Utah Supreme Court may rule on validity of electronic signatures

April 5, 2010

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah: Last week gubernatorial candidate Farley Anderson filed a lawsuit with the Utah Supreme Court regarding the validity of submitted petitions that included electronic signatures. According to reports, county officials determined that Anderson had a total of 1,090 valid signatures, including 130 valid electronic signatures. Signature requirements call for a minimum of 1,000 valid signatures. However, the lieutenant governor's office ruled that electronic signatures were not valid. The electronic signatures were previously approved by four of the state's 29 counties: Salt Lake, Washington, Kane and Sanpete counties.

According to Attorney General Mark Shurtleff the validity of electronic signatures for initiatives and referendums has yet to be determined. The use of e-signatures, however, was written into state law in 2000 as valid signatures for "certain electronic governmental transactions - like paying your taxes." Current Lt. Gov. Greg Bell said he supports the attorney general's legal opinion to block the electronic signatures. Bell argues that the signature-gathering process must be paper based. Anderson's campaign manager Steve Maxfield Jr. said, "We're just asking the Supreme Court to follow the law. I believe we met the statute. If Farley's not put on the ballot, it damages every citizen by denying them the ability to vote for him."

See also

• Gubernatorial elections, 2010
• Utah 2010 ballot measures