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Utah 2016 ballot measures
| 2016 Utah Ballot Measures | |
|---|---|
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Three statewide ballot measures were certified to appear on the Utah ballot on November 8, 2016. Two of the measures were approved and one was defeated.
In 2015, petitioners behind a measure called the "Utah Term Limits for Appointed Executive Officials Act" submitted their initiative to Utah Lieutenant Governor's Office seeking approval to circulate the initiative for signature collection to qualify for the 2016 election ballot. The initiative was rejected, however, because it was found to be unconstitutional.[1]
As of 2016, utah allowed citizen initiatives in the form of directly initiated state statutes and veto referendums. State statutes can be either directly or indirectly initiated. Signature requirements for directly initiated statutes and referendum petitions are determined by calculating ten percent of the votes cast for president in the state in the last election, while indirectly initiated statute petitions must gather signatures equal to five percent of the votes cast for president in the state in the last election. At least 51,440 valid signatures were required to put indirect initiated state statutes before voters, while veto referendums and initiated state statutes needed 101,744 signatures. The deadline to file signatures for the 2016 ballot was April 15, 2016, or 316 days after the petition was initially filed with the lieutenant governor, whichever came first.
The state legislative session ran from January 25 through March 10, 2016, during which time the Utah Legislature could place legislatively referred constitutional amendments and legislatively referred state statutes on the ballot. The legislature can put a proposed amendment on the ballot upon a two-thirds majority vote in both the legislative chambers. The amendment must then be approved by a majority of voters voting in the general election, not just a majority of voters voting on the amendment.
Historical facts
- Between 1996 and 2016, 46 measures have appeared on the ballot in Utah.
- From 1996 to 2016, there has been an average of about four measures on the ballot in even-numbered years.
- Between 1996 and 2016, 40 of 46 measures, or 87 percent, were approved and 6 of 46 measures, or 13 percent, were defeated.
On the ballot
The 2016 regular session of the Utah State Legislature ended on March 10, 2016. The legislature put three ballot measures on the 2016 ballot; one was approved for the ballot in 2015, and two were introduced during the 2016 legislative session.
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Amendment A | Constitution | Oath of office taken by all state elected and appointed officials |  |
| LRCA | Amendment B | Budget | Investment, distribution, and expenditures for the State School Fund | |
| LRCA | Amendment C | Property | Exemption on personal property leased by the State |  |
Not on the ballot
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CISS | Medical Marijuana Legalization | Marijuana | Legalizes medical marijuana | 
|
| LRCA | Party Candidate Selection Amendment | Elections | Gives political parties the power to decide how to select their candidates |
|
| LRCA | Appointed Board of Education Amendment | Education | Makes the State Board of Education appointed, rather than elected |
|
| LRCA | Scope of Supreme Court Rules Amendment | Judiciary | Modifies the scope of the practice of law subject to Utah Supreme Court rules |
|
| LRCA | "Religious Liberty" Amendment | Religion | Forbids a religious organization from being required to perform a service that is inconsistent with the organization's religious beliefs |
|
| LRCA | Federal Funds Receipts Amendment | Gov't Finances | Prohibits the state from receiving federal funds exceeding 40 percent of the state’s total annual expenditures |
|
State profile
| Demographic data for Utah | ||
|---|---|---|
| Utah | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 2,990,632 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 82,170 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 87.6% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 1.1% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 2.2% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0.9% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.6% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 13.4% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 91.2% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 31.1% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $60,727 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 12.7% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Utah. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
- See also: Presidential voting trends in Utah
Utah voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
More Utah coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in Utah
- United States congressional delegations from Utah
- Public policy in Utah
- Endorsers in Utah
- Utah fact checks
- More...
External links
See also
- 2016 ballot measures
- List of Utah ballot measures
- Laws governing the initiative process in Utah
- Campaign finance requirements for Utah ballot measures
Footnotes
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State of Utah Salt Lake City (capital) |
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