H.B. 43

1

ALLOWANCE OF POLLING PLACES FOR
2 EARLY VOTING
3 2008 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Chief Sponsor: Glenn A. Donnelson
6 Senate Sponsor: Peter C. Knudson
7
8 LONG TITLE
9 Committee Note:
10 The Government Operations Interim Committee recommended this bill.
11 General Description:
12 This bill modifies the Election Code by amending provisions for the location of early
13 voting polling places.
14 Highlighted Provisions:
15 This bill:
16 . amends early voting polling place location provisions to permit the election officer
17 to use a nongovernment building or office for a polling place if there is no
18 government building or office available that meets certain requirements; and
19 . makes technical amendments.
20 Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
21 None
22 Other Special Clauses:
23 None
24 Utah Code Sections Affected:
25 AMENDS:
26 20A-3-603, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapters 256 and 258
27

28 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
29 Section 1. Section 20A-3-603 is amended to read:
30 20A-3-603. Early voting polling places.
31 (1) The election officer shall designate one or more polling places for early voting,
32 provided that:
33 (a) except as provided in Subsection (3), at least one polling place is open on each day
34 that polls are open during the early voting period;
35 (b) each polling place meets the requirements for polling places under Chapter 5,
36 Election Administration;
37 (c) for all elections other than local special elections, municipal primary elections, and
38 municipal general elections, at least 10% of the voting devices at a polling place are accessible
39 for individuals with disabilities in accordance with Public Law 107-252, the Help America
40 Vote Act of 2002; and
41 (d) each polling place is located in a government building or office, unless the election
42 officer determines that, in the area designated by the election officer, there is no government
43 building or office [is] available[.] that:
44 (i) can be scheduled for use during early voting hours;
45 (ii) has the physical facilities necessary to accommodate early voting requirements;
46 (iii) has adequate space for voting equipment, poll workers, and voters; and
47 (iv) has adequate security, public accessibility, and parking.
48 (2) (a) In the event the election officer determines that the number of early voting
49 polling places is insufficient due to the number of registered voters who are voting, the election
50 officer may designate additional polling places during the early voting period.
51 (b) If an additional early voting polling place is designated, the election officer shall, as
52 soon as is reasonably possible, give notice of the dates, times, and location of the additional
53 polling place by:
54 (i) publishing the notice in one issue of a newspaper of general circulation in the
55 county; and
56 (ii) posting the notice at the additional polling place.
57 (3) For each regular general election and regular primary election, counties of the first
58 class shall ensure that:

59 (a) at least one polling place is located within each Utah State Senate district that is
60 located wholly or partially within the county; and
61 (b) at least one polling place located within each district is open on each day that polls
62 are open during the early voting period.




Legislative Review Note
as of 11-14-07 3:01 PM

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel