ACLU of Utah sues state over e-signature ban

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union of Utah is suing the state, contending that electronic signatures should be permitted on initiative petitions in Utah.

The lawsuit filed in state court challenges the constitutionality of a ban passed by the Legislature earlier this month.

It says the law restricts the rights of voters to exercise their referendum powers.

The lawsuit is filed on behalf of two people who are collecting signatures for a referendum on a bill that changes Utah's open records law, and a third person who lives out of state and cannot physically sign the petition.

The ACLU says the ban on electronic signatures contradicts a 2010 Utah Supreme Court ruling that allowed a candidate for governor to use signatures gathered online to qualify for the ballot.