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S.B. 165 Enrolled

             1     

ELECTION LAW AMENDMENTS

             2     
2011 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Curtis S. Bramble

             5     
House Sponsor: Bradley M. Daw

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill amends provisions in Title 20A, Election Code.
             10      Highlighted Provisions:
             11          This bill:
             12          .    defines terms;
             13          .    authorizes a person to vote in an election if the person registers online to vote at
             14      least 15 days before an election;
             15          .    authorizes the chief election officer to extend the time to file a financial statement in
             16      certain circumstances;
             17          .    prohibits the use of an electronic signature and requires the use of a holographic
             18      signature to:
             19              .    qualify a candidate for the ballot;
             20              .    qualify a ballot proposition for the ballot; or
             21              .    sign a petition to organize and register a political party;
             22          .    requires an estimate of the cost of printing and distributing information related to a
             23      petition;
             24          .    prohibits a person from verifying the person's own signature;
             25          .    prohibits a county clerk from certifying a signature on a packet that is not verified;
             26          .    requires the county clerk to compare a signature on a packet to the voter registration
             27      database;
             28          .    authorizes the lieutenant governor or county clerk to declare a petition insufficient if
             29      all the requirements are not met;


             30          .    prohibits the sponsors of a local initiative from submitting additional signatures to
             31      qualify for a ballot in subsequent elections;
             32          .    repeals a section regarding a financial report;
             33          .    establishes the time by which a petitioner shall deliver petition packets to the county
             34      clerk and qualify a petition for the ballot;
             35          .    requires the amount of signatures necessary for an initiative or referendum to be
             36      submitted to a legislative body or qualify for placement on the ballot to be
             37      calculated based on the votes cast for President of the United States;
             38          .    clarifies when a local law subject to a referendum takes effect; and
             39          .    makes technical changes.
             40      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             41          None
             42      Other Special Clauses:
             43          This bill provides an immediate effective date.
             44      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             45      AMENDS:
             46          20A-1-102, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapters 129, 197, and 254
             47          20A-2-102.5, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 225
             48          20A-2-206, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2009, Chapter 89
             49          20A-3-304, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2009, Chapter 191
             50          20A-7-101, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 294
             51          20A-7-201, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 237
             52          20A-7-202, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 237
             53          20A-7-202.5, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 367
             54          20A-7-203, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 78
             55          20A-7-205, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 225
             56          20A-7-206, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 225
             57          20A-7-206.3, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 78


             58          20A-7-207, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapters 225 and 367
             59          20A-7-301, as last amended by Laws of Utah 1995, Chapter 153
             60          20A-7-305, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 225
             61          20A-7-306, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 225
             62          20A-7-306.3, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 78
             63          20A-7-307, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 225
             64          20A-7-501, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 324
             65          20A-7-502.5, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 367
             66          20A-7-503, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 225
             67          20A-7-505, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2000, Chapter 3
             68          20A-7-506, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 237
             69          20A-7-506.3, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 78
             70          20A-7-507, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2002, Chapter 133
             71          20A-7-601, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2004, Chapter 258
             72          20A-7-605, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2000, Chapter 3
             73          20A-7-606, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 237
             74          20A-7-606.3, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 78
             75          20A-7-607, as last amended by Laws of Utah 1995, Chapter 165
             76          20A-7-609, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 294
             77          20A-8-103, as last amended by Laws of Utah 1999, Chapter 45
             78          20A-9-203, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 197
             79          20A-9-404, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 256
             80          20A-9-502, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2009, Chapter 202
             81          20A-11-103, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 389
             82      ENACTS:
             83          20A-1-306, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             84      REPEALS:
             85          20A-7-206.5, as enacted by Laws of Utah 1999, Chapter 109


             86     
             87      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             88          Section 1. Section 20A-1-102 is amended to read:
             89           20A-1-102. Definitions.
             90          As used in this title:
             91          (1) "Active voter" means a registered voter who has not been classified as an inactive
             92      voter by the county clerk.
             93          (2) "Automatic tabulating equipment" means apparatus that automatically examines
             94      and counts votes recorded on paper ballots or ballot sheets and tabulates the results.
             95          (3) (a) "Ballot" means the storage medium, whether paper, mechanical, or electronic,
             96      upon which a voter records the voter's votes.
             97          (b) "Ballot" includes ballot sheets, paper ballots, electronic ballots, and secrecy
             98      envelopes.
             99          (4) "Ballot sheet":
             100          (a) means a ballot that:
             101          (i) consists of paper or a card where the voter's votes are marked or recorded; and
             102          (ii) can be counted using automatic tabulating equipment; and
             103          (b) includes punch card ballots and other ballots that are machine-countable.
             104          (5) "Ballot label" means the cards, papers, booklet, pages, or other materials that:
             105          (a) contain the names of offices and candidates and statements of ballot propositions to
             106      be voted on; and
             107          (b) are used in conjunction with ballot sheets that do not display that information.
             108          (6) "Ballot proposition" means a question, issue, or proposal that is submitted to voters
             109      on the ballot for their approval or rejection including:
             110          (a) an opinion question specifically authorized by the Legislature;
             111          (b) a constitutional amendment;
             112          (c) an initiative;
             113          (d) a referendum;


             114          (e) a bond proposition;
             115          (f) a judicial retention question; or
             116          (g) any other ballot question specifically authorized by the Legislature.
             117          (7) "Board of canvassers" means the entities established by Sections 20A-4-301 and
             118      20A-4-306 to canvass election returns.
             119          (8) "Bond election" means an election held for the purpose of approving or rejecting
             120      the proposed issuance of bonds by a government entity.
             121          (9) "Book voter registration form" means voter registration forms contained in a bound
             122      book that are used by election officers and registration agents to register persons to vote.
             123          (10) "By-mail voter registration form" means a voter registration form designed to be
             124      completed by the voter and mailed to the election officer.
             125          (11) "Canvass" means the review of election returns and the official declaration of
             126      election results by the board of canvassers.
             127          (12) "Canvassing judge" means a poll worker designated to assist in counting ballots at
             128      the canvass.
             129          (13) "Convention" means the political party convention at which party officers and
             130      delegates are selected.
             131          (14) "Counting center" means one or more locations selected by the election officer in
             132      charge of the election for the automatic counting of ballots.
             133          (15) "Counting judge" means a poll worker designated to count the ballots during
             134      election day.
             135          (16) "Counting poll watcher" means a person selected as provided in Section
             136      20A-3-201 to witness the counting of ballots.
             137          (17) "Counting room" means a suitable and convenient private place or room,
             138      immediately adjoining the place where the election is being held, for use by the poll workers
             139      and counting judges to count ballots during election day.
             140          (18) "County officers" means those county officers that are required by law to be
             141      elected.


             142          (19) "Date of the election" or "election day" or "day of the election":
             143          (a) means the day that is specified in the calendar year as the day that the election
             144      occurs; and
             145          (b) does not include:
             146          (i) deadlines established for absentee voting; or
             147          (ii) any early voting or early voting period as provided under Chapter 3, Part 6, Early
             148      Voting.
             149          (20) "Election" means a regular general election, a municipal general election, a
             150      statewide special election, a local special election, a regular primary election, a municipal
             151      primary election, and a local district election.
             152          (21) "Election Assistance Commission" means the commission established by Public
             153      Law 107-252, the Help America Vote Act of 2002.
             154          (22) "Election cycle" means the period beginning on the first day persons are eligible to
             155      file declarations of candidacy and ending when the canvass is completed.
             156          (23) "Election judge" means a poll worker that is assigned to:
             157          (a) preside over other poll workers at a polling place;
             158          (b) act as the presiding election judge; or
             159          (c) serve as a canvassing judge, counting judge, or receiving judge.
             160          (24) "Election officer" means:
             161          (a) the lieutenant governor, for all statewide ballots;
             162          (b) the county clerk or clerks for all county ballots and for certain ballots and elections
             163      as provided in Section 20A-5-400.5 ;
             164          (c) the municipal clerk for all municipal ballots and for certain ballots and elections as
             165      provided in Section 20A-5-400.5 ;
             166          (d) the local district clerk or chief executive officer for certain ballots and elections as
             167      provided in Section 20A-5-400.5 ; and
             168          (e) the business administrator or superintendent of a school district for certain ballots
             169      or elections as provided in Section 20A-5-400.5 .


             170          (25) "Election official" means any election officer, election judge, or poll worker.
             171          (26) "Election results" means, for bond elections, the count of those votes cast for and
             172      against the bond proposition plus any or all of the election returns that the board of canvassers
             173      may request.
             174          (27) "Election returns" includes the pollbook, all affidavits of registration, the military
             175      and overseas absentee voter registration and voting certificates, one of the tally sheets, any
             176      unprocessed absentee ballots, all counted ballots, all excess ballots, all unused ballots, all
             177      spoiled ballots, the ballot disposition form, and the total votes cast form.
             178          (28) "Electronic ballot" means a ballot that is recorded using a direct electronic voting
             179      device or other voting device that records and stores ballot information by electronic means.
             180          (29) "Electronic signature" means an electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to
             181      or logically associated with a record and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign
             182      the record.
             183          [(29)] (30) (a) "Electronic voting device" means a voting device that uses electronic
             184      ballots.
             185          (b) "Electronic voting device" includes a direct recording electronic voting device.
             186          [(30)] (31) "Inactive voter" means a registered voter who has:
             187          (a) been sent the notice required by Section 20A-2-306 ; and
             188          (b) failed to respond to that notice.
             189          [(31)] (32) "Inspecting poll watcher" means a person selected as provided in this title to
             190      witness the receipt and safe deposit of voted and counted ballots.
             191          [(32)] (33) "Judicial office" means the office filled by any judicial officer.
             192          [(33)] (34) "Judicial officer" means any justice or judge of a court of record or any
             193      county court judge.
             194          [(34)] (35) "Local district" means a local government entity under Title 17B, Limited
             195      Purpose Local Government Entities - Local Districts, and includes a special service district
             196      under Title 17D, Chapter 1, Special Service District Act.
             197          [(35)] (36) "Local district officers" means those local district officers that are required


             198      by law to be elected.
             199          [(36)] (37) "Local election" means a regular municipal election, a local special
             200      election, a local district election, and a bond election.
             201          [(37)] (38) "Local political subdivision" means a county, a municipality, a local
             202      district, or a local school district.
             203          [(38)] (39) "Local special election" means a special election called by the governing
             204      body of a local political subdivision in which all registered voters of the local political
             205      subdivision may vote.
             206          [(39)] (40) "Municipal executive" means:
             207          (a) the mayor in the council-mayor form of government defined in Section 10-3b-102 ;
             208      or
             209          (b) the mayor in the council-manager form of government defined in Subsection
             210      10-3b-103 (6).
             211          [(40)] (41) "Municipal general election" means the election held in municipalities and
             212      local districts on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each odd-numbered
             213      year for the purposes established in Section 20A-1-202 .
             214          [(41)] (42) "Municipal legislative body" means the council of the city or town in any
             215      form of municipal government.
             216          [(42)] (43) "Municipal officers" means those municipal officers that are required by
             217      law to be elected.
             218          [(43)] (44) "Municipal primary election" means an election held to nominate
             219      candidates for municipal office.
             220          [(44)] (45) "Official ballot" means the ballots distributed by the election officer to the
             221      poll workers to be given to voters to record their votes.
             222          [(45)] (46) "Official endorsement" means:
             223          (a) the information on the ballot that identifies:
             224          (i) the ballot as an official ballot;
             225          (ii) the date of the election; and


             226          (iii) the facsimile signature of the election officer; and
             227          (b) the information on the ballot stub that identifies:
             228          (i) the poll worker's initials; and
             229          (ii) the ballot number.
             230          [(46)] (47) "Official register" means the official record furnished to election officials
             231      by the election officer that contains the information required by Section 20A-5-401 .
             232          [(47)] (48) "Paper ballot" means a paper that contains:
             233          (a) the names of offices and candidates and statements of ballot propositions to be
             234      voted on; and
             235          (b) spaces for the voter to record the voter's vote for each office and for or against each
             236      ballot proposition.
             237          [(48)] (49) "Political party" means an organization of registered voters that has
             238      qualified to participate in an election by meeting the requirements of Chapter 8, Political Party
             239      Formation and Procedures.
             240          [(49)] (50) (a) "Poll worker" means a person assigned by an election official to assist
             241      with an election, voting, or counting votes.
             242          (b) "Poll worker" includes election judges.
             243          (c) "Poll worker" does not include a watcher.
             244          [(50)] (51) "Pollbook" means a record of the names of voters in the order that they
             245      appear to cast votes.
             246          [(51)] (52) "Polling place" means the building where voting is conducted.
             247          [(52)] (53) "Position" means a square, circle, rectangle, or other geometric shape on a
             248      ballot in which the voter marks the voter's choice.
             249          [(53)] (54) "Provisional ballot" means a ballot voted provisionally by a person:
             250          (a) whose name is not listed on the official register at the polling place;
             251          (b) whose legal right to vote is challenged as provided in this title; or
             252          (c) whose identity was not sufficiently established by a poll worker.
             253          [(54)] (55) "Provisional ballot envelope" means an envelope printed in the form


             254      required by Section 20A-6-105 that is used to identify provisional ballots and to provide
             255      information to verify a person's legal right to vote.
             256          [(55)] (56) "Primary convention" means the political party conventions at which
             257      nominees for the regular primary election are selected.
             258          [(56)] (57) "Protective counter" means a separate counter, which cannot be reset, that:
             259          (a) is built into a voting machine; and
             260          (b) records the total number of movements of the operating lever.
             261          [(57)] (58) "Qualify" or "qualified" means to take the oath of office and begin
             262      performing the duties of the position for which the person was elected.
             263          [(58)] (59) "Receiving judge" means the poll worker that checks the voter's name in the
             264      official register, provides the voter with a ballot, and removes the ballot stub from the ballot
             265      after the voter has voted.
             266          [(59)] (60) "Registration form" means a book voter registration form and a by-mail
             267      voter registration form.
             268          [(60)] (61) "Regular ballot" means a ballot that is not a provisional ballot.
             269          [(61)] (62) "Regular general election" means the election held throughout the state on
             270      the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each even-numbered year for the
             271      purposes established in Section 20A-1-201 .
             272          [(62)] (63) "Regular primary election" means the election on the fourth Tuesday of
             273      June of each even-numbered year, to nominate candidates of political parties and nonpolitical
             274      groups to advance to the regular general election.
             275          [(63)] (64) "Resident" means a person who resides within a specific voting precinct in
             276      Utah.
             277          [(64)] (65) "Sample ballot" means a mock ballot similar in form to the official ballot
             278      printed and distributed as provided in Section 20A-5-405 .
             279          [(65)] (66) "Scratch vote" means to mark or punch the straight party ticket and then
             280      mark or punch the ballot for one or more candidates who are members of different political
             281      parties.


