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Show 8 Vernal Express Wednesday, October 19, 1994 The Civilized Way to Enjoy The Great Outdoors! Utah Foundation: Initiative A: real issue is runoff election "The real significance of Initiative A is not term limitation; it is the runoff provision," states the Utah Foundation, a private public policy research agency in its latest report. Executive Director Dr. Michael Christensen said the reason is, "Utah already has term limitation, but most people don't realize it because be-cause the law is so new. But Utah does not have a runoff statute, so this part of Initiative A is the important impor-tant part." According to the Utah Foundation report, "The runoff provision would require a runoff election when no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast. In a runoff election, the two candidates with the most votes in the general election would be in the runoff election. Proponents of runoff elections argue that it is a significant democratic reform because be-cause it protects the electorate from having a candidate win an election with less than a majority of support. Proponents argue that runoff elections elec-tions guarantee that the majority of the electorate gets its way. But runoff elections are not that simple, according to the Utah Foundation report. First, "Runoff elections have much smaller turnouts," states the report. In other words, one candidate may get the majority but that will be a majority of a much smaller group of voters. A second issue according to Utah Foundation is that, "Those who vote in a runoff election do not necessarily necessar-ily reflect the political preferences of those who voted in the general election." A recent election points out how this can happen. Christensen states, "In a race for a U.S. Senate seat from Georgia in 1992, the incumbent received the most votes at the general election, Davenport to serve on state advisory panel USU Assistant Professor Varlo Davenport was recently selected by the Utah Arts Couniil to serve as a member of the state's Community Arts Council Advisory Panel. Davenport works locally with the Arts Councils in Uintah and Duchesne County. "I'm honored to have been asked," Davenport states," As a board member of both Uintah Basin Aru Councils, this position should allow me added insight to how we can work more effectively with the state. It will also allow me to network with other Arts Councils and hopefully fewer new idea and cooperation. "With the expansion wofk being done with the Outlaw Trail Theatre this couldn't have come at a belter lime." Davenport U the producing anwic director of the Outlaw Trail production. The panel makei recommendations recom-mendations to the Utah Aru Council regarding pnf.ntiv politic and priorities, ti alto ftvki applications for Uuh Aru Cow il aitunc and evaluate! the aniic merit and value if propmed pfnjcxu. Davenport ill mtvc a fo yc( term beginning in November t4 thi year and ending tXw-K-f &f im School District approves leak investigation The IVvih iUi i4 r t-4ast t,f'!.yife jnvc iNff i gtuift to 4vt fhe tf !. ft f -f. (Vf? t-i. fi-i! g J ff tv'J ." M liH-j H . drawing 1.1 million votes. This figure fig-ure represented 49 percent of the total to-tal vote, an independent candidate having attracted only three percent of the total votes cast. A runoff election was held and the incumbent incum-bent was defeated by an opponent who received 635,000 votes less than 28 percent of the number of voters who turned out at the earlier general election." A second issue with runoff elections elec-tions is cost. According to Christensen, "The cost of runoff elections would be substantial. Officers directly in charge of preparing elections at both state and county levels say the cost of a runoff election would be almost the same as the cost of a general election. elec-tion. The cost of conducting a general gen-eral election in Salt Lake County ranges from $75,000 to $100,000. The cost of a statewide general election is estimated to be $380,000." These costs arc going to occur whether or not runoff elections elec-tions are found to be necessary. Because the runoff is required to be held so soon after the general election, preparation for the runoff must begin before it is known whether one will even be necessary. In summary of runoff elections Christensen states, "They are clearly clear-ly going to be expensive and there is no proof that they make the process pro-cess any more democratic when one considers how much smaller the turnout for the runoff election will generally be." Regarding term limitation (the part of Initiative A receiving the most attention), the Utah 7 v Figure 1 Time Served in the Utah State House From 1935 to 1993 800 700 500 600 2 E 2 400 o w 300 o X 200 100 0 685 (73.5) 187 (20.1) 51 (5.5) 9(1.0) 4 yrs or less 5 to 8 yrs 9 to 12 yr Time Served More than 12 Figure 2 Time Served in the Utah State Senate From 1935 to 1993 167(64.0) 55(21.1) 24 (9.2) 15(5.7) 4yrtorlu Sto8yri 912yr Time Served Mo ten 12 Foundation report states that, "there are arguments on both sides of the question of term limits." However, the report points out that when looking at all state elected positions, "the record for all elected officials does not suggest a problem with longevity. Only one governor in the state's history has served three terms (12 years)." "In the state legislature since 1935, only one percent of House members and six percent of Senators have served more than 12 years. "It is at the federal level with members of congress that the issue of term limitation has a statistically significant argument." However, Christensen concludes, that for Utahns the question is not should we have term limitation (we already do) the question is, "Does Initiative A improve upon the existing term limitation law passed by the legislature legisla-ture earlier this year?" Christensen states that there are some differences, but no dramatic change."l) Initiative A takes term limitation one step further than does existing law by setting term limits on elected county officials; 2) Initiative A sets term limits at eight years for all elected offices except U.S. Senators, while existing law sets all term limits at 12 years; 3) Initiative A sets term limits for the federal offices effective Dec. 1, 1995 not when 24 other states pass term limits as does existing law; 4) Initiative A exempts incumbents from term limitation while existing law does not." The Utah Foundation report also raises the issue of placing two separate sepa-rate issues term limits and runoff elections on the same initiative. Doing so, "bothers many students of government," the reports concludes. con-cludes. "It requires citizens to vote for or against both issues rather than providing them the choice of voting for or against them separately." SKI Located in Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area Offering Fine Dining Restaurant open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Ask about our daily specials. Overnight Cabins Rates stalling at $28.00 per night Private Lake Fishing Fishing Tackle, Canoe, Rowboat. Paddleboat & Float-tube Rentals Open Daily thru Oct. 29th For overnight reservations or further information, call (801) 889-3759 Partners In Recreation with Ashley National Forest If you have a news tip call: 7 89-3511 IVbKNAL Express STOLEN Two bicycles were stolen from in front of Itidio Shack on Friday, Oct. 14th jut nfter they were left to go into Radio Shack. 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