Post by Logan on Apr 18, 2016 22:51:16 GMT -6
SALT LAKE CITY — A federal judge late Friday upheld the state's controversial new election law that the Utah Republican Party tried to get thrown out with two separate lawsuits.
U.S. District Judge David Nuffer found that the law allowing Republican candidates to choose to access the primary election ballot by either signature gathering, or through Utah’s more traditional caucus and convention route, or both, does not impair the party's constitutional rights but is a legitimate exercise of the state’s power to regulate elections.
The Utah GOP fought to maintain the convention system as the only way for candidates to secure a place on the primary ballot. It argued that the statute state lawmakers passed two years ago as SB54 infringed on its right to define its membership and platform, and select its nominees.
Nuffer concluded that the party "erroneously believes that it has a constitutional right to choose its nominee only by convention. There is no constitutional right for a political party to choose its nominee exclusively by convention."
Read more: www.deseretnews.com/article/865652353/Federal-judge-upholds-controversial-Utah-election-law.html
U.S. District Judge David Nuffer found that the law allowing Republican candidates to choose to access the primary election ballot by either signature gathering, or through Utah’s more traditional caucus and convention route, or both, does not impair the party's constitutional rights but is a legitimate exercise of the state’s power to regulate elections.
The Utah GOP fought to maintain the convention system as the only way for candidates to secure a place on the primary ballot. It argued that the statute state lawmakers passed two years ago as SB54 infringed on its right to define its membership and platform, and select its nominees.
Nuffer concluded that the party "erroneously believes that it has a constitutional right to choose its nominee only by convention. There is no constitutional right for a political party to choose its nominee exclusively by convention."
Read more: www.deseretnews.com/article/865652353/Federal-judge-upholds-controversial-Utah-election-law.html