             282          [(66)] (67) "Secrecy envelope" means the envelope given to a voter along with the
             283      ballot into which the voter places the ballot after the voter has voted it in order to preserve the
             284      secrecy of the voter's vote.
             285          [(67)] (68) "Special election" means an election held as authorized by Section
             286      20A-1-204 .
             287          [(68)] (69) "Spoiled ballot" means each ballot that:
             288          (a) is spoiled by the voter;
             289          (b) is unable to be voted because it was spoiled by the printer or a poll worker; or
             290          (c) lacks the official endorsement.
             291          [(69)] (70) "Statewide special election" means a special election called by the governor
             292      or the Legislature in which all registered voters in Utah may vote.
             293          [(70)] (71) "Stub" means the detachable part of each ballot.
             294          [(71)] (72) "Substitute ballots" means replacement ballots provided by an election
             295      officer to the poll workers when the official ballots are lost or stolen.
             296          [(72)] (73) "Ticket" means each list of candidates for each political party or for each
             297      group of petitioners.
             298          [(73)] (74) "Transfer case" means the sealed box used to transport voted ballots to the
             299      counting center.
             300          [(74)] (75) "Vacancy" means the absence of a person to serve in any position created
             301      by statute, whether that absence occurs because of death, disability, disqualification,
             302      resignation, or other cause.
             303          [(75)] (76) "Valid voter identification" means:
             304          (a) a form of identification that bears the name and photograph of the voter which may
             305      include:
             306          (i) a currently valid Utah driver license;
             307          (ii) a currently valid identification card that is issued by:
             308          (A) the state; or
             309          (B) a branch, department, or agency of the United States;


             310          (iii) a currently valid Utah permit to carry a concealed weapon;
             311          (iv) a currently valid United States passport; or
             312          (v) a currently valid United States military identification card;
             313          (b) one of the following identification cards, whether or not the card includes a
             314      photograph of the voter:
             315          (i) a valid tribal identification card;
             316          (ii) a Bureau of Indian Affairs card; or
             317          (iii) a tribal treaty card; or
             318          (c) two forms of identification not listed under Subsection [(75)] (76)(a) or (b) but that
             319      bear the name of the voter and provide evidence that the voter resides in the voting precinct,
             320      which may include:
             321          (i) a current utility bill or a legible copy thereof, dated within the 90 days before the
             322      election;
             323          (ii) a bank or other financial account statement, or a legible copy thereof;
             324          (iii) a certified birth certificate;
             325          (iv) a valid Social Security card;
             326          (v) a check issued by the state or the federal government or a legible copy thereof;
             327          (vi) a paycheck from the voter's employer, or a legible copy thereof;
             328          (vii) a currently valid Utah hunting or fishing license;
             329          (viii) certified naturalization documentation;
             330          (ix) a currently valid license issued by an authorized agency of the United States;
             331          (x) a certified copy of court records showing the voter's adoption or name change;
             332          (xi) a valid Medicaid card, Medicare card, or Electronic Benefits Transfer Card;
             333          (xii) a currently valid identification card issued by:
             334          (A) a local government within the state;
             335          (B) an employer for an employee; or
             336          (C) a college, university, technical school, or professional school located within the
             337      state; or


             338          (xiii) a current Utah vehicle registration.
             339          [(76)] (77) "Valid write-in candidate" means a candidate who has qualified as a
             340      write-in candidate by following the procedures and requirements of this title.
             341          [(77)] (78) "Voter" means a person who:
             342          (a) meets the requirements for voting in an election;
             343          (b) meets the requirements of election registration;
             344          (c) is registered to vote; and
             345          (d) is listed in the official register book.
             346          [(78)] (79) "Voter registration deadline" means the registration deadline provided in
             347      Section 20A-2-102.5 .
             348          [(79)] (80) "Voting area" means the area within six feet of the voting booths, voting
             349      machines, and ballot box.
             350          [(80)] (81) "Voting booth" means:
             351          (a) the space or compartment within a polling place that is provided for the preparation
             352      of ballots, including the voting machine enclosure or curtain; or
             353          (b) a voting device that is free standing.
             354          [(81)] (82) "Voting device" means:
             355          (a) an apparatus in which ballot sheets are used in connection with a punch device for
             356      piercing the ballots by the voter;
             357          (b) a device for marking the ballots with ink or another substance;
             358          (c) an electronic voting device or other device used to make selections and cast a ballot
             359      electronically, or any component thereof;
             360          (d) an automated voting system under Section 20A-5-302 ; or
             361          (e) any other method for recording votes on ballots so that the ballot may be tabulated
             362      by means of automatic tabulating equipment.
             363          [(82)] (83) "Voting machine" means a machine designed for the sole purpose of
             364      recording and tabulating votes cast by voters at an election.
             365          [(83)] (84) "Voting poll watcher" means a person appointed as provided in this title to


             366      witness the distribution of ballots and the voting process.
             367          [(84)] (85) "Voting precinct" means the smallest voting unit established as provided by
             368      law within which qualified voters vote at one polling place.
             369          [(85)] (86) "Watcher" means a voting poll watcher, a counting poll watcher, an
             370      inspecting poll watcher, and a testing watcher.
             371          [(86)] (87) "Western States Presidential Primary" means the election established in
             372      [Title 20A,] Chapter 9, Part 8.
             373          [(87)] (88) "Write-in ballot" means a ballot containing any write-in votes.
             374          [(88)] (89) "Write-in vote" means a vote cast for a person whose name is not printed on
             375      the ballot according to the procedures established in this title.
             376          Section 2. Section 20A-1-306 is enacted to read:
             377          20A-1-306. Electronic signatures prohibited.
             378          Notwithstanding Title 46, Chapter 4, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, and
             379      Subsections 68-3-12 (1)(e) and 68-3-12.5 (24) and (33), an electronic signature may not be used
             380      to sign a petition to:
             381          (1) qualify a ballot proposition for the ballot under Chapter 7, Issues Submitted to the
             382      Voters;
             383          (2) organize and register a political party under Chapter 8, Political Party Formation
             384      and Procedures; or
             385          (3) qualify a candidate for the ballot under Chapter 9, Candidate Qualifications and
             386      Nominating Procedures.
             387          Section 3. Section 20A-2-102.5 is amended to read:
             388           20A-2-102.5. Voter registration deadline.
             389          (1) Except as provided in [Section] Sections 20A-2-201 and 20A-2-206 and [in Title
             390      20A,] Chapter 3, Part 4, Voting by Members of the Military and by Other Persons Living or
             391      Serving Abroad, a person who fails to submit a correctly completed voter registration form on
             392      or before the voter registration deadline shall not be permitted to vote in the election.
             393          (2) The voter registration deadline shall be the date that is 30 calendar days before the


             394      date of the election.
             395          Section 4. Section 20A-2-206 is amended to read:
             396           20A-2-206. Electronic registration -- Requests for absentee ballot application.
             397          (1) The lieutenant governor may create and maintain an electronic system for voter
             398      registration and requesting an absentee ballot that is publicly available on the Internet.
             399          (2) An electronic system for voter registration shall require:
             400          (a) that an applicant have a valid driver license or identification card, issued under Title
             401      53, Chapter 3, Uniform Driver License Act, that reflects the person's current principal place of
             402      residence;
             403          (b) that the applicant provide the information required by Section 20A-2-104 , except
             404      that the applicant's signature may be obtained in the manner described in Subsections (2)(d)
             405      and (4);
             406          (c) that the applicant attest to the truth of the information provided; and
             407          (d) that the applicant authorize the lieutenant governor's and county clerk's use of the
             408      applicant's driver license or identification card signature, obtained under Title 53, Chapter 3,
             409      Uniform Driver License Act, for voter registration purposes.
             410          (3) Notwithstanding Section 20A-2-104 , an applicant using the electronic system for
             411      voter registration created under this section is not required to complete a printed registration
             412      form.
             413          (4) A system created and maintained under this section shall provide the notices
             414      concerning a voter's presentation of identification contained in Subsection 20A-2-104 (1).
             415          (5) The lieutenant governor shall obtain a digital copy of the applicant's driver license
             416      or identification card signature from the Driver License Division.
             417          (6) Upon receiving all information from an applicant and the Driver License Division,
             418      the lieutenant governor shall send the information to the county clerk for the county in which
             419      the applicant's principal place of residence is found for further action as required by Section
             420      20A-2-304 .
             421          (7) The lieutenant governor may use additional security measures to ensure the


             422      accuracy and integrity of an electronically submitted voter registration.
             423          (8) (a) If an individual applies to register under this section during the period beginning
             424      on the date after the voter registration deadline and ending on the date that is 15 calendar days
             425      before the date of an election, the county clerk shall:
             426          (i) accept the application for registration if the individual, on the date of the election,
             427      will be legally qualified and entitled to vote in a voting precinct in the state; and
             428          (ii) inform the individual that:
             429          (A) the individual is registered to vote in the pending election; and
             430          (B) for the pending election, the individual must vote on the day of the election and is
             431      not eligible to vote using early voting under Chapter 3, Part 6, Early Voting, because the
             432      individual registered too late.
             433          (b) If an individual applies to register under this section during the 14 calendar days
             434      before an election, the county clerk shall:
             435          (i) accept the application for registration if the individual, on the date of the election,
             436      will be legally qualified and entitled to vote in a voting precinct in the state; and
             437          (ii) inform the individual that the individual is registered to vote but may not vote in
             438      the pending election because the individual registered too late.
             439          (9) (a) A registered voter may file an application for an absentee ballot in accordance
             440      with Section 20A-3-304 on the electronic system for voter registration established under this
             441      section.
             442          (b) The lieutenant governor shall provide a means by which a registered voter shall
             443      sign the application form as provided in Section 20A-3-304 .
             444          Section 5. Section 20A-3-304 is amended to read:
             445           20A-3-304. Application for absentee ballot -- Time for filing and voting.
             446          (1) Any registered voter who wishes to vote an absentee ballot may either:
             447          (a) file an absentee ballot application:
             448          (i) on the electronic system maintained by the lieutenant governor under Section
             449      20A-2-206 ; or


             450          (ii) with the appropriate election officer for an official absentee ballot as provided in
             451      this section; or
             452          (b) vote in person at the office of the appropriate election officer as provided in Section
             453      20A-3-306 .
             454          (2) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (2)(b), [each] the lieutenant governor or
             455      election officer shall prepare [blank applications] an application form for absentee ballot
             456      applications in substantially the following form:
             457          "I, ____, a qualified elector, residing at ____ Street, ____ City, ____ County, Utah
             458      apply for an official absentee ballot to be voted by me at the election.
             459          Date ________ (month\day\year) Signed ___________________________
             460                                      Voter"
             461          (b) [Each] The lieutenant governor or election officer shall prepare blank applications
             462      for absentee ballot applications for regular primary elections and for the Western States
             463      Presidential Primary in substantially the following form:
             464          "I, ____, a qualified elector, residing at ____ Street, ____ City, ____ County, Utah
             465      apply for an official absentee ballot for the _______________ political party to be voted by me
             466      at the primary election.
             467          I understand that I must be affiliated with or authorized to vote the political party's
             468      ballot that I request.
             469          Dated _________ (month\day\year) ____ Signed ___________________________
             470                                          Voter"
             471          (c) If requested by the applicant, the election officer shall:
             472          (i) mail or fax the application blank to the absentee voter; or
             473          (ii) deliver the application blank to any voter who personally applies for it at the office
             474      of the election officer.
             475          (3) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (3)(b), a voter who wishes to vote by absentee
             476      ballot shall file the application for an absentee ballot with the lieutenant governor or
             477      appropriate election officer no later than the Friday before election day.


