State of Utah Archives: on Government Reform

Aimee Winder Newton: Need strong planning for Utah's tremendous growth

I firmly believe that government leaders need to take more seriously their charge to use tax dollars in a responsible way. On the county council I come prepared with ideas on how to cut wasteful spending and to better utilize dollars to make long-term impact and investment for the state's second largest budget. As Governor, I will bring that same diligence and fiscal conservatism to the state budget.

Allen Glines: Protect voting rights; expand vote by mail options

• Protecting the sanctity of voting by restoring and strengthening the Voting Rights Act/John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.
• Pushing for expanded Vote-By-Mail options.
• Expanding in-person Early Vote and no-fault Absentee Ballot options.
• Increasing training and resources for state election officials and volunteers.
• Advocating for resources to protect the security of elections.
• Supporting efforts to make Election Day a federal holiday.
• Seek to expand participation of youth in the political process.
• Ban gerrymandering and develop a nongovernmental entity responsible for drawing district boundaries.

Allen Glines: Rollback any change made to USPS during Trump

• Rollback any change made to the USPS during the Trump Administration.
• Increase funding for the USPS now and gradually increase over time.
• Allow USPS to expand the amount of services it offers to its customers.
• Create a barrier between Postmaster General and their ability to implement measures that could harm the continued operations of the USPS.
• Repeal legislation that places burdensome regulations on the USPS, hindering its ability to become profitable.

Austin Searle: For term limits for Congress & Supreme Court

My proposal
• U.S. Senators To Serve Three Four-Year Terms
• U.S. House Of Representatives To Serve Three Two-Year Terms
• U.S. Supreme Court To Serve A Max Of 18 Years

Austin Searle: Ranked-choice voting should be a human right

Craig Bowden: Supports mail-in voting and ranked-choice voting

A: Yes.

Q: Your take on voter ID requirements? Mail-in voting? Ranked-choice voting?

A: I am a mixed bag on voter ID. If there are going to be requirements for ID, then it needs to be something that can be done easier for those who are impoverished or disabled, making it more difficult to obtain. If we can address that factor, then I have no problem with ID requirements.

Q: Your take on voter ID requirements? Mail-in voting? Ranked-choice voting?

A:Mail-in voting has to remain for those who are not present to make a poll location, and if there are not going to be enough poll locations open, then mail-in

Ben McAdams: Keep restrictions on government records access

Deseret News summary: Utah lawmakers repealed a widely criticized law restricting access to many government records. The [repealed] bill largely exempted the Legislature and several forms of electronic communication, allowed for increased fees for records requests and erased language favoring openness. Gov. Herbert called the Legislature into special session to reconsider the bill after a huge public outcry galvanized the community. In a statement afterward, the governor said, "As the Legislature re-examines Utah's GRAMA statutes [for further changes, I hope they'll], protect the public's right to know, protect an individual/s legitimate right to privacy, and protect taxpayer dollars."

Legislative Outcome:Passed Senate 23-6-0 on Mar/7/11; State Sen. Ben McAdams voted NO; Passed House 42-29-4 on Mar/7; Signed by Governor on Mar/8.

Chris Peterson: Equitable taxes and job training will help economy

Dan Liljenquist: Congress should pass regulations, not executive agencies

Dan Liljenquist: Sprinklers in every house are out-of-hand regulation

Danny Drew: Utah needs someone who is not beholden to PACs

• Not a Washington insider
• Not a politician
• Not beholden to PACs and lobbyists
• Someone who knows education and how to fix it

Danny Drew: Big campaign donations are the tip of the iceberg

"This is the tip of a very large iceberg," said Danny Drew, a school administrator from Utah who is building up a war chest to battle the Goliath of incumbents: Orrin Hatch.

Evan McMullin: Oppose the intentional disenfranchisement of voters

In order to preserve our system of self-government, which is necessary to ensure liberty and justice for every American, we must reform and strengthen our democracy by:
• Ensuring voting rights for all eligible Americans
• Ending partisan gerrymandering and other electoral corruption
• Toughening transparency and ethics laws
• Reducing the influence of money in politics
• Uniting Americans on common ground

Evan McMullin: We support sensible and limited regulation

Gary Herbert: Commission to Optimize State Government: do more with less

Gary Herbert: Guidelines on gifts, lobbying, & conflicts of interest

I encourage you, as lawmakers, to remove any perception of possible ethical issues by implementing meaningful and substantive ethics reform.

