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H.B. 347 Enrolled

             1     

MUNICIPAL ELECTION LAW PROVISIONS

             2     
2007 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Douglas C. Aagard

             5     
Senate Sponsor: Gregory S. Bell

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill modifies provisions of the Election Code.
             10      Highlighted Provisions:
             11          This bill:
             12          .    makes technical amendments;
             13          .    modifies definitions;
             14          .    moves the date of the municipal primary election from October to September;
             15          .    modifies provisions governing the days and hours of poll operation for early voting
             16      in local special elections, municipal primary elections, and municipal general
             17      elections;
             18          .    provides that use of machines that provide disability access is not required for early
             19      voting in local special elections, municipal primary elections, and municipal
             20      elections;
             21          .    permits municipalities to combine up to four voting precincts into a single precinct
             22      for voting purposes in municipal elections;
             23          .    provides that the use of electronic voting machines is not required for municipal
             24      primary elections or municipal general elections;
             25          .    permits poll workers who are assigned to a voting precinct during a municipal
             26      election to reside within the county, rather than within the precinct they are assigned
             27      to; and
             28          .    adjusts the deadline for filing declarations of candidacy and nomination petitions for
             29      municipal elections.


             30      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             31          None
             32      Other Special Clauses:
             33          None
             34      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             35      AMENDS:
             36          10-3-201, as enacted by Chapter 48, Laws of Utah 1977
             37          10-3-208, as repealed and reenacted by Chapter 209, Laws of Utah 2004
             38          20A-1-102, as last amended by Chapters 16, 264 and 326, Laws of Utah 2006
             39          20A-1-201.5, as last amended by Chapter 355, Laws of Utah 2006
             40          20A-3-601, as enacted by Chapter 264, Laws of Utah 2006
             41          20A-3-602, as enacted by Chapter 264, Laws of Utah 2006
             42          20A-3-603, as enacted by Chapter 264, Laws of Utah 2006
             43          20A-5-301, as last amended by Chapter 292, Laws of Utah 2003
             44          20A-5-302, as last amended by Chapter 5, Laws of Utah 2005, First Special Session
             45          20A-5-602, as last amended by Chapter 40, Laws of Utah 1998
             46          20A-9-203, as last amended by Chapters 28 and 226, Laws of Utah 2006
             47          20A-9-404, as last amended by Chapter 292, Laws of Utah 2003
             48     
             49      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             50          Section 1. Section 10-3-201 is amended to read:
             51           10-3-201. Municipal general election -- Terms of office.
             52          (1) [On] Consistent with Section 20A-1-202 , on the Tuesday after the first Monday in
             53      November[, 1977, and biennially thereafter, an election] in odd-numbered years, a municipal
             54      general election shall be held in all municipalities to fill all elective offices vacated by 12
             55      o'clock noon on the first Monday in the January following the election. The officers elected
             56      shall continue in the office to which they were elected for four years except in case of death,
             57      resignation, removal or disqualification from office.


             58          (2) The officers so elected shall begin their term of office at 12 o'clock noon on the
             59      first Monday in January following their election.
             60          Section 2. Section 10-3-208 is amended to read:
             61           10-3-208. Campaign finance statement in municipal election.
             62          (1) As used in this section:
             63          (a) "Reporting date" means:
             64          (i) ten days before a municipal general election, for a campaign finance statement
             65      required to be filed no later than seven days before a municipal general election; and
             66          (ii) the day of filing, for a campaign finance statement required to be filed no later than
             67      30 days after a municipal primary or general election.
             68          (b) "Reporting limit" means:
             69          (i) $50; or
             70          (ii) an amount lower than $50 that is specified in an ordinance of the municipality.
             71          (2) (a) (i) Each candidate for municipal office who is not eliminated at a municipal
             72      primary election shall file with the municipal clerk or recorder a campaign finance statement:
             73          (A) no later than seven days before the date of the municipal general election; and
             74          (B) no later than 30 days after the date of the municipal general election.
             75          (ii) Each candidate for municipal office who is eliminated at a municipal primary
             76      election shall file with the municipal clerk or recorder a campaign finance statement no later
             77      than 30 days after the date of the municipal primary election.
             78          (b) Each campaign finance statement under Subsection (2)(a) shall:
             79          (i) except as provided in Subsection (2)(b)(ii):
             80          (A) report all of the candidate's itemized and total:
             81          (I) campaign contributions, including in-kind and other nonmonetary contributions, [as
             82      of] received before the close of the reporting date; and
             83          (II) campaign expenditures [as] made through the close of the reporting date; and
             84          (B) identify:
             85          (I) for each contribution that exceeds the reporting limit, the amount of the contribution