             478          (b) Overseas applicants shall file their applications with the appropriate election officer
             479      no later than 20 days before election day.
             480          (4) (a) A county clerk may establish a permanent absentee voter list.
             481          (b) The clerk shall place on the list the name of any person who:
             482          (i) requests permanent absentee voter status; and
             483          (ii) meets the requirements of this section.
             484          (c) (i) Each year, the clerk shall mail a questionnaire to each person whose name is on
             485      the absentee voter list.
             486          (ii) The questionnaire shall allow the absentee person to verify the voter's residence.
             487          (iii) The clerk may remove the names of any voter from the absentee voter registration
             488      list if:
             489          (A) the voter is no longer listed in the official register; or
             490          (B) the voter fails to verify the voter's residence and absentee status.
             491          (d) The clerk shall provide a copy of the permanent absentee voter list to election
             492      officers for use in elections.
             493          Section 6. Section 20A-7-101 is amended to read:
             494           20A-7-101. Definitions.
             495          As used in this chapter:
             496          (1) "Budget officer" means:
             497          (a) for a county, the person designated as budget officer in Section 17-19-19 ;
             498          (b) for a city, the person designated as budget officer in Subsection 10-6-106 (5); or
             499          (c) for a town, the town council.
             500          (2) "Certified" means that the county clerk has acknowledged a signature as being the
             501      signature of a registered voter.
             502          (3) "Circulation" means the process of submitting an initiative or referendum petition
             503      to legal voters for their signature.
             504          (4) "Final fiscal impact statement" means a financial statement prepared after voters
             505      approve an initiative that contains the information required by Subsection 20A-7-202.5 (2) or


             506      20A-7-502.5 (2).
             507          (5) "Initial fiscal impact estimate" means a financial statement prepared according to
             508      the terms of Section 20A-7-202.5 or 20A-7-502.5 after the filing of an application for an
             509      initiative petition.
             510          (6) "Initiative" means a new law proposed for adoption by the public as provided in
             511      this chapter.
             512          (7) "Initiative packet" means a copy of the initiative petition, a copy of the proposed
             513      law, and the signature sheets, all of which have been bound together as a unit.
             514          (8) "Legal signatures" means the number of signatures of legal voters that:
             515          (a) meet the numerical requirements of this chapter; and
             516          (b) have been certified and verified as provided in this chapter.
             517          (9) "Legal voter" means a person who:
             518          (a) is registered to vote; or
             519          (b) becomes registered to vote before the county clerk certifies the signatures on an
             520      initiative or referendum petition.
             521          (10) "Local attorney" means the county attorney, city attorney, or town attorney in
             522      whose jurisdiction a local initiative or referendum petition is circulated.
             523          (11) "Local clerk" means the county clerk, city recorder, or town clerk in whose
             524      jurisdiction a local initiative or referendum petition is circulated.
             525          (12) (a) "Local law" includes an ordinance, resolution, master plan, and any
             526      comprehensive zoning regulation adopted by ordinance or resolution.
             527          (b) "Local law" does not include an individual property zoning decision.
             528          (13) "Local legislative body" means the legislative body of a county, city, or town.
             529          (14) "Measure" means a proposed constitutional amendment, an initiative, or
             530      referendum.
             531          (15) "Referendum" means a process by which a law passed by the Legislature or by a
             532      local legislative body is submitted or referred to the voters for their approval or rejection.
             533          (16) "Referendum packet" means a copy of the referendum petition, a copy of the law


             534      being submitted or referred to the voters for their approval or rejection, and the signature
             535      sheets, all of which have been bound together as a unit.
             536          (17) (a) "Signature" means a holographic signature.
             537          (b) "Signature" does not mean an electronic signature.
             538          [(17)] (18) "Signature sheets" means sheets in the form required by this chapter that are
             539      used to collect signatures in support of an initiative or referendum.
             540          [(18)] (19) "Sponsors" means the legal voters who support the initiative or referendum
             541      and who sign the application for petition copies.
             542          [(19)] (20) "Sufficient" means that the signatures submitted in support of an initiative
             543      or referendum petition have been certified and verified as required by this chapter.
             544          [(20)] (21) "Verified" means acknowledged by the person circulating the petition as
             545      required in Sections 20A-7-205 and 20A-7-305 .
             546          Section 7. Section 20A-7-201 is amended to read:
             547           20A-7-201. Statewide initiatives -- Signature requirements -- Submission to the
             548      Legislature or to a vote of the people.
             549          (1) (a) A person seeking to have an initiative submitted to the Legislature for approval
             550      or rejection shall obtain:
             551          (i) legal signatures equal to 5% of the cumulative total of all votes cast by voters of this
             552      state for all candidates for [governor] President of the United States at the last regular general
             553      election at which a [governor] President of the United States was elected; and
             554          (ii) from each of at least 26 Utah State Senate districts, legal signatures equal to 5% of
             555      the total of all votes cast in that district for all candidates for [governor] President of the United
             556      States at the last regular general election at which a [governor] President of the United States
             557      was elected.
             558          (b) If, at any time not less than 10 days before the beginning of [an] the next annual
             559      general session of the Legislature, immediately after the application is filed under Section
             560      20A-7-202 and specified on the petition under Section 20A-7-203 the lieutenant governor
             561      declares sufficient any initiative petition that is signed by enough voters to meet the


             562      requirements of this Subsection (1), the lieutenant governor shall deliver a copy of the petition
             563      and the cover sheet required by Subsection (1)(c) to the president of the Senate, the speaker of
             564      the House, and the director of the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel.
             565          (c) In delivering a copy of the petition, the lieutenant governor shall include a cover
             566      sheet that contains:
             567          (i) the cumulative total of all votes cast by voters of this state for all candidates for
             568      [governor] President of the United States at the last regular general election at which a
             569      [governor] President of the United States was elected;
             570          (ii) the total of all votes cast in each Utah State Senate district for all candidates for
             571      [governor] President of the United States at the last regular general election at which a
             572      [governor] President of the United States was elected;
             573          (iii) the total number of certified signatures received for the submitted initiative; and
             574          (iv) the total number of certified signatures received from each Utah State Senate
             575      district for the submitted initiative.
             576          (2) (a) A person seeking to have an initiative submitted to a vote of the people for
             577      approval or rejection shall obtain:
             578          (i) legal signatures equal to 10% of the cumulative total of all votes cast by voters of
             579      this state for all candidates for [governor] President of the United States at the last regular
             580      general election at which a [governor] President of the United States was elected; and
             581          (ii) from each of at least 26 Utah State Senate districts, legal signatures equal to 10% of
             582      the total of all votes cast in that district for all candidates for [governor] President of the United
             583      States at the last regular general election at which a [governor] President of the United States
             584      was elected.
             585          (b) If an initiative petition meets the requirements of this part and the lieutenant
             586      governor declares the initiative petition to be sufficient, the lieutenant governor shall submit
             587      the proposed law to a vote of the people at the next regular general election:
             588          (i) immediately after the application is filed under Section 20A-7-202 ; and
             589          (ii) specified on the petition under Section 20A-7-203 .


             590          (3) The lieutenant governor shall provide the following information from the official
             591      canvass of the last regular general election at which a [governor] President of the United States
             592      was elected to any interested person:
             593          (a) the cumulative total of all votes cast by voters in this state for all candidates for
             594      [governor] President of the United States; and
             595          (b) for each Utah State Senate district, the total of all votes cast in that district for all
             596      candidates for [governor] President of the United States.
             597          Section 8. Section 20A-7-202 is amended to read:
             598           20A-7-202. Statewide initiative process -- Application procedures -- Time to
             599      gather signatures -- Grounds for rejection.
             600          (1) Persons wishing to circulate an initiative petition shall file an application with the
             601      lieutenant governor.
             602          (2) The application shall contain:
             603          (a) the name and residence address of at least five sponsors of the initiative petition;
             604          (b) a statement indicating that each of the sponsors:
             605          (i) is a resident of Utah; and
             606          (ii) has voted in a regular general election in Utah within the last three years;
             607          (c) the signature of each of the sponsors, attested to by a notary public;
             608          (d) a copy of the proposed law that includes:
             609          (i) the title of the proposed law, which clearly expresses the subject of the law; and
             610          (ii) the text of the proposed law; and
             611          (e) a statement indicating whether or not persons gathering signatures for the petition
             612      may be paid for doing so.
             613          (3) The application and its contents are public when filed with the lieutenant governor.
             614          [(4) (a) The sponsors shall qualify the petition for the regular general election ballot no
             615      later than one year after the application is filed.]
             616          [(b)] (4) If the [sponsors fail] petition fails to qualify [the petition for that] for the
             617      ballot of the election described in Subsection 20A-7-201 (2)(b), the sponsors must:


             618          [(i)] (a) submit a new application;
             619          [(ii)] (b) obtain new signature sheets; and
             620          [(iii)] (c) collect signatures again.
             621          (5) The lieutenant governor shall reject the application and not issue circulation sheets
             622      if:
             623          (a) the law proposed by the initiative is patently unconstitutional;
             624          (b) the law proposed by the initiative is nonsensical;
             625          (c) the proposed law could not become law if passed;
             626          (d) the law contains more than one subject;
             627          (e) the subject of the law is not clearly expressed in the law's title; or
             628          (f) the law proposed by the initiative is identical or substantially similar to a law
             629      proposed by an initiative that was submitted to the county clerks and lieutenant governor for
             630      certification and evaluation within two years preceding the date on which the application for
             631      this initiative was filed.
             632          Section 9. Section 20A-7-202.5 is amended to read:
             633           20A-7-202.5. Initial fiscal impact estimate -- Preparation of estimate -- Challenge
             634      to estimate.
             635          (1) Within three working days of receipt of an application for an initiative petition, the
             636      lieutenant governor shall submit a copy of the application to the Governor's Office of Planning
             637      and Budget.
             638          (2) (a) The Governor's Office of Planning and Budget shall prepare an unbiased, good
             639      faith estimate of the fiscal impact of the law proposed by the initiative that contains:
             640          (i) a dollar amount representing the total estimated fiscal impact of the proposed law;
             641          (ii) if the proposed law would increase or decrease taxes, a dollar amount representing
             642      the total estimated increase or decrease for each type of tax affected under the proposed law
             643      and a dollar amount representing the total estimated increase or decrease in taxes under the
             644      proposed law;
             645          (iii) if the proposed law would result in the issuance or a change in the status of bonds,


             646      notes, or other debt instruments, a dollar amount representing the total estimated increase or
             647      decrease in public debt under the proposed law;
             648          (iv) a listing of all sources of funding for the estimated costs associated with the
             649      proposed law showing each source of funding and the percentage of total funding provided
             650      from each source;
             651          (v) a dollar amount representing the estimated costs or savings, if any, to state and
             652      local government entities under the proposed law; and
             653          (vi) a concise explanation, not exceeding 100 words, of the above information and of
             654      the estimated fiscal impact, if any, under the proposed law.
             655          (b) (i) If the proposed law is estimated to have no fiscal impact, the Governor's Office
             656      of Planning and Budget shall include a summary statement in the initial fiscal impact statement
             657      in substantially the following form:
             658          "The Governor's Office of Planning and Budget estimates that the law proposed by this
             659      initiative would have no significant fiscal impact and would not result in either an increase or
             660      decrease in taxes or debt."
             661          (ii) If the proposed law is estimated to have a fiscal impact, the Governor's Office of
             662      Planning and Budget shall include a summary statement in the initial fiscal impact estimate in
             663      substantially the following form:
             664          "The Governor's Office of Planning and Budget estimates that the law proposed by this
             665      initiative would result in a total fiscal expense/savings of $______, which includes a (type of
             666      tax or taxes) tax increase/decrease of $______ and a $______ increase/decrease in state debt."
             667          (iii) If the estimated fiscal impact of the proposed law is highly variable or is otherwise
             668      difficult to reasonably express in a summary statement, the Governor's Office of Planning and
             669      Budget may include in the summary statement a brief explanation that identifies those factors
             670      affecting the variability or difficulty of the estimate.
             671          (3) The Governor's Office of Planning and Budget shall prepare an unbiased, good
             672      faith estimate of the cost of printing and distributing information related to the initiative
             673      petition in:


             674          (a) the voter information pamphlet as required by Title 20A, Chapter 7, Part 7, Voter
             675      Information Pamphlet; or
             676          (b) the newspaper, as required by Section 20A-7-702 .
             677          [(3)] (4) Within 25 calendar days from the date that the lieutenant governor delivers a
             678      copy of the application, the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget shall:
             679          (a) deliver a copy of the initial fiscal impact estimate to the lieutenant governor's
             680      office; and
             681          (b) mail a copy of the initial fiscal impact estimate to the first five sponsors named in
             682      the initiative application.
             683          [(4)] (5) (a) (i) Three or more of the sponsors of the petition may, within 20 calendar
             684      days of the date of delivery of the initial fiscal impact estimate to the lieutenant governor's
             685      office, file a petition with the Supreme Court, alleging that the initial fiscal impact estimate,
             686      taken as a whole, is an inaccurate estimate of the fiscal impact of the initiative.
             687          (ii) After receipt of the appeal, the Supreme Court shall direct the lieutenant governor
             688      to send notice of the petition to:
             689          (A) any person or group that has filed an argument with the lieutenant governor's office
             690      for or against the measure that is the subject of the challenge; and
             691          (B) any political issues committee established under Section 20A-11-801 that has filed
             692      written or electronic notice with the lieutenant governor that identifies the name, mailing or
             693      email address, and telephone number of the person designated to receive notice about any
             694      issues relating to the initiative.
             695          (b) (i) There is a presumption that the initial fiscal impact estimate prepared by the
             696      Governor's Office of Planning and Budget is based upon reasonable assumptions, uses
             697      reasonable data, and applies accepted analytical methods to present the estimated fiscal impact
             698      of the initiative.
             699          (ii) The Supreme Court may not revise the contents of, or direct the revision of, the
             700      initial fiscal impact estimate unless the plaintiffs rebut the presumption by clear and convincing
             701      evidence that establishes that the initial fiscal estimate, taken as a whole, is an inaccurate


             702      statement of the estimated fiscal impact of the initiative.
             703          (iii) The Supreme Court may refer an issue related to the initial fiscal impact estimate
             704      to a master to examine the issue and make a report in accordance with Utah Rules of Civil
             705      Procedure, Rule 53.
             706          (c) The Supreme Court shall certify to the lieutenant governor a fiscal impact estimate
             707      for the measure that meets the requirements of this section.
             708          Section 10. Section 20A-7-203 is amended to read:
             709           20A-7-203. Form of initiative petition and signature sheets.
             710          (1) (a) Each proposed initiative petition shall be printed in substantially the following
             711      form:
             712          "INITIATIVE PETITION To the Honorable ____, Lieutenant Governor:
             713          We, the undersigned citizens of Utah, respectfully demand that the following proposed
             714      law be submitted to the legal voters/Legislature of Utah for their/its approval or rejection at the
             715      regular general election/session to be held/ beginning on _________(month\day\year);
             716          Each signer says:
             717          I have personally signed this petition;
             718          I am registered to vote in Utah or intend to become registered to vote in Utah before the
             719      certification of the petition names by the county clerk; and
             720          My residence and post office address are written correctly after my name.
             721          NOTICE TO SIGNERS:
             722          Public hearings to discuss this petition were held at: (list dates and locations of public
             723      hearings.)"
             724          (b) The sponsors of an initiative shall attach a copy of the proposed law to each
             725      initiative petition.
             726          (2) Each signature sheet shall:
             727          (a) be printed on sheets of paper 8-1/2 inches long and 11 inches wide;
             728          (b) be ruled with a horizontal line 3/4 inch from the top, with the space above that line
             729      blank for the purpose of binding;


