Utah citizen initiatives at stake as judge weighs keeping major changes off ballots

The Associated Press

A Utah judge promises to rule by Thursday on a proposed constitutional amendment that would empower the Republican-dominated state Legislature to override citizen initiatives. The measure is up for a vote this November. The League of Women Voters of Utah and others have sued, arguing in part that the planned ballot language describing the proposal is confusing. The groups now seek to strike the measure from ballots before they are printed. With the election less than eight weeks away, they are up against a tight deadline. Salt Lake County District Judge Dianna Gibson told attorneys in a hearing Wednesday she would rule on the groups’ request by Thursday morning.