Does Utah's new election law violate the First Amendment? SB 54 Passed in 2014 and signed into law by Governor.

Utah 2014 Senate Bill 54 passed by the legislature and signed by the Governor imposes voter registration requirements on signature circulators like the laws in Ohio and Michigan which have now both been overturned by Federal Judges.

“In 2008 Nader v. Blackwell, a panel of judges agreed that imposing voter registration requirements on signature circulators in Ohio was an impermissible restriction on political speech.”

May 23, 2014, Judge Matthew F. Leitman of Federal District Court said that the “failure to comply with the registration statute was the result of good-faith mistakes.” 

“They believed they were in compliance with the statute,” the judge wrote.

Judge Leitman added that the First Amendment rights of Mr. Conyers and the signature collectors working for his campaign were “severely burdened” under the current law.

SB 54 Text

New York Times

St. George News Governor Signs SB 54