             730          (c) contain the title of the initiative printed below the horizontal line;
             731          (d) contain the initial fiscal impact estimate's summary statement issued by the
             732      Governor's Office of Planning and Budget according to Subsection 20A-7-202.5 (2)(b) and the
             733      cost estimate for printing and distributing information related to the initiative petition
             734      according to Subsection 20A-7-202.5 (3), printed or typed in not less than 12-point, bold type,
             735      at the top of each signature sheet under the title of the initiative;
             736          (e) contain the word "Warning" printed or typed at the top of each signature sheet
             737      under the initial fiscal impact estimate's summary statement;
             738          (f) contain, to the right of the word "Warning," the following statement printed or
             739      typed in not less than eight-point, single leaded type:
             740          "It is a class A misdemeanor for anyone to sign any initiative petition with any other
             741      name than his own, or knowingly to sign his name more than once for the same measure, or to
             742      sign an initiative petition when he knows he is not a registered voter and knows that he does
             743      not intend to become registered to vote before the certification of the petition names by the
             744      county clerk."; and
             745          (g) be vertically divided into columns as follows:
             746          (i) the first column shall appear at the extreme left of the sheet, be 5/8 inch wide, be
             747      headed with "For Office Use Only," and be subdivided with a light vertical line down the
             748      middle with the left subdivision entitled "Registered" and the right subdivision left untitled;
             749          (ii) the next column shall be 2-1/2 inches wide, headed "Registered Voter's Printed
             750      Name (must be legible to be counted)";
             751          (iii) the next column shall be 2-1/2 inches wide, headed "Signature of Registered
             752      Voter";
             753          (iv) the next column shall be one inch wide, headed "Birth Date or Age (Optional)";
             754          (v) the final column shall be 4-3/8 inches wide, headed "Street Address, City, Zip
             755      Code"; and
             756          (vi) at the bottom of the sheet, contain the following statement: "Birth date or age
             757      information is not required, but it may be used to verify your identity with voter registration


             758      records. If you choose not to provide it, your signature may not be verified as a valid signature
             759      if you change your address before petition signatures are verified or if the information you
             760      provide does not match your voter registration records."
             761          (3) The final page of each initiative packet shall contain the following printed or typed
             762      statement:
             763          "Verification
             764          State of Utah, County of ____
             765          I, _______________, of ____, hereby state that:
             766          I am a resident of Utah and am at least 18 years old;
             767          All the names that appear in this packet were signed by persons who professed to be the
             768      persons whose names appear in it, and each of them signed his name on it in my presence;
             769          I believe that each has printed and signed his name and written his post office address
             770      and residence correctly, and that each signer is registered to vote in Utah or intends to become
             771      registered to vote before the certification of the petition names by the county clerk.
             772          I have not paid or given anything of value to any person who signed this petition to
             773      encourage that person to sign it.
             774      ________________________________________________________________________
             775          (Name) (Residence Address) (Date)"
             776          (4) The forms prescribed in this section are not mandatory, and, if substantially
             777      followed, the initiative petitions are sufficient, notwithstanding clerical and merely technical
             778      errors.
             779          Section 11. Section 20A-7-205 is amended to read:
             780           20A-7-205. Obtaining signatures -- Verification -- Removal of signature.
             781          (1) A Utah voter may sign an initiative petition if the voter is a legal voter.
             782          (2) (a) The sponsors shall ensure that the person in whose presence each signature
             783      sheet was signed:
             784          [(a)] (i) is at least 18 years old and meets the residency requirements of Section
             785      20A-2-105 ; and


             786          [(b)] (ii) verifies each signature sheet by completing the verification printed on the last
             787      page of each initiative packet.
             788          (b) A person may not sign the verification printed on the last page of the initiative
             789      packet if the person signed a signature sheet in the initiative packet.
             790          (3) (a) A voter who has signed an initiative petition may have the voter's signature
             791      removed from the petition by submitting to the county clerk a statement requesting that the
             792      voter's signature be removed.
             793          (b) The statement shall include:
             794          (i) the name of the voter;
             795          (ii) the resident address at which the voter is registered to vote;
             796          (iii) the last four digits of the voter's Social Security number;
             797          (iv) the driver license or identification card number; and
             798          (v) the signature of the voter.
             799          (c) A voter may not submit a statement by email or other electronic means.
             800          (d) In order for the signature to be removed, the statement must be received by the
             801      county clerk before May 15.
             802          (e) The county clerk shall deliver all statements received under this Subsection (3):
             803          (i) with the initiative petition packets delivered to the lieutenant governor; or
             804          (ii) in a supplemental delivery to the lieutenant governor for a statement submitted
             805      after the county clerk delivered the initiative packets.
             806          (f) A person may only remove a signature from an initiative petition in accordance with
             807      this Subsection (3).
             808          Section 12. Section 20A-7-206 is amended to read:
             809           20A-7-206. Submitting the initiative petition -- Certification of signatures by the
             810      county clerks -- Transfer to lieutenant governor.
             811          (1) (a) In order to qualify an initiative petition for placement on the regular general
             812      election ballot, the sponsors shall deliver each signed and verified initiative packet to the
             813      county clerk of the county in which the packet was circulated [no later than] on or before the


             814      sooner of:
             815          (i) 316 days after the day on which the application is filed; or
             816          (ii) the April 15 immediately before the next regular general election immediately after
             817      the application is filed under Section 20A-7-202 .
             818          (b) A sponsor may not submit an initiative packet after the deadline established in this
             819      Subsection (1).
             820          (2) (a) No later than May 1 before the regular general election, the county clerk shall:
             821          [(a)] (i) check the names of all persons completing the verification for the initiative
             822      packet to determine whether [or not] those persons are residents of Utah and are at least 18
             823      years old; and
             824          [(b)] (ii) submit the name of each of those persons who is not a Utah resident or who is
             825      not at least 18 years old to the attorney general and county attorney.
             826          (b) The county clerk may not certify a signature under Subsection (3) on an initiative
             827      packet that is not verified in accordance with Section 20A-7-205 .
             828          (3) No later than May 15 before the regular general election, the county clerk shall:
             829          (a) determine whether [or not] each signer is a registered voter according to the
             830      requirements of Section 20A-7-206.3 ;
             831          (b) certify on the petition whether [or not] each name is that of a registered voter; and
             832          (c) deliver all of the verified initiative packets to the lieutenant governor.
             833          (4) Upon receipt of an initiative packet under Subsection (3) and any statement
             834      submitted under Subsection 20A-7-205 (3), the lieutenant governor shall remove from the
             835      initiative petition a voter's signature if the voter has requested the removal in accordance with
             836      Subsection 20A-7-205 (3).
             837          (5) In order to qualify an initiative petition for submission to the Legislature, the
             838      sponsors shall deliver each signed and verified initiative packet to the county clerk of the
             839      county in which the packet was circulated by the November 15 before the next annual general
             840      session of the Legislature immediately after the application is filed under Section 20A-7-202 .
             841          (6) (a) No later than December 1 before the annual general session of the Legislature,


             842      the county clerk shall:
             843          [(a)] (i) check the names of all persons completing the verification for the initiative
             844      packet to determine whether [or not] those persons are Utah residents and are at least 18 years
             845      old; and
             846          [(b)] (ii) submit the name of each of those persons who is not a Utah resident or who is
             847      not at least 18 years old to the attorney general and county attorney.
             848          (b) The county clerk may not certify a signature under Subsection (7) on an initiative
             849      packet that is not verified in accordance with Section 20A-7-205 .
             850          (7) No later than December 15 before the annual general session of the Legislature, the
             851      county clerk shall:
             852          (a) determine whether [or not] each signer is a registered voter according to the
             853      requirements of Section 20A-7-206.3 ;
             854          (b) certify on the petition whether [or not] each name is that of a registered voter; and
             855          (c) deliver all of the verified initiative packets to the lieutenant governor.
             856          (8) Initiative packets are public once they are delivered to the county clerks.
             857          (9) The sponsor or their representatives may not retrieve initiative packets from the
             858      county clerks once they have submitted them.
             859          Section 13. Section 20A-7-206.3 is amended to read:
             860           20A-7-206.3. Verification of petition signatures.
             861          (1) (a) For the purposes of this section, "substantially similar name" means:
             862          (i) the given name and surname shown on the petition, or both, contain only minor
             863      spelling differences when compared to the given name and surname shown on the official
             864      register;
             865          (ii) the surname shown on the petition exactly matches the surname shown on the
             866      official register, and the given names differ only because one of the given names shown is a
             867      commonly used abbreviation or variation of the other;
             868          (iii) the surname shown on the petition exactly matches the surname shown on the
             869      official register, and the given names differ only because one of the given names shown is


             870      accompanied by a first or middle initial or a middle name which is not shown on the other
             871      record; or
             872          (iv) the surname shown on the petition exactly matches the surname shown on the
             873      official register, and the given names differ only because one of the given names shown is an
             874      alphabetically corresponding initial that has been provided in the place of a given name shown
             875      on the other record.
             876          (b) For the purposes of this section, "substantially similar name" does not mean a name
             877      having an initial or a middle name shown on the petition that does not match a different initial
             878      or middle name shown on the official register.
             879          (2) The county clerk shall use the following procedures in determining whether or not a
             880      signer is a registered voter:
             881          (a) When a signer's name and address shown on the petition exactly match a name and
             882      address shown on the official register and the signer's signature appears substantially similar to
             883      the signature on the statewide voter registration database, the county clerk shall declare the
             884      signature valid.
             885          (b) When there is no exact match of an address and a name, the county clerk shall
             886      declare the signature valid if:
             887          (i) the address on the petition matches the address of a person on the official register
             888      with a substantially similar name[.]; and
             889          (ii) the signer's signature appears substantially similar to the signature on the statewide
             890      voter registration database of the person described in Subsection (2)(b)(i).
             891          (c) When there is no match of an address and a substantially similar name, the county
             892      clerk shall declare the signature valid if:
             893          (i) the birth date or age on the petition matches the birth date or age of a person on the
             894      official register with a substantially similar name[.]; and
             895          (ii) the signer's signature appears substantially similar to the signature on the statewide
             896      voter registration database of the person described in Subsection (2)(c)(i).
             897          (d) If a signature is not declared valid under Subsection (2)(a), (2)(b), or (2)(c), the


             898      county clerk shall declare the signature to be invalid.
             899          Section 14. Section 20A-7-207 is amended to read:
             900           20A-7-207. Evaluation by the lieutenant governor.
             901          (1) When each initiative packet is received from a county clerk, the lieutenant governor
             902      shall check off from the record the number of each initiative packet filed.
             903          (2) (a) After all of the initiative packets have been received by the lieutenant governor
             904      and the lieutenant governor has removed the signatures as required by Section 20A-7-206 , the
             905      lieutenant governor shall:
             906          (i) count the number of the names certified by the county clerks that remain on each
             907      verified signature sheet; and
             908          (ii) declare the petition to be sufficient or insufficient by June 1 before the regular
             909      general election described in Subsection 20A-7-201 (2)(b).
             910          (b) If the total number of names counted under Subsection (2)(a)(i) equals or exceeds
             911      the number of names required by Section 20A-7-201 and the requirements of this part are met,
             912      the lieutenant governor shall mark upon the front of the petition the word "sufficient."
             913          (c) If the total number of names counted under Subsection (2)(a)(i) does not equal or
             914      exceed the number of names required by Section 20A-7-201 or a requirement of this part is not
             915      met, the lieutenant governor shall mark upon the front of the petition the word "insufficient."
             916          (d) The lieutenant governor shall immediately notify any one of the sponsors of [his]
             917      the lieutenant governor's finding.
             918          (3) Once a petition is declared insufficient, the sponsors may not submit additional
             919      signatures to qualify the petition [for the pending regular general election] for the ballot.
             920          (4) (a) If the lieutenant governor refuses to accept and file any initiative petition that a
             921      sponsor believes is legally sufficient, any voter may, by June 15, apply to the supreme court for
             922      an extraordinary writ to compel the lieutenant governor to do so.
             923          (b) The supreme court shall:
             924          (i) determine whether or not the initiative petition is legally sufficient; and
             925          (ii) certify its findings to the lieutenant governor.


             926          (c) If the supreme court certifies that the initiative petition is legally sufficient, the
             927      lieutenant governor shall file it, with a verified copy of the judgment attached to it, as of the
             928      date on which it was originally offered for filing in [his] the lieutenant governor's office.
             929          (d) If the supreme court determines that any petition filed is not legally sufficient, the
             930      supreme court may enjoin the lieutenant governor and all other officers from certifying or
             931      printing the ballot title and numbers of that measure on the official ballot [for the next
             932      election].
             933          (5) A petition determined to be sufficient in accordance with this section is qualified
             934      for the ballot.
             935          Section 15. Section 20A-7-301 is amended to read:
             936           20A-7-301. Referendum -- Signature requirements -- Submission to voters.
             937          (1) (a) A person seeking to have a law passed by the Legislature submitted to a vote of
             938      the people shall obtain:
             939          (i) legal signatures equal to 10% of the cumulative total of all votes cast by voters of
             940      this state for all candidates for [governor] President of the United States at the last regular
             941      general election at which a [governor] President of the United States was elected; and
             942          (ii) from each of at least 15 counties, legal signatures equal to 10% of the total of all
             943      votes cast in that county for all candidates for [governor] President of the United States at the
             944      last regular general election at which a [governor] President of the United States was elected.
             945          (b) When the lieutenant governor declares a referendum petition sufficient under this
             946      part, the governor shall issue an executive order that:
             947          (i) directs that the referendum be submitted to the voters at the next regular general
             948      election; or
             949          (ii) calls a special election according to the requirements of Section 20A-1-203 and
             950      directs that the referendum be submitted to the voters at that special election.
             951          (2) When a referendum petition has been declared sufficient, the law that is the subject
             952      of the petition does not take effect unless and until it is approved by a vote of the people at a
             953      regular general election or a statewide special election.