Gary Herbert: Ongoing review of election laws to upholding public trust

Gary Herbert: Repealed restrictions on government records access

Deseret News summary: Utah lawmakers repealed a widely criticized law restricting access to many government records. The [repealed] bill largely exempted the Legislature and several forms of electronic communication, allowed for increased fees for records requests and erased language favoring openness. Gov. Herbert called the Legislature into special session to reconsider the bill after a huge public outcry galvanized the community. In a statement afterward, the governor said, "As the Legislature re-examines Utah's GRAMA statutes [for further changes, I hope they'll], protect the public's right to know, protect an individual/s legitimate right to privacy, and protect taxpayer dollars."

Legislative Outcome:Passed Senate 23-6-0 on Mar/7/11; Passed House 42-29-4 on Mar/7/11; Signed by Governor Gary Herbert on Mar/8/11

Jeff Burningham: I'll get government out of your way

Jenny Wilson: Focus on voter suppression and gerrymandering

Jenny Wilson for Senate Facebook response: "One year later, new priorities. With voter suppression and gerrymandering so widespread, we have to commit to helping as many people as possible get to the polls.

Jon Huntsman: Two-year cooling-off period before State employees can lobby

Jonathan Swinton: Limit congressional terms & campaign donations

• Create term limits for congress--this is supported by 75% of the American people.
• Limit campaign contributions from outside a candidates district or State. Gone should be the days when elections are bought by large out-of-state groups.
• Stop special favors from money churning groups who want to buy our elections.
• Require more transparency--Far too many people don't trust our elected officials. Requiring better transparency will help address this problem.

Jonathan Swinton: Term limits for members of Congress

Kamala Harris: Lincoln, before 1864 election, left Supreme Court seat open

HARRIS: In 1864, Lincoln was up for reelection and it was 27 days before the election. And a seat became open on the United States Supreme Court. Abe said, "The people deserve to make the decision about who will be the next president of the United States. And then that person can select who will serve for a lifetime on the highest court of our land." Joe and I are very clear: the American people are voting right now and it should be their decision about who will serve on this most important body for a lifetime.

Mike Leavitt: Count missionaries abroad in census; gain Congressional seat

Mike Lee: Reclaim right to constitutionally limited government

Lee said that his views match Utahns who "are reclaiming their right to constitutionally limited government. We have to focus on limiting the size, scope, reach and power of the federal government."

Mike Pence: Universal mail-in voting means massive voter fraud

Mike Weinholtz: More restrictive campaign finance laws are necessary

Misty Snow: There is too much money in politics: it's legalized bribery

I would sponsor a constitutional amendment that establishes that corporations are not natural persons, that money is not speech, and that the government shall regulate campaign expenditures so that all people can participate in the political process equally, regardless of economic status.

Corporate money and corporate influence are undermining our democracy. It's time to end corporate personhood. It's time to get money out of politics and save our democracy.

Pete Ashdown: Refuses any money from political action committees

Spencer Cox: Electing, rather than appointing, judges a "terrible idea"

Spencer Cox: Voting security must never be about making it harder to vote

Mike Lee: Voted to certify 2020 election after questioning it

Commentator 1: And McMullin didn't just leave the Republican Party. Like, he ran for president against Trump in 2016 as an independent, right?

Commentator 2: That's right. He was only on the ballot in a handful of states but actually won 21% of the vote here in Utah. And Senator Mike Lee, who he's running against right now, actually voted for him and not Trump.

Commentator 1: So Senator Lee did not vote for Trump in 2016, but Trump is actually still endorsing Lee in this election?

Commentator 2: You're right.

Lee was also endorsed by former Vice President Mike Pence. That being said, it has been revealed that Lee was in contact with the Trump White House following the 2020 election and was actually encouraging plans to overturn the election. He later reversed course and voted to certify the election on January 6.

Mike Lee: Only role on Jan. 6 is counting electoral ballots

Text messages between Lee and then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows show that Lee made extensive behind-the-scenes efforts, before January 6, to try to find a way to keep Trump in office. On November 23, 2020, Lee suggested an "audit" of ballots in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia and Michigan--baselessly claiming to Meadows that "something is not right in a few states." Then, on December 8, 2020, Lee floated the idea of states won by Biden appointing fake pro-Trump electors: "If a very small handful of states were to have their legislatures appoint alternative slates of delegates, there could be a path."

Spencer Cox: Government decisions are major drivers in price of a home

Spencer Cox: Return power, resources, and decision-making back to states

Spencer Cox: False choice to secure elections by making it harder to vote

"There's this misconception that in order to have secure elections you have to make it harder for people to vote, and we believe that that's a false choice. That's a false dichotomy," he continued. "We've been able to prove that while also making it easier for those who are eligible to vote to vote."

