Show IS' Statehouse Part Report e Declaration I Law Cuts Vote I f I t TJ Spurs Study for Possible Chan Changes es t s. s BY C. C SHARP Utah's new registration by party law aroused a storm of crl criticism when less than 25 per per cent of register ed voters cast ballots at the primary election Sept 13 Gov Calvin L. L Ramp Rampton ton asked the Legislative Council Council Council Coun Coun- cil to make a crash study of the new election law and make recommendations to the 1967 Legislature The major factor cong con con- to the small turnout turnout turnout turn turn- out appears to have been heen voter resentment against ag og- the registration by party requirement effective effective effective ef ef- this year for the first time Gov Hampton Rampton wrote to the council lIe He noted that only approximately approximately approximately ap ap- proximately voters cast cast ast ballots from among the states state's registered voters This small participation is a cause of great concern to me and I am ana sure to the members of the Legislative Council he wrote The law is not healthy he said if it is going to result result re re- sult suit in a material reduction In the number of people participating participating par par- in the selection of candidates for public office of ot fice Criticism of f the tiro law centered centered cen cen- on the invasion of Pr privacy vacy Involved in requiring oters voters to state party preference prefer ence to obtain primary election oleo elec tion Lion ballots After the Nov 8 final inal el election el cl e records coords i will bo ho open to inspection in each county Quilty clerks clerk's office showing party preference o of ot f each voter Employees therefore forc arc are subject t to chel checkup by their employer political or otherwise otherwise other other- wise or OJ anyone anone else who wants to check their aWl affil I The major majol argument for forthe forthe the law Jaw is Iii suspected raidIng raiding raid ing of ot the opposition tick tick- et Under this practice a n voter can cast 1 his ballot to try to place the weakest or ormo mo most t controversial candIdates candidates candidates candi candI- dates on the other party's slate late thus strengthening his own party's candidates' candidates chances Similar laws requiring registration registration registration re re- by party are working working working wor wor- king in 41 of the 50 states Proponents claim that the Utah law will work well after after after af af- af- af ter the public understands it it better The new Utah law was first proposed by a bipartisan san group of 01 House members mem mem- hers bers including two Republicans Republicans and two Democrats It grew out of an election lection study by a bipartisan election election election elec elec- tion law study group Under the tho old law anyone any one could vote in a primary without declaring his party preference Each voter received received re re- re ballots for both paries par par- ties ies lie Ire then marked one ballot and discarded the theother theother theother other without being subject to o scrutiny as to which ballot balot bal bal- lot ot he marked Sen Thorpe Waddingham D Delta D-Delta Delta majority leader said he lie was certain an attempt at tempt would be made to repeal repeal repeal re re- peal the law ne ne- ne January and I will support the i move lIe He opposed the bill when it came carne before the lawmakers ers in 1 1965 Sen W W. Hughes Brock bank R. R Salt Lake mi leader said he ho felt the effect t of the law was to curb participation par in primary d elec cc- cc He lIe said he plans to an HI overhaul for the entin election system Salt Lake ale County Corn Coin missioner John P. P Creer who soundly defeated Commissioner Commis stoner W. W G G. I Larson u son for tor the tho four four- year tour our our-ar car term offered to lead Imd the tho fight tight for reconsideration reconsideration of the law Jaw Lack Jack of 01 any partisan contest contest contest con con- test on a statewide basis bails for uch stich offices as governor or U U. S S. Senator was a second factor actor slowing down the primary vote tempo empo 1 J Carbon county heavily I Democratic showed a 60 per percent percent cent vote as compared with less than 25 per cent for forthe the state as a whole Carbon voters are not reluctant reluctant reluctant re re- re- re to state their party preference Republicans in Carbon are accustomed to voting in Iq the Democratic primaries since this is their i only opportunity to share V f In n s selection lection of el county offIcers s cers eels x r The property assessment committee of of the the Legislative Legisla tive Uve Council has authorized a study of sess sess- ment policies This vill will will be made by the University of Utah Business and Economic Econom Econom- ic Research bureau burc-au assisted by the council staff Dr Jewell J J. J chairman of the department of economics will direct the study At Its Sept 12 meeting meeting- the committee loaded by R R. R LaVaun Cox decided to appoint an executive com corn to meet with Dr Pl Ras Has mussen at least weekly It heard representatives of agriculture and distributive distributive uti O indu industry try voice opposition tion to homestead exemption as impractical V. V Allen Olsen executive secretary of ot the State Farm arm Bureau Federation said the tho home bead exemption would not contribute to greater creater equity in ill property assess ment Dean R. R Williams representing distributive Indus tries tr's opposed homestead exemption ex emption eruption but favored aboU ton tion of l property ta tax on in In This would remove re re- move discrimination against established concerns which are arc severely han handicapped by reason of the Freeport exemption ex cx emption favoring out of state flans firms he ho said |