Suppose you wanted to track how your legislator voted on a particular piece of legislation. You'd think it would be as simple as accessing the Utah Legislature's Web page, pulling down a box of the respective representatives' and senators' names, typing in a bill number and clicking "GO." Faster than you could say Jell-O is Utah's official snack, you would access a snapshot of your particular representative's vote. You'd think it would be that easy, but it isn't.
Shouldn't it be?
Arguments against such access center on the cost of the technology and giving people access. But there is also some concern about the potential political costs: that providing this access would make it easier for potential challengers or special interests to target them.
There is some validity to both arguments. Legislators consider hundreds of bills and resolutions each legislative session. More staff would be required to make available to the public the information that is now available to legislators with a click of a mouse.
And yes, legislators have a legitimate argument that a vote could be misconstrued because the person viewing the web site wouldn't necessarily go a step further to ask why he or she cast the vote in question.
But neither of those concerns trumps the need for more access in government. Not only would access to votes render legislators more accountable for their actions, it would likely open up more dialogue between elected officials and the people they represent. Then a legislator could explain that the reason that he voted against the school choice bill wasn't that he doesn't support school choice but that the bill had been so watered down by amendments it would have been ineffective.
Such access would communicate to the public when issues are decided right down party lines or when legislators cross party lines to support certain causes. While legislators are quick to point out possible abuses, there are likely far more people who want access to the information so they can keep up with current affairs or because they may support their particular legislator.
At the behest of House Democrats, the Legislative Management Committee, has agreed to look at the issue. As it does, this page hopes that legislators will keep at the forefront of the debate what would best serve the public process — access.