Phil Lyman: Seen his best friends killed due to federal overreach

At best, we’re the #1 federally managed colony in the nation. Between the directors of the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service, two unelected administrative offices in Washington D.C. have more control over what happens on Utah land than the governor of our state.

None of the major policy decisions coming from Washington that impact Utah's lands suggest the existence of a good faith negotiating partner [seeking] to find consensus. As governor I would assert our coordination rights as a state on every federal land policy change to ensure that every federal land management decision that hurts Utah is litigated to the full extent of the law. Like Wyoming, I would make sure we have a dedicated fund to ensure that every adverse federal decision is litigated. 

Phil Lyman: Get real about bona fide attacks on our elections

Phil Lyman: Ban voting by mail & voter registration drives

Brian King: Bill overturned local bans of entire breeds of dogs

"It became evident to me that for numerous reasons," King said, "this idea that we can target an entire breed and outlaw them in a city or town, that was a bad idea."

Brian King: Limit state AG's ability to file amicus briefs outside Utah

Brian King: Keep restrictions on government records access

Deseret News summary: Utah lawmakers repealed a widely criticized law restricting access to many government records. The [repealed] bill largely exempted the Legislature and several forms of electronic communication, allowed for increased fees for records requests and erased language favoring openness. Gov. Herbert called the Legislature into special session to reconsider the bill after a huge public outcry galvanized the community. In a statement afterward, the governor said, "As the Legislature re-examines Utah's GRAMA statutes [for further changes, I hope they'll], protect the public's right to know, protect an individual/s legitimate right to privacy, and protect taxpayer dollars."

Legislative Outcome:Passed Senate 23-6-0 on Mar/7/11; Passed House 42-29-4 on Mar/7; State Rep. Brian King voted NO; Signed by Governor on Mar/8.

Brad Wilson: Opposes unnecessary or burdensome cryptocurrency regulation

Brad Wilson: For procedures to improve and verify results of balloting

Trent Staggs: The ruling elite have created a regulatory state run amok

Trent Staggs: Would prefer to have only paper ballots with photo ID

Mitt Romney: 2021: remove Trump from office; 2024: he's not fit to lead

In the video announcing his retirement, Mr. Romney said that neither Mr. Biden nor Mr. Trump, the current front-runner for the Republican nomination, was addressing the nation's most critical challenges, including climate change, mounting debt and authoritarian threats from Russia and China, and hinted that they were not fit to lead the nation into the future.

Brad Wilson: Repealed restrictions on government records access

Deseret News summary: Utah lawmakers repealed a widely criticized law restricting access to many government records. The [repealed] bill largely exempted the Legislature and several forms of electronic communication, allowed for increased fees for records requests and erased language favoring openness. Gov. Herbert called the Legislature into special session to reconsider the bill after a huge public outcry galvanized the community. The governor said, "As the Legislature re-examines Utah's GRAMA statutes [for further changes, I hope they'll], protect the public's right to know, protect an individual's legitimate right to privacy, and protect taxpayer dollars."

Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 23-6-0 on Mar/7/11; Passed House 42-29-4 on Mar/7/11State Rep. Brad Wilson voted YES; Signed by Governor Gary Herbert on Mar/8/11

Caroline Gleich: Opposed to partisan gerrymandering from both sides

Allen Glines: End Citizens United; reform Federal Elections Commission

• End Citizens United and remove unchecked corporate money from politics.
• Require Super PACs to disclose their true identity and the identities of their donors.
• Reform Federal Elections Commission (FEC) to increase transparency and ease of access to relevant campaign finance information.

Brian King: Legislature should not overturn ballot initiatives

King said he would vote against the amendment in November, but Cox remained coy as to where he sits on it. "The governor doesn't have an opportunity to weigh in on constitutional amendments," Cox said, while insisting the power to run ballot initiatives must remain available.

"The governor is deceiving you in the same way the Legislature is," King responded.

While answering questions from reporters after the debate, Cox refused to give a direct answer as to whether he will vote "for" or "against" Amendment D. "If I could have written it, I would have done some things differently," Cox said, adding, "I think on balance, it's worth supporting, but it's close."

Spencer Cox: Support the legislature overturning ballot initiatives

King said he would vote against the amendment in November, but Cox remained coy as to where he sits on it. "The governor doesn't have an opportunity to weigh in on constitutional amendments," Cox said, while insisting the power to run ballot initiatives must remain available.

"The governor is deceiving you in the same way the Legislature is," King responded, pointing out that while the governor's signature wasn't required for the amendment, he did sign bills that enabled the question to be printed on the ballot. "He's a lapdog for the most extreme and the most divisive voices in the Legislature."