             86      and the name of the donor;
             87          (II) the aggregate total of all contributions that individually do not exceed the reporting
             88      limit; and
             89          (III) for each campaign expenditure, the amount of the expenditure and the name of the
             90      recipient of the expenditure; or
             91          (ii) report the total amount of all campaign contributions and expenditures if the
             92      candidate receives $500 or less in campaign contributions and spends $500 or less on the
             93      candidate's campaign.
             94          (3) (a) A municipality may, by ordinance:
             95          (i) provide a reporting limit lower than $50;
             96          (ii) require greater disclosure of campaign contributions and expenditures than is
             97      required in this section; and
             98          (iii) impose additional penalties on candidates who fail to comply with the applicable
             99      requirements beyond those imposed by this section.
             100          (b) A candidate for municipal office is subject to the provisions of this section and not
             101      the provisions of an ordinance adopted by the municipality under Subsection (3)(a) if:
             102          (i) the municipal ordinance establishes requirements or penalties that differ from those
             103      established in this section; and
             104          (ii) the municipal clerk or recorder fails to notify the candidate of the provisions of the
             105      ordinance as required in Subsection (4).
             106          (4) Each municipal clerk or recorder shall, at the time the candidate for municipal
             107      office files a declaration of candidacy, and again 14 days before each municipal general
             108      election, notify the candidate in writing of:
             109          (a) the provisions of statute or municipal ordinance governing the disclosure of
             110      campaign contributions and expenditures;
             111          (b) the dates when the candidate's campaign finance statement is required to be filed;
             112      and
             113          (c) the penalties that apply for failure to file a timely campaign finance statement,


             114      including the statutory provision that requires removal of the candidate's name from the ballot
             115      for failure to file the required campaign finance statement when required.
             116          (5) Notwithstanding any provision of Title 63, Chapter 2, Government Records Access
             117      and Management Act, the municipal clerk or recorder shall make each campaign finance
             118      statement filed by a candidate available for public inspection and copying no later than one
             119      business day after the statement is filed.
             120          (6) (a) If a candidate fails to file a campaign finance statement before the municipal
             121      general election by the deadline specified in Subsection (2)(a)(i)(A), the municipal clerk or
             122      recorder shall inform the appropriate election official who:
             123          (i) shall:
             124          (A) if practicable, remove the candidate's name from the ballot by blacking out the
             125      candidate's name before the ballots are delivered to voters; or
             126          (B) if removing the candidate's name from the ballot is not practicable, inform the
             127      voters by any practicable method that the candidate has been disqualified and that votes cast for
             128      the candidate will not be counted; and
             129          (ii) may not count any votes for that candidate.
             130          (b) Notwithstanding Subsection (6)(a), a candidate who files a campaign finance
             131      statement seven days before a municipal general election is not disqualified if:
             132          (i) the statement details accurately and completely the information required under
             133      Subsection (2)(b), except for inadvertent omissions or insignificant errors or inaccuracies; and
             134          (ii) the omissions, errors, or inaccuracies are corrected in an amended report or in the
             135      next scheduled report.
             136          (7) A campaign finance statement required under this section is considered filed if it is
             137      received in the municipal clerk or recorder's office by 5 p.m. on the date that is it due.
             138          (8) (a) A private party in interest may bring a civil action in district court to enforce the
             139      provisions of this section or an ordinance adopted under this section.
             140          (b) In a civil action under Subsection (8)(a), the court may award costs and attorney's
             141      fees to the prevailing party.


