Utah Voters Reject Amendment B to Raise Tax Initiative Threshold

Utah Voters Reject Amendment B to Raise Tax Initiative Threshold

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SALT LAKE CITY — What lawmakers and their allies framed as a common-sense safeguard for taxpayers, Utah voters rejected by a wide margin Tuesday night, as a proposed constitutional amendment to raise the vote threshold for tax-based citizen initiatives failed, the Associated Press projected, KSL.com reported. With more than 595,000 votes counted, preliminary results showed opposition leading 62% to 38%, a gap that held steady from the first returns and prompted the AP to call the race shortly after 9:30 p.m.

Amendment B would have required 60% approval for citizen-led ballot initiatives tied to taxes, up from the simple majority currently required.

Utah splits on constitutional amendments: A is likely going to pass while B fails

A 60% Bar That Voters Didn’t Want

The measure became one of the most hotly contested items on Utah’s ballot this cycle, drawing national attention and millions in spending. Proponents, including the Utah Taxpayers Association and a handful of Republican lawmakers, argued the change would protect taxpayers from narrowly passed tax hikes. Opponents countered that it would effectively hand the Legislature veto power over the initiative process itself.

“People saw through the smoke and mirrors, and the slander, and smears, and personal insults and attacks,” Phil Lyman, a former state legislator and vocal opponent of the measure, wrote on social media.

The opposition campaign, led by Utahns Protecting Our Constitution, spent more than $3 million fighting the amendment, with much of the funding coming from out-of-state donors.

“People nationwide are watching because it’s startling to see a legislature seek to strip constitutional rights from its citizens,” said Scott Cuthbertson, the group’s spokesperson. “Entirely driven by Utah families and taxpayers.” Scott Cuthbertson

Who Backed What

Groups including the Alliance for Better Utah and Elevate Utah also urged voters to reject the amendment. On the other side, the Utah Taxpayers Association joined several Republican lawmakers last month to push back against what they called “false and misleading claims” about the measure, emphasizing that it applied only to tax-related initiatives.

“It addresses a simple principle: If you want to raise your neighbors’ taxes, you should have broad support from your neighbors,” said Rep. Fillmore Lincoln, R-South Jordan, in a statement. “This is a reasonable safeguard that protects taxpayers while keeping the final decision exactly where it belongs, with Utah voters.”

Polling in the final week suggested the opposition’s message was landing: a Noble Predictive Insights survey released days before Election Day found Utahns leaning against the proposal.

Utah taxpayers association logo

Ballot Measures Retain Simple Majority Voting

The result is not yet official. All election results remain uncertified until the state board of canvassers meets on Nov. 23 to certify the vote. Still, with a 24-point margin and the vast majority of ballots counted, the outcome appears settled.

For Utah’s initiative process, the practical effect is that citizen-led tax measures will continue to pass with a simple majority — the status quo opponents fought to preserve. For the Legislature and its allies, the loss closes the door, at least for now, on raising the bar for tax-related ballot measures.

More on this story: Utah Election Guide: Congressional Races, Council Seats, and Amendment B · Wyoming Voters Defeat Proposition 1 Property Tax Cut Initiative

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