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Utah Senate rejects resolution encouraging study of electronic voting
Summary
A resolution urging study and development of electronic voting failed in the Utah Senate on Jan. 29, 1998, after concerns about privacy, coercion and civic engagement outweighed arguments about access and federally supported pilots in Weber County.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Senate voted down a resolution on Jan. 29 encouraging development of electronic voting, concluding a daylong floor debate over privacy, access and how technology might change voter behavior.
Senator Howell, sponsor of SJR 5, urged senators to endorse a study of electronic voting so the state could explore remote and Internet-based options for absentee voters, military personnel and other geographically isolated citizens. "The Internet, being widely available and economical to use, provides a compelling option to protect geographically isolated voters from being disenfranchised," Howell said during floor remarks.
The sponsor and supporters pointed to existing pilots, federal funding and a letter from Weber County Clerk and Auditor Linda G. Lunsford backing an Internet-voting pilot tied to the Federal Voting Assistance Program and Department of Defense work. Howell said those pilot projects and federal partnerships show the technology can be evaluated without immediately changing the state’s election rules.
Opponents argued a study-resolution could be read as an endorsement of broad Internet voting and raised procedural and civic concerns. "You could be coerced in your home," Sen. Moran said, contrasting the secrecy of a polling-place booth with potential pressure on voters in private settings. Several senators, including Sen. Blackcomb and Sen. Stadelson, warned that simpler voting methods risked producing less-engaged voters.
Sen. Steele and others noted that Weber County and two other counties already were testing electronic methods and said the resolution was intended to encourage study rather than mandate implementation. Supporters said the study could focus on secure, controlled sites such as libraries or polling-place kiosks rather than unrestricted at-home voting.
After debate and a roll-call, the Clerk reported SJR 5 failed with 11 aye votes, 16 nay votes and 2 absent. The debate highlighted a split between access-focused arguments for pilot studies and privacy and civic-engagement concerns that opponents said remain unresolved.
The Senate’s floor action left open study of electronic voting in some counties, but sent no statewide directive forward.
