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House approves resolution to separate gubernatorial and presidential elections, amends effective date language
Summary
The House adopted HJR1 to separate Utah’s gubernatorial elections from presidential election years and amended the start-of-term language from 'first Monday' to 'first business day' in January before sending the resolution to voters, passing the House unanimously.
The Utah House on Jan. 20 adopted House Joint Resolution 1 to change the state election cycle so that gubernatorial elections would not coincide with presidential election years. Representative David L. Zollman, sponsor, said the change would "bring government closer to the people" and noted 39 states currently separate the two cycles.
Representative Saunders successfully offered an amendment to change the commencement language: on line 22 the House deleted the phrase "Monday" and inserted "business day" so that newly elected officials would take office the first business day in January, rather than the first Monday. The amendment was accepted as friendly and adopted by the chamber.
Representative Zollman told colleagues the proposal repeats a measure from the prior year and, if passed by the Legislature and then by voters, would require two-thirds support in each chamber to place it on the ballot and then a majority vote to ratify it. After floor discussion the House approved HJR1 as amended by voice/roll procedures (recorded on the floor as passing with 66 yes and 0 no) and referred the measure to the Senate.