             142          Section 3. Section 20A-1-102 is amended to read:
             143           20A-1-102. Definitions.
             144          As used in this title:
             145          (1) "Active voter" means a registered voter who has not been classified as an inactive
             146      voter by the county clerk.
             147          (2) "Automatic tabulating equipment" means apparatus that automatically examines
             148      and counts votes recorded on paper ballots or ballot sheets and tabulates the results.
             149          (3) "Ballot" means the storage medium, whether paper, mechanical, or electronic, upon
             150      which a voter records his votes and includes ballot sheets, paper ballots, electronic ballots, and
             151      secrecy envelopes.
             152          (4) "Ballot sheet":
             153          (a) means a ballot that:
             154          (i) consists of paper or a card where the voter's votes are marked or recorded; and
             155          (ii) can be counted using automatic tabulating equipment; and
             156          (b) includes punch card ballots, and other ballots that are machine-countable.
             157          (5) "Ballot label" means the cards, papers, booklet, pages, or other materials that
             158      contain the names of offices and candidates and statements of ballot propositions to be voted
             159      on and which are used in conjunction with ballot sheets that do not display that information.
             160          (6) "Ballot proposition" means opinion questions specifically authorized by the
             161      Legislature, constitutional amendments, initiatives, referenda, and judicial retention questions
             162      that are submitted to the voters for their approval or rejection.
             163          (7) "Board of canvassers" means the entities established by Sections 20A-4-301 and
             164      20A-4-306 to canvass election returns.
             165          (8) "Bond election" means an election held for the purpose of approving or rejecting
             166      the proposed issuance of bonds by a government entity.
             167          (9) "Book voter registration form" means voter registration forms contained in a bound
             168      book that are used by election officers and registration agents to register persons to vote.
             169          (10) "By-mail voter registration form" means a voter registration form designed to be


             170      completed by the voter and mailed to the election officer.
             171          (11) "Canvass" means the review of election returns and the official declaration of
             172      election results by the board of canvassers.
             173          (12) "Canvassing judge" means a poll worker designated to assist in counting ballots at
             174      the canvass.
             175          (13) "Convention" means the political party convention at which party officers and
             176      delegates are selected.
             177          (14) "Counting center" means one or more locations selected by the election officer in
             178      charge of the election for the automatic counting of ballots.
             179          (15) "Counting judge" means a poll worker designated to count the ballots during
             180      election day.
             181          (16) "Counting poll watcher" means a person selected as provided in Section
             182      20A-3-201 to witness the counting of ballots.
             183          (17) "Counting room" means a suitable and convenient private place or room,
             184      immediately adjoining the place where the election is being held, for use by the counting
             185      judges to count ballots during election day.
             186          (18) "County executive" has the meaning as provided in Subsection 68-3-12 (2).
             187          (19) "County legislative body" has the meaning as provided in Subsection 68-3-12 (2).
             188          (20) "County officers" means those county officers that are required by law to be
             189      elected.
             190          (21) "Election" means a regular general election, a municipal general election, a
             191      statewide special election, a local special election, a regular primary election, a municipal
             192      primary election, and a special district election.
             193          (22) "Election Assistance Commission" means the commission established by Public
             194      Law 107-252, the Help America Vote Act of 2002.
             195          (23) "Election cycle" means the period beginning on the first day persons are eligible to
             196      file declarations of candidacy and ending when the canvass is completed.
             197          (24) "Election judge" means each canvassing judge, counting judge, and receiving


             198      judge.
             199          (25) "Election officer" means:
             200          (a) the lieutenant governor, for all statewide ballots;
             201          (b) the county clerk or clerks for all county ballots and for certain ballots and elections
             202      as provided in Section 20A-5-400.5 ;
             203          (c) the municipal clerk for all municipal ballots and for certain ballots and elections as
             204      provided in Section 20A-5-400.5 ;
             205          (d) the special district clerk or chief executive officer for certain ballots and elections
             206      as provided in Section 20A-5-400.5 ; and
             207          (e) the business administrator or superintendent of a school district for certain ballots
             208      or elections as provided in Section 20A-5-400.5 .
             209          (26) "Election official" means any election officer, election judge, poll worker, or
             210      satellite registrar.
             211          (27) "Election results" means, for bond elections, the count of those votes cast for and
             212      against the bond proposition plus any or all of the election returns that the board of canvassers
             213      may request.
             214          (28) "Election returns" includes the pollbook, all affidavits of registration, the military
             215      and overseas absentee voter registration and voting certificates, one of the tally sheets, any
             216      unprocessed absentee ballots, all counted ballots, all excess ballots, all unused ballots, all
             217      spoiled ballots, the ballot disposition form, and the total votes cast form.
             218          (29) "Electronic ballot" means a ballot that is recorded using a direct electronic voting
             219      device or other voting device that records and stores ballot information by electronic means.
             220          (30) (a) "Electronic voting [system"] device" means a [system in which a voting device
             221      is used in conjunction with ballots so that votes recorded by the voter are counted and tabulated
             222      by automatic tabulating equipment.] voting device that uses electronic ballots.
             223          (b) "Electronic voting device" includes a direct recording electronic voting device.
             224          (31) "Inactive voter" means a registered voter who has been sent the notice required by
             225      Section 20A-2-306 and who has failed to respond to that notice.


