“...And it’s sort of comical how you think that you’ve made a choice … when in fact, you’re wearing a sweater that was selected for you by the people in this room.” — Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly, “The Devil Wears Prada”
The inimitable Meryl Streep delivered a monologue in the 2006 film “The Devil Wears Prada,” pointing out that Anne Hathaway’s character, Andrea, wore not a blue sweater, but a cerulean one. Even during Andrea’s attempts to be anti-fashion, she was unwittingly corralled into a pre-selected bin. The choice was made for her.
If only this phenomenon were exclusive to fashion.
Each autumn, an official general election ballot is sent to Utah voters. This ballot (usually) has multiple options. Through filling out our ballot, we exercise the right to vote for our representation. Presidential-year ballots are loaded with decisions, not just for president but for governor and senator, congress and state legislators, county council and local school board. Yet here’s the rub: Which nominees appear on the ballot — and the platforms on which they’re campaigning — were already chosen months, or even years, before.
What if the color cerulean does nothing for you? Who chooses the choices?
Every even year there are in fact four (yes, four!) election days in Utah. In addition to the general election, many know of and vote in the primary elections in June — overseen by Utah’s Lieutenant Governor’s Office — with official ballots mailed by our county clerks.
Many candidates, however, including 75% of the current Utah Legislature now in session, are chosen well before primary elections. These candidates are nominated during the April conventions for Republican, Democratic, Libertarian, etc. parties. Delegates with the power to vote at these conventions are elected even earlier, at the neighborhood caucus in March. These two election days are conducted not by a government office, but by the various political parties.
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