             954          (3) The lieutenant governor shall provide to any interested person from the official
             955      canvass of the last regular general election at which a [governor] President of the United States
             956      was elected:
             957          (a) the cumulative total of all votes cast by voters of this state for all candidates for
             958      [governor] President of the United States; and
             959          (b) for each county, the total of all votes cast in that county for all candidates for
             960      [governor] President of the United States.
             961          Section 16. Section 20A-7-305 is amended to read:
             962           20A-7-305. Obtaining signatures -- Verification -- Removal of signature.
             963          (1) A Utah voter may sign a referendum petition if the voter is a legal voter.
             964          (2) (a) The sponsors shall ensure that the person in whose presence each signature
             965      sheet was signed:
             966          [(a)] (i) is at least 18 years old and meets the residency requirements of Section
             967      20A-2-105 ; and
             968          [(b)] (ii) verifies each signature sheet by completing the verification printed on the last
             969      page of each [signature sheet] referendum packet.
             970          (b) A person may not sign the verification printed on the last page of the referendum
             971      packet if the person signed a signature sheet in the referendum packet.
             972          (3) (a) (i) A voter who has signed a referendum petition may have the voter's signature
             973      removed from the petition by submitting to the county clerk a statement requesting that the
             974      voter's signature be removed.
             975          (b) The statement shall include:
             976          (i) the name of the voter;
             977          (ii) the resident address at which the voter is registered to vote;
             978          (iii) the last four digits of the voter's Social Security number;
             979          (iv) the driver license or identification card number; and
             980          (v) the signature of the voter.
             981          (c) A voter may not submit a statement by email or other electronic means.


             982          (d) In order for the signature to be removed, the statement must be received by the
             983      county clerk before the day which is 55 days after the end of the legislative session at which the
             984      law passed.
             985          (e) The county clerk shall deliver all statements received under this Subsection (3):
             986          (i) with the referendum petition packets to the lieutenant governor; or
             987          (ii) in a supplemental delivery to the lieutenant governor for a statement submitted
             988      after the county clerk delivered the referendum petition packets.
             989          (f) A person may only remove a signature from a referendum petition in accordance
             990      with this Subsection (3).
             991          Section 17. Section 20A-7-306 is amended to read:
             992           20A-7-306. Submitting the referendum petition -- Certification of signatures by
             993      the county clerks -- Transfer to lieutenant governor.
             994          (1) (a) No later than 40 days after the end of the legislative session at which the law
             995      passed, the sponsors shall deliver each signed and verified referendum packet to the county
             996      clerk of the county in which the packet was circulated.
             997          (b) A sponsor may not submit a referendum packet after the deadline established in this
             998      Subsection (1).
             999          (2) (a) No later than 55 days after the end of the legislative session at which the law
             1000      passed, the county clerk shall:
             1001          [(a)] (i) check the names of all persons completing the verification on the [back of] last
             1002      page of each [signature sheet] referendum packet to determine whether or not those persons are
             1003      Utah residents and are at least 18 years old; and
             1004          [(b)] (ii) submit the name of each of those persons who is not a Utah resident or who is
             1005      not at least 18 years old to the attorney general and county attorney.
             1006          (b) The county clerk may not certify a signature under Subsection (3) on a referendum
             1007      packet that is not verified in accordance with Section 20A-7-305 .
             1008          (3) No later than 55 days after the end of the legislative session at which the law
             1009      passed, the county clerk shall:


             1010          (a) determine whether [or not] each signer is a registered voter according to the
             1011      requirements of Section 20A-7-306.3 ;
             1012          (b) certify on the referendum petition whether [or not] each name is that of a registered
             1013      voter; and
             1014          (c) deliver all of the verified referendum packets to the lieutenant governor.
             1015          (4) Upon receipt of a referendum packet under Subsection (3) and any statement
             1016      submitted under Subsection 20A-7-305 (3), the lieutenant governor shall remove from the
             1017      referendum petition a voter's signature if the voter has requested the removal in accordance
             1018      with Subsection 20A-7-305 (3).
             1019          Section 18. Section 20A-7-306.3 is amended to read:
             1020           20A-7-306.3. Verification of petition signatures.
             1021          (1) (a) For the purposes of this section, "substantially similar name" means:
             1022          (i) the given name and surname shown on the petition, or both, contain only minor
             1023      spelling differences when compared to the given name and surname shown on the official
             1024      register;
             1025          (ii) the surname shown on the petition exactly matches the surname shown on the
             1026      official register, and the given names differ only because one of the given names shown is a
             1027      commonly used abbreviation or variation of the other;
             1028          (iii) the surname shown on the petition exactly matches the surname shown on the
             1029      official register, and the given names differ only because one of the given names shown is
             1030      accompanied by a first or middle initial or a middle name which is not shown on the other
             1031      record; or
             1032          (iv) the surname shown on the petition exactly matches the surname shown on the
             1033      official register, and the given names differ only because one of the given names shown is an
             1034      alphabetically corresponding initial that has been provided in the place of a given name shown
             1035      on the other record.
             1036          (b) For the purposes of this section, "substantially similar name" does not mean a name
             1037      having an initial or a middle name shown on the petition that does not match a different initial


             1038      or middle name shown on the official register.
             1039          (2) The county clerk shall use the following procedures in determining whether or not a
             1040      signer is a registered voter:
             1041          (a) When a signer's name and address shown on the petition exactly match a name and
             1042      address shown on the official register and the signer's signature appears substantially similar to
             1043      the signature on the statewide voter registration database, the county clerk shall declare the
             1044      signature valid.
             1045          (b) When there is no exact match of an address and a name, the county clerk shall
             1046      declare the signature valid if:
             1047          (i) the address on the petition matches the address of a person on the official register
             1048      with a substantially similar name[.]; and
             1049          (ii) the signer's signature appears substantially similar to the signature on the statewide
             1050      voter registration database of the person described in Subsection (2)(b)(i).
             1051          (c) When there is no match of an address and a substantially similar name, the county
             1052      clerk shall declare the signature valid if:
             1053          (i) the birth date or age on the petition matches the birth date or age of a person on the
             1054      official register with a substantially similar name[.]; and
             1055          (ii) the signer's signature appears substantially similar to the signature on the statewide
             1056      voter registration database of the person described in Subsection (2)(c)(i).
             1057          (d) If a signature is not declared valid under Subsection (2)(a), (b), or (c), the county
             1058      clerk shall declare the signature to be invalid.
             1059          Section 19. Section 20A-7-307 is amended to read:
             1060           20A-7-307. Evaluation by the lieutenant governor.
             1061          (1) When each referendum packet is received from a county clerk, the lieutenant
             1062      governor shall check off from the record the number of each referendum packet filed.
             1063          (2) (a) After all of the referendum packets have been received by the lieutenant
             1064      governor and the lieutenant governor has removed the signatures as required by Section
             1065      20A-7-306 , the lieutenant governor shall:


             1066          (i) count the number of the names certified by the county clerks that remain on each
             1067      verified signature sheet; and
             1068          (ii) declare the petition to be sufficient or insufficient no later than 60 days after the
             1069      end of the legislative session at which the law passed.
             1070          (b) If the total number of names counted under Subsection (2)(a)(i) equals or exceeds
             1071      the number of names required by Section 20A-7-301 and the requirements of this part are met,
             1072      the lieutenant governor shall mark upon the front of the petition the word "sufficient."
             1073          (c) If the total number of names counted under Subsection (2)(a)(i) does not equal or
             1074      exceed the number of names required by Section 20A-7-301 or a requirement of this part is not
             1075      met, the lieutenant governor shall mark upon the front of the petition the word "insufficient."
             1076          (d) The lieutenant governor shall immediately notify any one of the sponsors of [his]
             1077      the lieutenant governor's finding.
             1078          (3) (a) If the lieutenant governor refuses to accept and file any referendum petition, any
             1079      voter may apply to the supreme court for an extraordinary writ to compel [him] the lieutenant
             1080      governor to do so within 10 days after the refusal.
             1081          (b) If the supreme court determines that the referendum petition is legally sufficient,
             1082      the lieutenant governor shall file it, with a verified copy of the judgment attached to it, as of the
             1083      date on which it was originally offered for filing in [his] the lieutenant governor's office.
             1084          (c) If the supreme court determines that any petition filed is not legally sufficient, the
             1085      supreme court may enjoin the lieutenant governor and all other officers from certifying or
             1086      printing the ballot title and numbers of that measure on the official ballot [for the next
             1087      election].
             1088          (4) A petition determined to be sufficient in accordance with this section is qualified
             1089      for the ballot.
             1090          Section 20. Section 20A-7-501 is amended to read:
             1091           20A-7-501. Initiatives.
             1092          (1) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (1)(b), a person seeking to have an initiative
             1093      submitted to a local legislative body or to a vote of the people for approval or rejection shall


             1094      obtain legal signatures equal to:
             1095          (i) 10% of all the votes cast in the county, city, or town for all candidates for
             1096      [governor] President of the United States at the last election at which a [governor] President of
             1097      the United States was elected if the total number of votes exceeds 25,000;
             1098          (ii) 12-1/2% of all the votes cast in the county, city, or town for all candidates for
             1099      [governor] President of the United States at the last election at which a [governor] President of
             1100      the United States was elected if the total number of votes does not exceed 25,000 but is more
             1101      than 10,000;
             1102          (iii) 15% of all the votes cast in the county, city, or town for all candidates for
             1103      [governor] President of the United States at the last election at which a [governor] President of
             1104      the United States was elected if the total number of votes does not exceed 10,000 but is more
             1105      than 2,500;
             1106          (iv) 20% of all the votes cast in the county, city, or town for all candidates for
             1107      [governor] President of the United States at the last election at which a [governor] President of
             1108      the United States was elected if the total number of votes does not exceed 2,500 but is more
             1109      than 500;
             1110          (v) 25% of all the votes cast in the county, city, or town for all candidates for
             1111      [governor] President of the United States at the last election at which a [governor] President of
             1112      the United States was elected if the total number of votes does not exceed 500 but is more than
             1113      250; and
             1114          (vi) 30% of all the votes cast in the county, city, or town for all candidates for
             1115      [governor] President of the United States at the last election at which a [governor] President of
             1116      the United States was elected if the total number of votes does not exceed 250.
             1117          (b) In addition to the signature requirements of Subsection (1)(a), a person seeking to
             1118      have an initiative submitted to a local legislative body or to a vote of the people for approval or
             1119      rejection in a county, city, or town where the local legislative body is elected from council
             1120      districts shall obtain, from each of a majority of council districts, legal signatures equal to the
             1121      percentages established in Subsection (1)(a).


             1122          (2) If the total number of certified names from each verified signature sheet equals or
             1123      exceeds the number of names required by this section, the clerk or recorder shall deliver the
             1124      proposed law to the local legislative body at its next meeting.
             1125          (3) (a) The local legislative body shall either adopt or reject the proposed law without
             1126      change or amendment within 30 days of receipt of the proposed law.
             1127          (b) The local legislative body may:
             1128          (i) adopt the proposed law and refer it to the people;
             1129          (ii) adopt the proposed law without referring it to the people; or
             1130          (iii) reject the proposed law.
             1131          (c) If the local legislative body adopts the proposed law but does not refer it to the
             1132      people, it is subject to referendum as with other local laws.
             1133          (d) (i) If a county legislative body rejects a proposed county ordinance or amendment,
             1134      or takes no action on it, the county clerk shall submit it to the voters of the county at the next
             1135      regular general election immediately after the petition is filed under Section 20A-7-502 .
             1136          (ii) If a local legislative body rejects a proposed municipal ordinance or amendment, or
             1137      takes no action on it, the municipal recorder or clerk shall submit it to the voters of the
             1138      municipality at the next municipal general election immediately after the petition is filed under
             1139      Section 20A-7-502 .
             1140          (e) (i) If the local legislative body rejects the proposed ordinance or amendment, or
             1141      takes no action on it, the local legislative body may adopt a competing local law.
             1142          (ii) The local legislative body shall prepare and adopt the competing local law within
             1143      the 30 days allowed for its action on the measure proposed by initiative petition.
             1144          (iii) If the local legislative body adopts a competing local law, the clerk or recorder
             1145      shall submit it to the voters of the county or municipality at the same election at which the
             1146      initiative proposal is submitted.
             1147          (f) If conflicting local laws are submitted to the people at the same election and two or
             1148      more of the conflicting measures are approved by the people, then the measure that receives the
             1149      greatest number of affirmative votes shall control all conflicts.


             1150          Section 21. Section 20A-7-502.5 is amended to read:
             1151           20A-7-502.5. Initial fiscal impact estimate -- Preparation of estimate -- Challenge
             1152      to estimate.
             1153          (1) Within three working days of receipt of an application for an initiative petition, the
             1154      local clerk shall submit a copy of the application to the budget officer.
             1155          (2) (a) The budget officer shall prepare an unbiased, good faith estimate of the fiscal
             1156      impact of the law proposed by the initiative that contains:
             1157          (i) a dollar amount representing the total estimated fiscal impact of the proposed law;
             1158          (ii) if the proposed law would increase or decrease taxes, a dollar amount representing
             1159      the total estimated increase or decrease for each type of tax affected under the proposed law
             1160      and a dollar amount representing the total estimated increase or decrease in taxes under the
             1161      proposed law;
             1162          (iii) if the proposed law would result in the issuance or a change in the status of bonds,
             1163      notes, or other debt instruments, a dollar amount representing the total estimated increase or
             1164      decrease in public debt under the proposed law;
             1165          (iv) a listing of all sources of funding for the estimated costs associated with the
             1166      proposed law showing each source of funding and the percentage of total funding provided
             1167      from each source;
             1168          (v) a dollar amount representing the estimated costs or savings, if any, to state and
             1169      local government entities under the proposed law; and
             1170          (vi) a concise explanation, not exceeding 100 words, of the above information and of
             1171      the estimated fiscal impact, if any, under the proposed law.
             1172          (b) (i) If the proposed law is estimated to have no fiscal impact, the local budget officer
             1173      shall include a summary statement in the initial fiscal impact statement in substantially the
             1174      following form:
             1175          "The (title of the local budget officer) estimates that the law proposed by this initiative
             1176      would have no significant fiscal impact and would not result in either an increase or decrease in
             1177      taxes or debt."


