As leader of the Democrats in the Utah House of Representatives, I’ve had the chance to walk neighborhoods in many House districts the last few months. I’ve been out working hard on behalf of Democratic candidates to spread the word about why Utahns should get out and vote in these midterm elections for the candidate of their choice. A big part of that is talking to folks about why the candidates who best reflect Utah values are Democrats.
Most people know Republicans are solidly in control of our state Legislature. They hold 62 of 75 seats in the House of Representatives and 24 out of 29 seats in the Senate. Despite these solid supermajorities, one of the things Republican candidates say in this election season is that Utahns should increase to an even greater degree the number of Republicans in our state Legislature. Apparently nothing short of 104 out of 104 legislators will be enough.
But political balance is critical. We’re all better off when policymakers consider, thoroughly and impartially, good ideas regardless of the political ideology of who presents those ideas. Ensuring that good policy, rather than party labels or affiliations, drives legislation is essential. It doesn’t matter whether the D's or the R's are in control: Absolute power is corrupting. More than one Republican legislator has said to me privately, “What we need up here are more Democrats.”
We have an opportunity to go to the polls this election and vote to restore better balance to both state and federal governments that are now controlled by only one party. Better checks and balances give us greater confidence that our elected officials’ decisions will be carefully considered on their merits, that our policy choices will be driven by data and facts rather than by party agendas or dogmas.
Some colleagues and candidates from across the aisle say the only way to accomplish anything meaningful at the Legislature is to elect individuals who will be part of the supermajority. The facts show this is simply not true. In the 2018 legislative session, Republicans passed 66 percent of the bills they introduced and Democrats passed 57 percent of the bills they introduced. Sure, there’s a difference. But it is not nearly as dramatic as most people would think given the solid Republican control that exists in the Legislature.
Legislators recognize that the quality of the bills Democrats sponsor and champion is significant. Rep. Rebecca Chavez-Houck’s bills on election reforms; Sen. Karen Mayne’s workers’ compensation, public safety and labor bills; Rep. Patrice Arent’s air quality bills; Rep. Angela Romero’s sexual violence prevention bills; Rep. Joel Briscoe’s affordable housing and public education bills, and my domestic violence and suicide reduction bills have all improved the state in important ways.
Some excellent policies exist in Utah only because Democrats stick together in the face of fractured GOP votes. For example, on SB 54 (Count My Vote), as GOP legislators tore themselves apart, Democrats held together to be the deciding votes in passing that legislation and fending off GOP attacks on it year after year. And I give Republicans credit for not using legislative rules and their supermajority power in a way that shuts Democrats out of the process. Utah’s legislative process is significantly better than what happens in Washington.
This year, four proposals arising from citizen initiatives are on the ballot. Utahns are so frustrated with their legislature that, despite the barriers presented by the initiative process in getting on the ballot, they have taken things into their own hands. They are sending the Legislature a message: “You are not listening to us. You are not effectively serving as instruments to carry out our desires.”
Utahns will feel less disconnected from their elected officials if we have better checks and balances at the Legislature. And the way to get that better check and balance is simple: Vote for worthy Democrats in this year’s election.