Cottonwood Heights • A small crowd of 30 people turned out here Friday at a public hearing to cheer or jeer what could be a huge change in Utah election law: allowing voters to pick party nominees solely through a direct primary election.
The Count My Vote ballot initiative would dump the traditional caucus-convention system as a path to the ballot, contending it allows a few party delegates — who often tend to be far right or left extremists — too much power to choose nominees.
The initiative’s supporters were hosting seven hearings statewide Friday and Saturday as required by law before they may begin collecting the 113,000 signatures needed to qualify for next year’s ballot.