Utah Voters Weigh Amendments A and B
Voters will decide two state constitutional amendments on the November ballot, one altering how proposed amendments are published and one changing voter approval thresholds for tax-raising citizen initiatives.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Elections
Live Poll
Should citizen initiatives that raise taxes need 60% voter approval to pass?
Utah voters will decide Amendments A and B to the state constitution. Amendment A would replace the current two-month newspaper publication requirement for proposed amendments with a 60-day publication period set by state law, while Amendment B would require 60% voter approval for statewide citizen initiatives that raise taxes.
Why it matters
Current Utah law requires only a simple majority for tax-raising citizen initiatives, so Amendment B would substantially raise the bar for such measures. Amendment A is meant to modernize how the public is notified of proposed amendments, according to supporter Rusty Cannon.
Amendment B would require 60% voter approval for statewide citizen initiatives that raise taxes, up from the current simple majority standard. Amendment A would replace the two-month newspaper publication requirement with a 60-day period set by state law, and its outcome remains undetermined.
The players
Rusty Cannon
Cannon is a supporter of Amendment A who has argued it modernizes the state's public notification process for proposed constitutional amendments.
The details
Constitutional amendments in Utah must first pass the Legislature by a two-thirds majority before going to voters in a general election. Under legislation that would take effect if Amendment A passes, the full text would be posted on the Utah Public Notice website and the lieutenant governor's website, and the amendment unanimously passed the Legislature in 2025.
Timeline
2018: Utah voters approved Medicaid expansion with about 53% of the vote.
2025: Amendment A unanimously passed the Legislature.
Nov. 3, 2026: Election Day, when Utah voters decide Amendments A and B.
Roadmap
Utah's current constitutional publication rules rely on newspapers statewide for two months before an election, a framework Amendment A would replace with a 60-day state-set requirement. Amendment B would add a supermajority threshold to a citizen initiative process that has previously passed measures such as the 2018 Medicaid expansion with about 53% of the vote.
If Amendment B passes, future statewide citizen initiatives that raise taxes will need 60% voter approval rather than a simple majority to take effect. If Amendment A passes, proposed constitutional amendments would be posted on the Utah Public Notice and lieutenant governor websites instead of relying on two months of newspaper publication.
The takeaway
Utah voters' decisions on Amendments A and B would change both how constitutional amendments are announced and how high the bar is for tax-raising citizen initiatives. Residents should review the full amendment text before Election Day.
What happens next
Voters will decide Amendments A and B on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2026.
Further reading
Explore more on Elections coverage for Utah's ballot measures.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KPCW Radio.
Live Poll
Should citizen initiatives that raise taxes need 60% voter approval to pass?
