SALT LAKE CITY — Residents who are registered to vote by Aug. 31 will be eligible to answer “For” or “Against” to a local opinion question regarding constitutional rights and the regulation of corporate political contributions and spending.
The question will be presented to Salt Lake City voters through a vote-by-mail process beginning Sept. 9.
The opinion question process was approved by the City Council in October 2012 after rejection of an initiative petition by Move to Amend Salt Lake to amend the U.S. Constitution. Move to Amend Salt Lake is part of a national campaign to establish that “Only human beings, not corporations, are endowed with constitutional rights” and “Money is not speech and therefore regulating political contributions and spending is not equivalent to limiting political speech.”
Although Move to Amend Salt Lake had gathered sufficient voter signatures for the initiative petition to be placed on the ballot, the council, following state law, rejected the initiative because, even if the initiative were to pass, there would be no resultant change in statute. The council, however, did authorize a process for citizens to place opinion questions on a local ballot, and in March, Move to Amend Salt Lake requested a local opinion question be presented to Salt Lake City voters.
A vote-by-mail packet, which includes an information pamphlet, will be sent to registered Salt Lake City voters. The pre-addressed return envelopes with enclosed ballots must be returned to the Office of the City Recorder at 415 S. State, Room 415 or postmarked on or before 5 p.m. Sept. 26.
For more information about the opinion question, please visit www.slcgov.com/node/1628.