Utah lawmakers expected to continue GOP attacks on voting during interim hearings.
Hits and Misses
By Katharine Biele @kathybiele
Miss: Ballot Games
Hold on. The Legislature is in session—even if it's only interim. Most years it's about studies and diving deep into some issues that weren't quite done in regular session. This year, we can see what's coming. It's anything from the national GOP. Utah used to be proud of its uniqueness—or as Gov. Spencer Cox calls us: "weird" or "different," and we won't get into "dumb." No more. Last session saw Utah move from its established and well-run vote-by-mail system to one requiring voters to opt in and present documentation designed to confuse. That's because national Republicans think voters need to feel more confident when casting a ballot. But let's not get into ranked choice voting, which in most Utah municipalities and in partisan conventions has worked quite well. The Deseret News ran an article about the national conservative backlash to RCV. You know, it's too confusing. But in fact, it's just part of the package. "Along with mail-in ballots and voter roll cleanup, ranked choice voting has been thrown into the middle of a nationwide debate over how to increase trust in election results," the News wrote. It's not Utah, but it is about being dumb.
Miss: Wide Net
It's stunning to say the least that polls show some 54% of Americans approve of Trump's immigration policies. That is, if you can call them policies. With a goal of arresting 3,000 people a day, the low-hanging fruit is at risk. A University of Utah student is in ICE detention somewhere in Colorado for, well, nothing really. "They are being encouraged to go after whoever they can find, and there have been quotas given out," Brian Tanner, a Utah-based immigration and family law attorney, told The Salt Lake Tribune. No one is sure where "the worst of the worst" are hanging out, but it doesn't appear to be in ICE detention. Will the protests make a difference? Republicans have their marching orders from the birthday boy in charge. And there are so many unintended consequences. Trump's "pause" on visa exchanges is already threatening Utah schools with dual immersion programs.
Hit: Identity Politics
We're pretty sure this isn't what they're thinking, but lawmakers may have stumbled onto a way to allow people to identify as transgender. Or whatever. The Legislature may consider SB260, which would change the rules around who defines identity by the use of a digital ID. "As it develops mobile driver's licenses (mDLs) and digital identity cards, it aims to build a system that gives users sovereignty over their own data," according to a story from BiometricUpdate.com. Utah is actually seen as ahead of the game, already using some mobile IDs. The question remains about privacy and age verification. For sure there will be some robust debates, but it's not lost on some who see driver licenses as less than perfect for identification purposes. And who doesn't love the idea of taking control of your own identification?
About The Author
Katharine Biele
A City Weekly contributor since 1992, Katharine Biele is the informed voice behind our Hits & Misses column. When not writing, you can catch her working to empower voters and defend democracy alongside the League of Women Voters.
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