             226          (32) "Inspecting poll watcher" means a person selected as provided in this title to
             227      witness the receipt and safe deposit of voted and counted ballots.
             228          (33) "Judicial office" means the office filled by any judicial officer.
             229          (34) "Judicial officer" means any justice or judge of a court of record or any county
             230      court judge.
             231          (35) "Local election" means a regular municipal election, a local special election, a
             232      special district election, and a bond election.
             233          (36) "Local political subdivision" means a county, a municipality, a special district, or
             234      a local school district.
             235          (37) "Local special election" means a special election called by the governing body of a
             236      local political subdivision in which all registered voters of the local political subdivision may
             237      vote.
             238          (38) "Municipal executive" means:
             239          (a) the city council or town council in the traditional management arrangement
             240      established by Title 10, Chapter 3, Part 1, Governing Body;
             241          (b) the mayor in the council-mayor optional form of government defined in Section
             242      10-3-101 ; and
             243          (c) the manager in the council-manager optional form of government defined in
             244      Section 10-3-101 .
             245          (39) "Municipal general election" means the election held in municipalities and special
             246      districts on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each odd-numbered year
             247      for the purposes established in Section 20A-1-202 .
             248          (40) "Municipal legislative body" means:
             249          (a) the city council or town council in the traditional management arrangement
             250      established by Title 10, Chapter 3, Part 1, Governing Body;
             251          (b) the municipal council in the council-mayor optional form of government defined in
             252      Section 10-3-101 ; and
             253          (c) the municipal council in the council-manager optional form of government defined


             254      in Section 10-3-101 .
             255          (41) "Municipal officers" means those municipal officers that are required by law to be
             256      elected.
             257          (42) "Municipal primary election" means an election held to nominate candidates for
             258      municipal office.
             259          (43) "Official ballot" means the ballots distributed by the election officer to the poll
             260      workers to be given to voters to record their votes.
             261          (44) "Official endorsement" means:
             262          (a) the information on the ballot that identifies:
             263          (i) the ballot as an official ballot;
             264          (ii) the date of the election; and
             265          (iii) the facsimile signature of the election officer; and
             266          (b) the information on the ballot stub that identifies:
             267          (i) the poll worker's initials; and
             268          (ii) the ballot number.
             269          (45) "Official register" means the official record furnished to election officials by the
             270      election officer that contains the information required by Section 20A-5-401 .
             271          (46) "Paper ballot" means a paper that contains:
             272          (a) the names of offices and candidates and statements of ballot propositions to be
             273      voted on; and
             274          (b) spaces for the voter to record his vote for each office and for or against each ballot
             275      proposition.
             276          (47) "Political party" means an organization of registered voters that has qualified to
             277      participate in an election by meeting the requirements of Title 20A, Chapter 8, Political Party
             278      Formation and Procedures.
             279          (48) (a) "Poll worker" means a person assigned by an election official to assist with an
             280      election, voting, or counting votes.
             281          (b) "Poll worker" includes election judges.


             282          (c) "Poll worker" does not include a watcher.
             283          (49) "Pollbook" means a record of the names of voters in the order that they appear to
             284      cast votes.
             285          (50) "Polling place" means the building where voting is conducted.
             286          (51) "Position" means a square, circle, rectangle, or other geometric shape on a ballot
             287      in which the voter marks his choice.
             288          (52) "Provisional ballot" means a ballot voted provisionally by a person:
             289          (a) whose name is not listed on the official register at the polling place;
             290          (b) whose legal right to vote is challenged as provided in this title; or
             291          (c) whose identity was not sufficiently established by an election judge.
             292          (53) "Provisional ballot envelope" means an envelope printed in the form required by
             293      Section 20A-6-105 that is used to identify provisional ballots and to provide information to
             294      verify a person's legal right to vote.
             295          (54) "Primary convention" means the political party conventions at which nominees for
             296      the regular primary election are selected.
             297          (55) "Protective counter" means a separate counter, which cannot be reset, that is built
             298      into a voting machine and records the total number of movements of the operating lever.
             299          (56) "Qualify" or "qualified" means to take the oath of office and begin performing the
             300      duties of the position for which the person was elected.
             301          (57) "Receiving judge" means the poll worker that checks the voter's name in the
             302      official register, provides the voter with a ballot, and removes the ballot stub from the ballot
             303      after the voter has voted.
             304          (58) "Registration days" means the days designated in Section 20A-2-203 when a voter
             305      may register to vote with a satellite registrar.
             306          (59) "Registration form" means a book voter registration form and a by-mail voter
             307      registration form.
             308          (60) "Regular ballot" means a ballot that is not a provisional ballot.
             309          (61) "Regular general election" means the election held throughout the state on the first


