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Lawmakers defunded the Utah Debate Commission after years of complaints from GOP officials.

Hinckley Institute Director Jason Perry said they are working on a new debate format.

The University of Utah and Utah Valley University will have $600,000 to organize debates in 2026.

Utah lawmakers shifted the future of state election debates away from an independent commission this year, but candidate debates will remain nonpartisan, fair and accessible, according to the two men tasked with leading the transformation.

After providing varying levels of support for nearly a decade, the Utah Legislature voted in March to cut off funding for the Utah Debate Commission, a nonprofit board that has organized dozens of debates for statewide and congressional races since its creation in 201

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