             1178          (ii) If the proposed law is estimated to have a fiscal impact, the local budget officer
             1179      shall include a summary statement in the initial fiscal impact estimate in substantially the
             1180      following form:
             1181          "The (title of the local budget officer) estimates that the law proposed by this initiative
             1182      would result in a total fiscal expense/savings of $______, which includes a (type of tax or
             1183      taxes) tax increase/decrease of $______ and a $______ increase/decrease in public debt."
             1184          (iii) If the estimated fiscal impact of the proposed law is highly variable or is otherwise
             1185      difficult to reasonably express in a summary statement, the local budget officer may include in
             1186      the summary statement a brief explanation that identifies those factors affecting the variability
             1187      or difficulty of the estimate.
             1188          (3) The budget officer shall prepare an unbiased, good faith estimate of the cost of
             1189      printing and distributing information related to the initiative petition in the voter information
             1190      pamphlet as required by Section 20A-7-402 .
             1191          [(3)] (4) Within 25 calendar days from the date that the local clerk delivers a copy of
             1192      the application, the budget officer shall:
             1193          (a) deliver a copy of the initial fiscal impact estimate to the local clerk's office; and
             1194          (b) mail a copy of the initial fiscal impact estimate to the first five sponsors named in
             1195      the application.
             1196          [(4)] (5) (a) Three or more of the sponsors of the petition may, within 20 calendar days
             1197      of the date of delivery of the initial fiscal impact estimate to the local clerk's office, file a
             1198      petition with the Supreme Court, alleging that the initial fiscal impact estimate, taken as a
             1199      whole, is an inaccurate estimate of the fiscal impact of the initiative.
             1200          (b) (i) There is a presumption that the initial fiscal impact estimate prepared by the
             1201      budget officer is based upon reasonable assumptions, uses reasonable data, and applies
             1202      accepted analytical methods to present the estimated fiscal impact of the initiative.
             1203          (ii) The Supreme Court may not revise the contents of, or direct the revision of, the
             1204      initial fiscal impact estimate unless the plaintiffs rebut the presumption by clear and convincing
             1205      evidence that establishes that the fiscal estimate, taken as a whole, is an inaccurate statement of


             1206      the estimated fiscal impact of the initiative.
             1207          (iii) The Supreme Court may refer an issue related to the initial fiscal impact estimate
             1208      to a master to examine the issue and make a report in accordance with Utah Rules of Civil
             1209      Procedure, Rule 53.
             1210          (c) The Supreme Court shall certify to the local clerk an initial fiscal impact estimate
             1211      for the measure that meets the requirements of this section.
             1212          Section 22. Section 20A-7-503 is amended to read:
             1213           20A-7-503. Form of initiative petitions and signature sheets.
             1214          (1) (a) Each proposed initiative petition shall be printed in substantially the following
             1215      form:
             1216          "INITIATIVE PETITION To the Honorable ____, County Clerk/City Recorder/Town
             1217      Clerk:
             1218          We, the undersigned citizens of Utah, respectfully demand that the following proposed
             1219      law be submitted to: the legislative body for its approval or rejection at its next meeting; and
             1220      the legal voters of the county/city/town, if the legislative body rejects the proposed law or takes
             1221      no action on it.
             1222          Each signer says:
             1223          I have personally signed this petition;
             1224          I am registered to vote in Utah or intend to become registered to vote in Utah before the
             1225      certification of the petition names by the county clerk; and
             1226          My residence and post office address are written correctly after my name."
             1227          (b) The sponsors of an initiative shall attach a copy of the proposed law to each
             1228      initiative petition.
             1229          (2) Each signature sheet shall:
             1230          (a) be printed on sheets of paper 8-1/2 inches long and 11 inches wide;
             1231          (b) be ruled with a horizontal line 3/4 inch from the top, with the space above that line
             1232      blank for the purpose of binding;
             1233          (c) contain the title of the initiative printed below the horizontal line;


             1234          (d) contain the initial fiscal impact estimate's summary statement issued by the budget
             1235      officer according to Subsection 20A-7-502.5 (2)(b) and the cost estimate for printing and
             1236      distributing information related to the initiative petition according to Subsection
             1237      20A-7-502.5 (3) printed or typed in not less than 12-point, bold type, at the top of each
             1238      signature sheet under the title of the initiative;
             1239          (e) contain the word "Warning" printed or typed at the top of each signature sheet
             1240      under the initial fiscal impact estimate's summary statement;
             1241          (f) contain, to the right of the word "Warning," the following statement printed or
             1242      typed in not less than eight-point, single leaded type:
             1243          "It is a class A misdemeanor for anyone to sign any initiative petition with any other
             1244      name than his own, or knowingly to sign his name more than once for the same measure, or to
             1245      sign an initiative petition when he knows he is not a registered voter and knows that he does
             1246      not intend to become registered to vote before the certification of the petition names by the
             1247      county clerk.";
             1248          (g) contain horizontally ruled lines, 3/8 inch apart under the "Warning" statement
             1249      required by this section;
             1250          (h) be vertically divided into columns as follows:
             1251          (i) the first column shall appear at the extreme left of the sheet, be 5/8 inch wide, be
             1252      headed with "For Office Use Only", and be subdivided with a light vertical line down the
             1253      middle with the left subdivision entitled "Registered" and the right subdivision left untitled;
             1254          (ii) the next column shall be 2-1/2 inches wide, headed "Registered Voter's Printed
             1255      Name (must be legible to be counted)";
             1256          (iii) the next column shall be 2-1/2 inches wide, headed "Signature of Registered
             1257      Voter";
             1258          (iv) the next column shall be one inch wide, headed "Birth Date or Age (Optional)";
             1259          (v) the final column shall be 4-3/8 inches wide, headed "Street Address, City, Zip
             1260      Code"; and
             1261          (vi) at the bottom of the sheet, contain the following statement: "Birth date or age


             1262      information is not required, but it may be used to verify your identity with voter registration
             1263      records. If you choose not to provide it, your signature may not be verified as a valid signature
             1264      if you change your address before petition signatures are verified or if the information you
             1265      provide does not match your voter registration records."; and
             1266          (i) contain the following statement, printed or typed upon the back of each sheet:
             1267          "Verification
             1268          State of Utah, County of ____
             1269          I, _______________, of ____, hereby state that:
             1270          I am a resident of Utah and am at least 18 years old;
             1271          All the names that appear on this sheet were signed by persons who professed to be the
             1272      persons whose names appear in it, and each of them signed his name on it in my presence;
             1273          I believe that each has printed and signed his name and written his post office address
             1274      and residence correctly, and that each signer is registered to vote in Utah or intends to become
             1275      registered to vote before the certification of the petition names by the county clerk.
             1276          _____________________________"
             1277          (3) The forms prescribed in this section are not mandatory, and, if substantially
             1278      followed, the initiative petitions are sufficient, notwithstanding clerical and merely technical
             1279      errors.
             1280          Section 23. Section 20A-7-505 is amended to read:
             1281           20A-7-505. Obtaining signatures -- Verification -- Removal of signature.
             1282          (1) Any Utah voter may sign a local initiative petition if the voter is a legal voter and
             1283      resides in the local jurisdiction.
             1284          (2) (a) The sponsors shall ensure that the person in whose presence each signature
             1285      sheet was signed:
             1286          [(a)] (i) is at least 18 years old and meets the residency requirements of Section
             1287      20A-2-105 ; and
             1288          [(b)] (ii) verifies each signature sheet by completing the verification printed on the
             1289      back of each signature sheet.


             1290          (b) A person may not sign the verification printed on the last page of the initiative
             1291      packet if the person signed a signature sheet in the initiative packet.
             1292          (3) (a) (i) Any voter who has signed an initiative petition may have [his] the voter's
             1293      signature removed from the petition by submitting a notarized statement to that effect to the
             1294      local clerk.
             1295          (ii) In order for the signature to be removed, the statement must be received by the
             1296      local clerk before he delivers the petition to the county clerk to be certified.
             1297          (b) Upon receipt of the statement, the local clerk shall remove the signature of the
             1298      person submitting the statement from the initiative petition.
             1299          (c) No one may remove signatures from an initiative petition after the petition is
             1300      submitted to the county clerk to be certified.
             1301          Section 24. Section 20A-7-506 is amended to read:
             1302           20A-7-506. Submitting the initiative petition -- Certification of signatures by the
             1303      county clerks -- Transfer to local clerk.
             1304          (1) (a) The sponsors shall deliver each signed and verified initiative packet to the
             1305      county clerk of the county in which the packet was circulated [no later than] on or before the
             1306      sooner of:
             1307          [(a)] (i) for county initiatives[, no later than]:
             1308          (A) 316 days after the day on which the application is filed; or
             1309          (B) the April 15 [falling] immediately before the next regular general election
             1310      immediately after the application is filed under Section 20A-7-502 ; or
             1311          [(b)] (ii) for municipal initiatives[, no later than]:
             1312          (A) 316 days after the day on which the application is filed; or
             1313          (B) the April 15 [falling] immediately before the next municipal general election
             1314      immediately after the application is filed under Section 20A-7-502 .
             1315          (b) A sponsor may not submit an initiative packet after the deadline established in this
             1316      Subsection (1).
             1317          (2) (a) No later than May 1, the county clerk shall:


             1318          [(a)] (i) check the names of all persons completing the verification on the back of each
             1319      signature sheet to determine whether [or not] those persons are residents of Utah and are at
             1320      least 18 years old; and
             1321          [(b)] (ii) submit the name of each of those persons who is not a Utah resident or who is
             1322      not at least 18 years old to the attorney general and county attorney.
             1323          (b) The county clerk may not certify a signature under Subsection (3) on an initiative
             1324      packet that is not verified in accordance with Section 20A-7-505 .
             1325          (3) No later than May 15, the county clerk shall:
             1326          (a) determine whether or not each signer is a voter according to the requirements of
             1327      Section 20A-7-506.3 ;
             1328          (b) certify on the petition whether or not each name is that of a voter; and
             1329          (c) deliver all of the verified packets to the local clerk.
             1330          Section 25. Section 20A-7-506.3 is amended to read:
             1331           20A-7-506.3. Verification of petition signatures.
             1332          (1) (a) For the purposes of this section, "substantially similar name" means:
             1333          (i) the given name and surname shown on the petition, or both, contain only minor
             1334      spelling differences when compared to the given name and surname shown on the official
             1335      register;
             1336          (ii) the surname shown on the petition exactly matches the surname shown on the
             1337      official register, and the given names differ only because one of the given names shown is a
             1338      commonly used abbreviation or variation of the other;
             1339          (iii) the surname shown on the petition exactly matches the surname shown on the
             1340      official register, and the given names differ only because one of the given names shown is
             1341      accompanied by a first or middle initial or a middle name which is not shown on the other
             1342      record; or
             1343          (iv) the surname shown on the petition exactly matches the surname shown on the
             1344      official register, and the given names differ only because one of the given names shown is an
             1345      alphabetically corresponding initial that has been provided in the place of a given name shown


             1346      on the other record.
             1347          (b) For the purposes of this section, "substantially similar name" does not mean a name
             1348      having an initial or a middle name shown on the petition that does not match a different initial
             1349      or middle name shown on the official register.
             1350          (2) The county clerk shall use the following procedures in determining whether or not a
             1351      signer is a registered voter:
             1352          (a) When a signer's name and address shown on the petition exactly match a name and
             1353      address shown on the official register and the signer's signature appears substantially similar to
             1354      the signature on the statewide voter registration database, the county clerk shall declare the
             1355      signature valid.
             1356          (b) When there is no exact match of an address and a name, the county clerk shall
             1357      declare the signature valid if:
             1358          (i) the address on the petition matches the address of a person on the official register
             1359      with a substantially similar name[.]; and
             1360          (ii) the signer's signature appears substantially similar to the signature on the statewide
             1361      voter registration database of the person described in Subsection (2)(b)(i).
             1362          (c) When there is no match of an address and a substantially similar name, the county
             1363      clerk shall declare the signature valid if:
             1364          (i) the birth date or age on the petition matches the birth date or age of a person on the
             1365      official register with a substantially similar name[.]; and
             1366          (ii) the signer's signature appears substantially similar to the signature on the statewide
             1367      voter registration database of the person described in Subsection (2)(c)(i).
             1368          (d) If a signature is not declared valid under Subsection (2)(a), (2)(b), or (2)(c), the
             1369      county clerk shall declare the signature to be invalid.
             1370          Section 26. Section 20A-7-507 is amended to read:
             1371           20A-7-507. Evaluation by the local clerk.
             1372          (1) When each initiative packet is received from a county clerk, the local clerk shall
             1373      check off from [his] the local clerk's record the number of each initiative packet filed.


