In less than 40 days, an army of volunteers has collected an estimated 130,000 signatures from 24 of Utah's 29 counties on referendum petitions. If at least 92,000 -10 percent of voters from the 2004 gubernatorial election in at least 15 counties - are certified as belonging to registered voters, the issue will go to a vote.

Good for them. It has been a monumental effort, deserving the respect of all Utahns who value their constitutional right for a chance to reject a bad law. And the claim of voucher proponents that the referendum is the work only of whiny teachers and education bureaucrats? That nonsense is belied by the staggering number of signatures collected.

Obviously, many Utahns believe this law, setting up the nation's first universal voucher system, is bad policy. That it is also likely the result of one of the most Machiavellian legislative maneuvers ever hatched on the Hill is not lost on them.

Utah lawmakers passed two voucher bills this year. The second was cast by Republican leaders as simply an amendment of the first narrowly approved bill, but, more likely, its role was insurance against a threatened referendum to put the unpopular law to a public vote. They say the second bill could be used to enact the voucher law, even if Utahns voted to repeal the first.

The original law, passed by only one vote in the Utah House after six years of campaigning by well-funded out-of-state groups, could be voted down at the polls. If that happens, courts then would have to decide if the will of the people overrides their legislators' effort to thwart it.

Despite the efforts of voucher proponents, the idea of taxpayer money going to private schools has never been popular in Utah or in other parts of the country. In fact, vouchers and tuition tax credits have been defeated in every state where they have made it to the ballot in the past 30 years.

That's probably why pro-voucher groups, including Utah legislators, worked so hard to undermine the referendum petition drive, claiming it would be a waste of time even if it succeeded.

But Utahns deserve a chance to vote yes or no on this misbegotten law. Thanks to dedicated volunteers in all corners of the state, they should get it.

Obviously, many Utahns believe this law, setting up the nation's first universal voucher system, is bad policy.