Senate passes resolution urging county clerks to offer ballots in braille after fifth grader’s idea

The Utah Senate on Feb. 19 passed a concurrent resolution urging county election clerks to provide ballots in braille for voting-age citizens who are blind.

The resolution, SCR 3, was introduced in part after a presentation by fifth grader John Lipsey of Copperfield Elementary, who told the chamber he had proposed braille ballots in a school assignment to give blind voters the same privacy in voting as sighted voters. "I thought of the idea for braille ballots when I was writing a speech," Lipsey told the Senate. Senators praised his initiative and Senator Scott Howell brought the resolution forward.

Nathan C. Tanner, chair of the Human Services Committee, reported a favorable committee recommendation. The concurrent resolution’s text urges county election clerks statewide to provide ballots in braille, highlights the independence blinded voters would gain, and asks that copies be sent to every county clerk.

Senator Stevenson spoke in support, describing having consulted blind employees and concluding the privacy of the ballot box is a fundamental right. A roll-call vote recorded 27 yeas, 0 nays and 2 absent; the resolution will be transmitted to the House for consideration.

The action is nonbinding (a concurrent resolution urging best practices) and does not change state election law. Senate sponsors said the resolution is intended to prompt county clerks to adopt accessible ballot formats and raise public awareness. The resolution’s next step is consideration by the Utah House of Representatives.