             1374          (2) (a) After all of the initiative packets have been received by the local clerk, the local
             1375      clerk shall count the number of the names certified by the county clerk that appear on each
             1376      verified signature sheet.
             1377          (b) If the total number of certified names from each verified signature sheet equals or
             1378      exceeds the number of names required by Section 20A-7-501 and the requirements of this part
             1379      are met, the local clerk shall mark upon the front of the petition the word "sufficient."
             1380          (c) If the total number of certified names from each verified signature sheet does not
             1381      equal or exceed the number of names required by Section 20A-7-501 or a requirement of this
             1382      part is not met, the local clerk shall mark upon the front of the petition the word "insufficient."
             1383          (d) The local clerk shall immediately notify any one of the sponsors of [his] the local
             1384      clerk's finding.
             1385          (3) If the local clerk finds the total number of certified signatures from each verified
             1386      signature sheet to be insufficient, any sponsor may file a written demand with the local clerk
             1387      for a recount of the signatures appearing on the initiative petition in the presence of any
             1388      sponsor.
             1389          (4) [(a)] Once a petition is declared insufficient, the sponsors may not submit
             1390      additional signatures to qualify the petition [for the pending election] for the ballot.
             1391          [(b) If the petition is declared insufficient, the petition sponsors may submit additional
             1392      signatures to qualify the petition for:]
             1393          [(i) the next regular general election following the pending regular general election if
             1394      the petition was a county initiative petition; or]
             1395          [(ii) the next municipal general election if the petition was a municipal initiative
             1396      petition.]
             1397          (5) (a) If the local clerk refuses to accept and file any initiative petition, any voter may
             1398      apply to the supreme court for an extraordinary writ to compel him to do so within 10 days
             1399      after the refusal.
             1400          (b) If the supreme court determines that the initiative petition is legally sufficient, the
             1401      local clerk shall file it, with a verified copy of the judgment attached to it, as of the date on


             1402      which it was originally offered for filing in [his] the local clerk's office.
             1403          (c) If the supreme court determines that any petition filed is not legally sufficient, the
             1404      supreme court may enjoin the local clerk and all other officers from certifying or printing the
             1405      ballot title and numbers of that measure on the official ballot [for the next election].
             1406          (6) A petition determined to be sufficient in accordance with this section is qualified
             1407      for the ballot.
             1408          Section 27. Section 20A-7-601 is amended to read:
             1409           20A-7-601. Referenda -- General signature requirements -- Signature
             1410      requirements for land use laws -- Time requirements.
             1411          (1) Except as provided in Subsection (2), a person seeking to have a law passed by the
             1412      local legislative body submitted to a vote of the people shall obtain legal signatures equal to:
             1413          (a) 10% of all the votes cast in the county, city, or town for all candidates for
             1414      [governor] President of the United States at the last election at which a [governor] President of
             1415      the United States was elected if the total number of votes exceeds 25,000;
             1416          (b) 12-1/2% of all the votes cast in the county, city, or town for all candidates for
             1417      [governor] President of the United States at the last election at which a [governor] President of
             1418      the United States was elected if the total number of votes does not exceed 25,000 but is more
             1419      than 10,000;
             1420          (c) 15% of all the votes cast in the county, city, or town for all candidates for
             1421      [governor] President of the United States at the last election at which a [governor] President of
             1422      the United States was elected if the total number of votes does not exceed 10,000 but is more
             1423      than 2,500;
             1424          (d) 20% of all the votes cast in the county, city, or town for all candidates for
             1425      [governor] President of the United States at the last election at which a [governor] President of
             1426      the United States was elected if the total number of votes does not exceed 2,500 but is more
             1427      than 500;
             1428          (e) 25% of all the votes cast in the county, city, or town for all candidates for
             1429      [governor] President of the United States at the last election at which a [governor] President of


             1430      the United States was elected if the total number of votes does not exceed 500 but is more than
             1431      250; and
             1432          (f) 30% of all the votes cast in the county, city, or town for all candidates for
             1433      [governor] President of the United States at the last election at which a [governor] President of
             1434      the United States was elected if the total number of votes does not exceed 250.
             1435          (2) (a) As used in this Subsection (2), "land use law" includes a land use development
             1436      code, an annexation ordinance, and comprehensive zoning ordinances.
             1437          (b) A person seeking to have a land use law passed by the local legislative body
             1438      submitted to a vote of the people shall obtain legal signatures equal to:
             1439          (i) in a county or in a city of the first or second class, 20% of all votes cast in the
             1440      county or city for all candidates for [governor] President of the United States at the last election
             1441      at which a [governor] President of the United States was elected; and
             1442          (ii) in a city of the third, fourth, or fifth class or a town, 35% of all the votes cast in the
             1443      city or town for all candidates for [governor] President of the United States at the last election
             1444      at which a [governor] President of the United States was elected.
             1445          (3) (a) Sponsors of any referendum petition challenging, under Subsection (1) or (2),
             1446      any local law passed by a local legislative body shall file the [petition] application within [45]
             1447      five days after the passage of the local law.
             1448          [(b) The local law remains in effect until repealed by the voters via referendum.]
             1449          (b) When a referendum petition has been declared sufficient, the local law that is the
             1450      subject of the petition does not take effect unless and until the local law is approved by a vote
             1451      of the people.
             1452          (4) If the referendum passes, the local law that was challenged by the referendum is
             1453      repealed as of the date of the election.
             1454          Section 28. Section 20A-7-605 is amended to read:
             1455           20A-7-605. Obtaining signatures -- Verification -- Removal of signature.
             1456          (1) Any Utah voter may sign a local referendum petition if the voter is a legal voter and
             1457      resides in the local jurisdiction.


             1458          (2) (a) The sponsors shall ensure that the person in whose presence each signature
             1459      sheet was signed:
             1460          [(a)] (i) is at least 18 years old and meets the residency requirements of Section
             1461      20A-2-105 ; and
             1462          [(b)] (ii) verifies each signature sheet by completing the verification printed on the
             1463      back of each [signature sheet] referendum packet.
             1464          (b) A person may not sign the verification printed on the last page of the referendum
             1465      packet if the person signed a signature sheet in the referendum packet.
             1466          (3) (a) Any voter who has signed a referendum petition may have [his] the voter's
             1467      signature removed from the petition by submitting a notarized statement to that effect to the
             1468      local clerk.
             1469          (b) Except as provided in Subsection (3)(c), upon receipt of the statement, the local
             1470      clerk shall remove the signature of the person submitting the statement from the referendum
             1471      petition.
             1472          (c) A local clerk may not remove signatures from a referendum petition after the
             1473      petition has been submitted to the county clerk to be certified.
             1474          Section 29. Section 20A-7-606 is amended to read:
             1475           20A-7-606. Submitting the referendum petition -- Certification of signatures by
             1476      the county clerks -- Transfer to local clerk.
             1477          (1) (a) The sponsors shall deliver each signed and verified referendum packet to the
             1478      county clerk of the county in which the packet was circulated:
             1479          [(a)] (i) for county referenda, no later than [the April 15 falling before the regular
             1480      general election] 45 days after the passage of the local law;
             1481          [(b)] (ii) for municipal referenda, no later than [the April 15 falling before the
             1482      municipal general election] 45 days after the passage of the local law; or
             1483          [(c)] (iii) for referenda held in relation to the adoption of an ordinance imposing a
             1484      county option sales and use tax under Section 59-12-1102 , no later than 100 days before the
             1485      election that the referendum qualifies for under Subsection 20A-7-609 (2)©.


             1486          (b) A sponsor may not submit a referendum packet after the deadline established in this
             1487      Subsection (1).
             1488          (2) (a) No later than [May 1] 60 days after the local law passes, the county clerk shall:
             1489          [(a)] (i) check the names of all persons completing the verification on the back of each
             1490      [signature sheet] referendum packet to determine whether [or not] those persons are Utah
             1491      residents and are at least 18 years old; and
             1492          [(b)] (ii) submit the name of each of those persons who is not a Utah resident or who is
             1493      not at least 18 years old to the attorney general and county attorney.
             1494          (b) The county clerk may not certify a signature under Subsection (3) on a referendum
             1495      packet that is not verified in accordance with Section 20A-7-605 .
             1496          (3) No later than [May 15] 75 days after the local law passes, the county clerk shall:
             1497          (a) determine whether [or not] each signer is a registered voter according to the
             1498      requirements of Section 20A-7-606.3 ;
             1499          (b) certify on the referendum petition whether [or not] each name is that of a registered
             1500      voter; and
             1501          (c) deliver all of the verified referendum packets to the local clerk.
             1502          Section 30. Section 20A-7-606.3 is amended to read:
             1503           20A-7-606.3. Verification of petition signatures.
             1504          (1) (a) For the purposes of this section, "substantially similar name" means:
             1505          (i) the given name and surname shown on the petition, or both, contain only minor
             1506      spelling differences when compared to the given name and surname shown on the official
             1507      register;
             1508          (ii) the surname shown on the petition exactly matches the surname shown on the
             1509      official register, and the given names differ only because one of the given names shown is a
             1510      commonly used abbreviation or variation of the other;
             1511          (iii) the surname shown on the petition exactly matches the surname shown on the
             1512      official register, and the given names differ only because one of the given names shown is
             1513      accompanied by a first or middle initial or a middle name which is not shown on the other


             1514      record; or
             1515          (iv) the surname shown on the petition exactly matches the surname shown on the
             1516      official register, and the given names differ only because one of the given names shown is an
             1517      alphabetically corresponding initial that has been provided in the place of a given name shown
             1518      on the other record.
             1519          (b) For the purposes of this section, "substantially similar name" does not mean a name
             1520      having an initial or a middle name shown on the petition that does not match a different initial
             1521      or middle name shown on the official register.
             1522          (2) The county clerk shall use the following procedures in determining whether or not a
             1523      signer is a registered voter:
             1524          (a) When a signer's name and address shown on the petition exactly match a name and
             1525      address shown on the official register and the signer's signature appears substantially similar to
             1526      the signature on the statewide voter registration database, the county clerk shall declare the
             1527      signature valid.
             1528          (b) When there is no exact match of an address and a name, the county clerk shall
             1529      declare the signature valid if:
             1530          (i) the address on the petition matches the address of a person on the official register
             1531      with a substantially similar name[.]; and
             1532          (ii) the signer's signature appears substantially similar to the signature on the statewide
             1533      voter registration database of the person described in Subsection (2)(b)(i).
             1534          (c) When there is no match of an address and a substantially similar name, the county
             1535      clerk shall declare the signature valid if:
             1536          (i) the birth date or age on the petition matches the birth date or age of a person on the
             1537      official register with a substantially similar name[.]; and
             1538          (ii) the signer's signature appears substantially similar to the signature on the statewide
             1539      voter registration database of the person described in Subsection (2)(c)(i).
             1540          (d) If a signature is not declared valid under Subsection (2)(a), (b), or (c), the county
             1541      clerk shall declare the signature to be invalid.


             1542          Section 31. Section 20A-7-607 is amended to read:
             1543           20A-7-607. Evaluation by the local clerk.
             1544          (1) When each referendum packet is received from a county clerk, the local clerk shall
             1545      check off from [his] the local clerk's record the number of each referendum packet filed.
             1546          (2) (a) After all of the referendum packets have been received by the local clerk, the
             1547      local clerk shall count the number of the names certified by the county clerks that appear on
             1548      each verified signature sheet.
             1549          (b) If the total number of certified names from each verified signature sheet equals or
             1550      exceeds the number of names required by Section 20A-7-601 and the requirements of this part
             1551      are met, the local clerk shall mark upon the front of the petition the word "sufficient."
             1552          (c) If the total number of certified names from each verified signature sheet does not
             1553      equal or exceed the number of names required by Section 20A-7-601 or a requirement of this
             1554      part is not met, the local clerk shall mark upon the front of the petition the word "insufficient."
             1555          (d) The local clerk shall immediately notify any one of the sponsors of [his] the local
             1556      clerk's finding.
             1557          (3) If the local clerk finds the total number of certified signatures from each verified
             1558      signature sheet to be insufficient, any sponsor may file a written demand with the local clerk
             1559      for a recount of the signatures appearing on the referendum petition in the presence of any
             1560      sponsor.
             1561          (4) (a) If the local clerk refuses to accept and file any referendum petition, any voter
             1562      may apply to the Supreme Court for an extraordinary writ to compel [him] the local clerk to do
             1563      so within 10 days after the refusal.
             1564          (b) If the Supreme Court determines that the referendum petition is legally sufficient,
             1565      the local clerk shall file it, with a verified copy of the judgment attached to it, as of the date on
             1566      which it was originally offered for filing in [his] the local clerk's office.
             1567          (c) If the Supreme Court determines that any petition filed is not legally sufficient, the
             1568      Supreme Court may enjoin the local clerk and all other officers from certifying or printing the
             1569      ballot title and numbers of that measure on the official ballot for the next election.


