Leaders in the Utah Legislature and of the Count My Vote Initiative held a press conference Sunday at the State Capitol to officially announce that a deal has been made that will change the way Utahns elect their leaders. Utah legislators from both sides of the aisle, as well as officials with the Count My Vote initiative, are calling this a great compromise, and that’s because the deal includes both the caucus convention system as well as a direct primary election. But of course, not everyone saw it that way. “We are confident that the results will be a win for voter turnout and citizen engagement,” said Wayne Niederhauser, a Republican who is President of the Utah Senate. In a press release issued Saturday by CMV officials and Utah legislators officials stated: “The new legislation will preserve Utah’s caucus-convention system and provide a direct primary alternative based on gathering a threshold of voter signatures.”
Utah legislators stood side-by-side with officials from the CMV initiative and announced a compromise had been struck between the two after months of discussion and debate.
“I think people are going to look at it and say, ‘This is fairly historic, quite landmark and an evolution that will make a big difference,’” said Rick McKeown, who is the executive chair of Count My Vote.
Senate bill 54 will continue Utah’s caucus convention system as well as add a direct primary, which is what the folks at Count My Vote have been working so hard to initiate.
Full Article: Deal between Utah legislators, Count My Vote formally announced | FOX13Now.com.