             310      Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each even-numbered year for the purposes
             311      established in Section 20A-1-201 .
             312          (62) "Regular primary election" means the election on the fourth Tuesday of June of
             313      each even-numbered year, at which candidates of political parties and nonpolitical groups are
             314      voted for nomination.
             315          (63) "Resident" means a person who resides within a specific voting precinct in Utah.
             316          (64) "Sample ballot" means a mock ballot similar in form to the official ballot printed
             317      and distributed as provided in Section 20A-5-405 .
             318          (65) "Satellite registrar" means a person appointed under Section 20A-5-201 to register
             319      voters and perform other duties.
             320          (66) "Scratch vote" means to mark or punch the straight party ticket and then mark or
             321      punch the ballot for one or more candidates who are members of different political parties.
             322          (67) "Secrecy envelope" means the envelope given to a voter along with the ballot into
             323      which the voter places the ballot after he has voted it in order to preserve the secrecy of the
             324      voter's vote.
             325          (68) "Special district" means those local government entities created under the
             326      authority of Title 17A.
             327          (69) "Special district officers" means those special district officers that are required by
             328      law to be elected.
             329          (70) "Special election" means an election held as authorized by Section 20A-1-204 .
             330          (71) "Spoiled ballot" means each ballot that:
             331          (a) is spoiled by the voter;
             332          (b) is unable to be voted because it was spoiled by the printer or a poll worker; or
             333          (c) lacks the official endorsement.
             334          (72) "Statewide special election" means a special election called by the governor or the
             335      Legislature in which all registered voters in Utah may vote.
             336          (73) "Stub" means the detachable part of each ballot.
             337          (74) "Substitute ballots" means replacement ballots provided by an election officer to


             338      the poll workers when the official ballots are lost or stolen.
             339          (75) "Ticket" means each list of candidates for each political party or for each group of
             340      petitioners.
             341          (76) "Transfer case" means the sealed box used to transport voted ballots to the
             342      counting center.
             343          (77) "Vacancy" means the absence of a person to serve in any position created by
             344      statute, whether that absence occurs because of death, disability, disqualification, resignation,
             345      or other cause.
             346          (78) "Valid voter identification" means:
             347          (a) a form of identification that bears the name and photograph of the voter which may
             348      include:
             349          (i) a currently valid Utah driver license;
             350          (ii) a currently valid identification card that is issued by:
             351          (A) the state;
             352          (B) a local government within the state; or
             353          (C) a branch, department, or agency of the United States;
             354          (iii) an identification card that is issued by an employer for an employee;
             355          (iv) a currently valid identification card that is issued by a college, university, technical
             356      school, or professional school that is located within the state;
             357          (v) a currently valid Utah permit to carry a concealed weapon;
             358          (vi) a currently valid United States passport; or
             359          (vii) a valid tribal identification card; or
             360          (b) two forms of identification that bear the name of the voter and provide evidence
             361      that the voter resides in the voting precinct, which may include:
             362          (i) a voter identification card;
             363          (ii) a current utility bill or a legible copy thereof;
             364          (iii) a bank or other financial account statement, or a legible copy thereof;
             365          (iv) a certified birth certificate;


             366          (v) a valid Social Security card;
             367          (vi) a check issued by the state or the federal government or a legible copy thereof;
             368          (vii) a paycheck from the voter's employer, or a legible copy thereof;
             369          (viii) a currently valid Utah hunting or fishing license;
             370          (ix) a currently valid United States military identification card;
             371          (x) certified naturalization documentation;
             372          (xi) a currently valid license issued by an authorized agency of the United States;
             373          (xii) a certified copy of court records showing the voter's adoption or name change;
             374          (xiii) a Bureau of Indian Affairs card;
             375          (xiv) a tribal treaty card;
             376          (xv) a valid Medicaid card, Medicare card, or Electronic Benefits Transfer Card; or
             377          (xvi) a form of identification listed in Subsection [(76)] (78)(a) that does not contain a
             378      photograph, but establishes the name of the voter and provides evidence that the voter resides
             379      in the voting precinct.
             380          (79) "Valid write-in candidate" means a candidate who has qualified as a write-in
             381      candidate by following the procedures and requirements of this title.
             382          (80) "Voter" means a person who meets the requirements for voting in an election,
             383      meets the requirements of election registration, is registered to vote, and is listed in the official
             384      register book.
             385          (81) "Voter registration deadline" means the registration deadline provided in Section
             386