Utah Initiative A, Prohibit Fluoridation of Public Water Without Voter-Approved Initiative Measure (1976)

Utah Initiative A
Election date November 2, 1976
Topic Ballot measure process and Drinking water systems
Status Approved
Type Initiated state statute	Origin Citizens

Utah Initiative A was on the ballot as an initiated state statute in Utah on November 2, 1976. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported prohibiting the State Board of Health from requiring the addition of fluoride or other medications to public water supplies and requiring voter approval through a local initiative process before such substances could be added to any state, county, municipal, or district water system.

A "no" vote opposed prohibiting the State Board of Health from requiring the addition of fluoride or other medications to public water supplies and requiring voter approval through a local initiative process before such substances could be added to any state, county, municipal, or district water system.

Aftermath

House Bill 81 (2025)

In 2025, the Utah State Legislature approved House Bill 81 (HB 81), which Gov. Spencer Cox (R) signed on March 27. HB 81 prohibited political subdivisions from enacting or enforcing ordinances that require or permit fluoridation. The legislation repealed a provision of Initiative A that had allowed fluoridation if approved by voters through a local ballot initiative.

Election results

Utah Initiative A
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		262,416	50.11%
No		261,262	49.89%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Initiative A was as follows:

“

Should a law be adopted, the purpose of which shall be: To prohibit the State Board of Health from adding fluorides and other medications to any public water supply, and To prohibit fluoridation or other medication of any public water supply except when authorized to do so pursuant to an initiative petition approved by a vote of the majority of the users of said water supply.

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Background

State ballot measures addressing fluoridation of water supplies

The following is a list of state ballot measures addressing the fluoridation of water supplies:

State	Year	Type	Title	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
OR	1976	CISS	Measure 11	Prohibit adding fluoride to community water supply systems		419,567 (43%)	555,981 (57%)
UT	1976	CISS	Initiative A	Prohibit adding fluoride to public water systems without voter approved initiative	a	262,416 (50%)	261,262 (50%)
WA	1976	CISS	Initiative 322	Prohibit adding fluoride to public water supply systems		469,929 (35%)	870,631 (65%)
SD	1970	IndISS	Initiative 1	Repeal a 1969 state law that required publicly or privately owned municipal water supplies to add fluoride		104,430 (48%)	111,568 (52%)

Path to the ballot

See also: Signature requirements for ballot measures in Utah

An initiated state statute is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends state statute. Proponents collected signatures to put the initiative on the ballot.

See also

1976 Measures

• 1976 Measures
• Initiative and referendum process on the ballot
• Ballot measure process on the ballot
• Drinking water systems on the ballot
• 1976 legislative sessions

Utah

• Utah ballot measures
• Utah ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls

External links

• Utah Voter Guide (1976)