Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Utah Senate advances bill to add a ‘convention-only’ party option after heated floor debate
Summary
Sen. McKay’s bill would allow political parties to adopt a convention-only nomination route with a 66% threshold; supporters called it an option to reduce signature-gathering costs, critics said it risks incumbent protection and could trigger a referendum. The Senate advanced the bill to third reading 18–11.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Senate advanced S.B. 205 on a party-rule change Wednesday after hours of debate over how candidates reach the ballot. Sponsor Sen. McKay told colleagues the measure adds an optional “convention-only” path for parties that choose it and raises the internal threshold to 66% for nomination.
“The purpose of Senate Bill 205 is to add a fourth type of political party,” McKay said in floor remarks explaining the legislation and its intent to offer parties another way to nominate candidates while preserving existing options.
S…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
