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Candidates unite in opposing Amendment D; Cox urges voter decision
Summary
At the Salt Lake gubernatorial debate, Brian King and Rob Latham urged voters to reject Amendment D—described by both as a legislative "power grab"—while Governor Spencer Cox said the public should decide and noted the governor has no formal role in placing or approving constitutional amendments.
A student asked whether the legislature should have the power to repeal or modify citizen ballot initiatives (Amendment D). Representative Brian King answered first, calling Amendment D "a power grab," saying the legislature sought to reverse a Utah Supreme Court decision that affirmed the people's role in lawmaking through initiatives, and urging voters to vote against the amendment.
Rob Latham said he would also vote no on Amendment D and characterized the amendment language as "deceitful," directing viewers to a front‑page court brief he said the governor filed with the Utah Supreme Court asking the court to side with the legislature. Governor Spencer Cox said the issue is for voters to decide and emphasized that the governor does not have a formal role in constitutional amendments, calling the question a close one.
Candidates tied the amendment debate to broader themes of power and representation: King warned that concentrated legislative power can undermine stability and citizens' ability to shape law; Cox defended the existing initiative process as important and said changes should be weighed carefully; Latham framed the amendment as another reason to expand voter choice through electoral reform.
No legal ruling or formal action on the amendment was taken during the forum. The debate clarified candidate positions for voters preparing to decide on the Nov. 5 ballot.
