s decision. Referendum One passed, with 62% of the voters in Utah vetoing the school voucher program.

This victory for the public struck fear into the Legislature. And that fear is still present. It was found in the pre-emptive compromises made on the Our Schools Now Ballot Initiative and Proposition 2. The only way these initiatives would have failed is if Utahns chose to keep silent during the midterm election.

The first step to fix Utah’s political system is accepting that the public is responsible for the legislature’s mistakes. Many Utahns have forgotten the importance of the vote and, therefore, have forsaken political accountability. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.”

Will you use your right to vote to incite change, or will you lament your blisters for another four years? It’s up to you.

Elections are held every year. To register to vote, and find your polling location, visit: www.vote.utah.gov