             1570          (5) A petition determined to be sufficient in accordance with this section is qualified
             1571      for the ballot.
             1572          Section 32. Section 20A-7-609 is amended to read:
             1573           20A-7-609. Form of ballot -- Manner of voting.
             1574          (1) The local clerk shall ensure that the number and ballot title are presented upon the
             1575      official ballot with, immediately adjacent to them, the words "For" and "Against," each word
             1576      presented with an adjacent square in which the elector may indicate the elector's vote.
             1577          (2) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (2)(c) or (d)(i), and unless the county
             1578      legislative body calls a special election, the county clerk shall ensure that county referenda that
             1579      have qualified for the ballot appear on the next regular general election ballot.
             1580          (b) [Unless] Except as provided in Subsection (2)(d)(ii) and unless the municipal
             1581      legislative body calls a special election, the municipal recorder or clerk shall ensure that
             1582      municipal referenda that have qualified for the ballot appear on the next regular municipal
             1583      election ballot.
             1584          (c) For referenda held in relation to the adoption of an ordinance imposing a county
             1585      option sales and use tax under Section 59-12-1102 , the county clerk shall ensure that referenda
             1586      that have qualified for the ballot appear on the ballot at the earlier of:
             1587          (i) the next regular general election that is more than 155 days after the date of the
             1588      adoption of the ordinance; or
             1589          (ii) the next municipal general election that is more than 155 days after the date of the
             1590      adoption of the ordinance.
             1591          (d) (i) If a local law passes after January 30 of the year in which there is a regular
             1592      general election, the county clerk shall ensure that a county referendum that has qualified for
             1593      the ballot appears on the ballot at the second regular general election immediately following the
             1594      passage of the local law unless the county legislative body calls a special election.
             1595          (ii) If a local law passes after January 30 of the year in which there is a municipal
             1596      general election, the municipal recorder or clerk shall ensure that a municipal referendum that
             1597      has qualified for the ballot appears on the ballot at the second municipal general election


             1598      immediately following the passage of the local law unless the municipal legislative body calls a
             1599      special election.
             1600          (3) (a) (i) A voter desiring to vote in favor of the law that is the subject of the
             1601      referendum shall mark the square adjacent to the word "For."
             1602          (ii) The law that is the subject of the referendum is effective if a majority of voters
             1603      mark "For."
             1604          (b) (i) A voter desiring to vote against the law that is the subject of the referendum
             1605      petition shall mark the square following the word "Against."
             1606          (ii) The law that is the subject of the referendum is not effective if a majority of voters
             1607      mark "Against."
             1608          Section 33. Section 20A-8-103 is amended to read:
             1609           20A-8-103. Petition procedures.
             1610          (1) As used in this section, the proposed name or emblem of a registered political party
             1611      is "distinguishable" if a reasonable person of average intelligence will be able to perceive a
             1612      difference between the proposed name or emblem and any name or emblem currently being
             1613      used by another registered political party.
             1614          (2) To become a registered political party, an organization of registered voters that is
             1615      not a continuing political party shall:
             1616          (a) circulate a petition seeking registered political party status beginning no earlier than
             1617      the date of the statewide canvass held after the last regular general election and ending no later
             1618      than the February 15 of the year in which the next regular general election will be held; and
             1619          (b) file a petition with the lieutenant governor that is signed, with a holographic
             1620      signature, by at least 2,000 registered voters on or before February 15 of the year in which a
             1621      regular general election will be held.
             1622          (3) The petition shall:
             1623          (a) state that the signers are or desire to become members of the designated party or
             1624      group;
             1625          (b) state the name, which may not exceed four words, and identify the emblem of the


             1626      party or group;
             1627          (c) state the process that the organization will follow to organize and adopt a
             1628      constitution and bylaws; and
             1629          (d) be signed by a filing officer, who agrees to receive communications on behalf of the
             1630      organization.
             1631          (4) The lieutenant governor shall:
             1632          (a) determine whether [or not] the required number of voters appears on the petition;
             1633          (b) review the proposed name and emblem to determine if they are "distinguishable"
             1634      from the names and emblems of other registered political parties; and
             1635          (c) certify [his] the lieutenant governor's findings to the filing officer of the group
             1636      within 30 days of the filing of the petition.
             1637          (5) (a) If the lieutenant governor determines that the petition meets the requirements of
             1638      this section, and that the proposed name and emblem are distinguishable, he shall authorize the
             1639      filing officer to organize the prospective political party.
             1640          (b) If the lieutenant governor finds that the name, emblem, or both are not
             1641      distinguishable from the names and emblems of other registered political parties, the lieutenant
             1642      governor shall notify the filing officer that [he] the filing officer has seven days to submit a
             1643      new name or emblem to the lieutenant governor.
             1644          (6) A registered political party may not change its name or emblem during the regular
             1645      general election cycle.
             1646          Section 34. Section 20A-9-203 is amended to read:
             1647           20A-9-203. Declarations of candidacy -- Municipal general elections.
             1648          (1) (a) (i) A person may become a candidate for any municipal office if:
             1649          (A) the person is a registered voter; and
             1650          (B) (I) the person has resided within the municipality in which that person seeks to
             1651      hold elective office for the 12 consecutive months immediately before the date of the election;
             1652      or
             1653          (II) if the territory in which the person resides was annexed into the municipality, the


             1654      person has resided within the annexed territory or the municipality the 12 consecutive months
             1655      immediately before the date of the election.
             1656          (ii) For purposes of determining whether a person meets the residency requirement of
             1657      Subsection (1)(a)(i)(B)(I) in a municipality that was incorporated less than 12 months before
             1658      the election, the municipality shall be considered to have been incorporated 12 months before
             1659      the date of the election.
             1660          (b) In addition to the requirements of Subsection (1)(a), each candidate for a municipal
             1661      council position shall, if elected from a district, be a resident of the council district from which
             1662      elected.
             1663          (c) In accordance with Utah Constitution Article IV, Section 6, any mentally
             1664      incompetent person, any person convicted of a felony, or any person convicted of treason or a
             1665      crime against the elective franchise may not hold office in this state until the right to hold
             1666      elective office is restored under Section 20A-2-101.5 .
             1667          (2) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (2)(b) or (2)(c), each person seeking to
             1668      become a candidate for a municipal office shall:
             1669          (i) file a declaration of candidacy, in person with the city recorder or town clerk, during
             1670      office hours and not later than the close of normal office hours, between July 1 and July 15 of
             1671      any odd numbered year; and
             1672          (ii) pay the filing fee, if one is required by municipal ordinance.
             1673          (b) (i) As used in this Subsection (2)(b), "registered voters" means the number of
             1674      persons registered to vote in the municipality on the January 1 of the municipal election year.
             1675          (ii) A third, fourth, or fifth class city that used the convention system to nominate
             1676      candidates in the last municipal election as authorized by Subsection 20A-9-404 (3) or used the
             1677      process contained in this Subsection (2)(b) in the last municipal election or a town that used the
             1678      convention system to nominate candidates in the last municipal election as authorized by
             1679      Subsection 20A-9-404 (3) or used the process contained in this Subsection (2)(b) in the last
             1680      municipal election may, by ordinance, require, in lieu of the convention system, that candidates
             1681      for municipal office file a nominating petition signed by a percentage of registered voters at the


             1682      same time that the candidate files a declaration of candidacy.
             1683          (iii) The ordinance shall specify the number of holographic signatures that the
             1684      candidate must obtain on the nominating petition in order to become a candidate for municipal
             1685      office under this Subsection (2), but that number may not exceed 5% of registered voters.
             1686          (c) Any resident of a municipality may nominate a candidate for a municipal office by:
             1687          (i) filing a nomination petition with the city recorder or town clerk during office hours,
             1688      but not later than the close of normal office hours, between July 1 and July 15 of any
             1689      odd-numbered year; and
             1690          (ii) paying the filing fee, if one is required by municipal ordinance.
             1691          (3) (a) Before the filing officer may accept any declaration of candidacy or nomination
             1692      petition, the filing officer shall:
             1693          (i) read to the prospective candidate or person filing the petition the constitutional and
             1694      statutory qualification requirements for the office that the candidate is seeking; and
             1695          (ii) require the candidate or person filing the petition to state whether [or not] the
             1696      candidate meets those requirements.
             1697          (b) If the prospective candidate does not meet the qualification requirements for the
             1698      office, the filing officer may not accept the declaration of candidacy or nomination petition.
             1699          (c) If it appears that the prospective candidate meets the requirements of candidacy, the
             1700      filing officer shall:
             1701          (i) inform the candidate that the candidate's name will appear on the ballot as it is
             1702      written on the declaration of candidacy;
             1703          (ii) provide the candidate with a copy of the current campaign financial disclosure laws
             1704      for the office the candidate is seeking and inform the candidate that failure to comply will
             1705      result in disqualification as a candidate and removal of the candidate's name from the ballot;
             1706          (iii) provide the candidate with a copy of Section 20A-7-801 regarding the Statewide
             1707      Electronic Voter Information Website Program and inform the candidate of the submission
             1708      deadline under Subsection 20A-7-801 (4)(a);
             1709          (iv) provide the candidate with a copy of the pledge of fair campaign practices


             1710      described under Section 20A-9-206 and inform the candidate that:
             1711          (A) signing the pledge is voluntary; and
             1712          (B) signed pledges shall be filed with the filing officer; and
             1713          (v) accept the declaration of candidacy or nomination petition.
             1714          (d) If the candidate elects to sign the pledge of fair campaign practices, the filing
             1715      officer shall:
             1716          (i) accept the candidate's pledge; and
             1717          (ii) if the candidate has filed for a partisan office, provide a certified copy of the
             1718      candidate's pledge to the chair of the county or state political party of which the candidate is a
             1719      member.
             1720          (4) The declaration of candidacy shall substantially comply with the following form:
             1721          "I, (print name) ____, being first sworn, say that I reside at ____ Street, City of ____,
             1722      County of ____, state of Utah, Zip Code ____, Telephone Number (if any) ____; that I am a
             1723      registered voter; and that I am a candidate for the office of ____ (stating the term). I will meet
             1724      the legal qualifications required of candidates for this office. I will file all campaign financial
             1725      disclosure reports as required by law and I understand that failure to do so will result in my
             1726      disqualification as a candidate for this office and removal of my name from the ballot. I
             1727      request that my name be printed upon the applicable official ballots. (Signed)
             1728      _______________
             1729          Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me by ____ on this
             1730      __________(month\day\year).
             1731          (Signed) _______________ (Clerk or other officer qualified to administer oath)"
             1732          (5) (a) In all first and second class cities, and in third, fourth, or fifth class cities that
             1733      have not passed the ordinance authorized by Subsection (2)(b) and in towns that have not
             1734      passed the ordinance authorized by Subsection (2)(b), any registered voter may be nominated
             1735      for municipal office by submitting a petition signed, with a holographic signature, by:
             1736          (i) 25 residents of the municipality who are at least 18 years old; or
             1737          (ii) 20% of the residents of the municipality who are at least 18 years old.


             1738          (b) (i) The petition shall substantially conform to the following form:
             1739     
"NOMINATION PETITION

             1740          The undersigned residents of (name of municipality) being 18 years old or older
             1741      nominate (name of nominee) to the office of ____ for the (two or four-year term, whichever is
             1742      applicable)."
             1743          (ii) The remainder of the petition shall contain lines and columns for the signatures of
             1744      persons signing the petition and their addresses and telephone numbers.
             1745          (6) (a) In third, fourth, and fifth class cities that have passed the ordinance authorized
             1746      by Subsection (2)(b), and in towns that have passed the ordinance authorized by Subsection
             1747      (2)(b), any registered voter may be nominated for municipal office by submitting a petition
             1748      signed, with a holographic signature, by the same percentage of registered voters in the
             1749      municipality as required by the ordinance passed under authority of Subsection (2)(b).
             1750          (b) (i) The petition shall substantially conform to the following form:
             1751          "NOMINATION PETITION
             1752          The undersigned residents of (name of municipality) being 18 years old or older
             1753      nominate (name of nominee) to the office of (name of office) for the (two or four-year term,
             1754      whichever is applicable)."
             1755          (ii) The remainder of the petition shall contain lines and columns for the holographic
             1756      signatures of persons signing the petition and their addresses and telephone numbers.
             1757          (7) If the declaration of candidacy or nomination petition fails to state whether the
             1758      nomination is for the two or four-year term, the clerk shall consider the nomination to be for
             1759      the four-year term.
             1760          (8) (a) The clerk shall verify with the county clerk that all candidates are registered
             1761      voters.
             1762          (b) Any candidate who is not registered to vote is disqualified and the clerk may not
             1763      print the candidate's name on the ballot.
             1764          (9) Immediately after expiration of the period for filing a declaration of candidacy, the
             1765      clerk shall:


             1766          (a) cause the names of the candidates as they will appear on the ballot to be published:
             1767          (i) in at least two successive publications of a newspaper with general circulation in the
             1768      municipality; and
             1769          (ii) as required in Section 45-1-101 ; and
             1770          (b) notify the lieutenant governor of the names of the candidates as they will appear on
             1771      the ballot.
             1772          (10) A declaration of candidacy or nomination petition filed under this section may not
             1773      be amended after the expiration of the period for filing a declaration of candidacy.
             1774          (11) (a) A declaration of candidacy or nomination petition filed under this section is
             1775      valid unless a written objection is filed with the clerk within five days after the last day for
             1776      filing.
             1777          (b) If an objection is made, the clerk shall:
             1778          (i) mail or personally deliver notice of the objection to the affected candidate
             1779      immediately; and
             1780          (ii) decide any objection within 48 hours after it is filed.
             1781          (c) If the clerk sustains the objection, the candidate may correct the problem by
             1782      amending the declaration or petition within three days after the objection is sustained or by
             1783      filing a new declaration within three days after the objection is sustained.
             1784          (d) (i) The clerk's decision upon objections to form is final.
             1785          (ii) The clerk's decision upon substantive matters is reviewable by a district court if
             1786      prompt application is made to the district court.
             1787          (iii) The decision of the district court is final unless the Supreme Court, in the exercise
             1788      of its discretion, agrees to review the lower court decision.
             1789          (12) Any person who filed a declaration of candidacy and was nominated, and any
             1790      person who was nominated by a nomination petition, may, any time up to 23 days before the
             1791      election, withdraw the nomination by filing a written affidavit with the clerk.
             1792          Section 35. Section 20A-9-404 is amended to read:
             1793           20A-9-404. Municipal primary elections.


             1794          (1) (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, candidates for municipal office in
             1795      all municipalities shall be nominated at a municipal primary election.
             1796          (b) Municipal primary elections shall be held:
             1797          (i) consistent with Section 20A-1-201.5 , on the second Tuesday following the first
             1798      Monday in the September before the regular municipal election; and
             1799          (ii) whenever possible, at the same polling places as the regular municipal election.
             1800          (2) If the number of candidates for a particular municipal office does not exceed twice
             1801      the number of persons needed to fill that office, a primary election for that office may not be
             1802      held and the candidates are considered nominated.
             1803          (3) (a) For purposes of this Subsection (3), "convention" means an organized assembly
             1804      of voters or delegates.
             1805          (b) (i) By ordinance adopted before the June 1 that falls before a regular municipal
             1806      election, any third, fourth, or fifth class city or town may exempt itself from a primary election
             1807      by providing that the nomination of candidates for municipal office to be voted upon at a
             1808      municipal election be nominated by a political party convention or committee.
             1809          (ii) Any primary election exemption ordinance adopted under the authority of this
             1810      subsection remains in effect until repealed by ordinance.
             1811          (c) (i) A convention or committee may not nominate more than one group of
             1812      candidates or have placed on the ballot more than one group of candidates for the municipal
             1813      offices to be voted upon at the municipal election.
             1814          (ii) A convention or committee may nominate a person who has been nominated by a
             1815      different convention or committee.
             1816          (iii) A political party may not have more than one group of candidates placed upon the
             1817      ballot and may not group the same candidates on different tickets by the same party under a
             1818      different name or emblem.
             1819          (d) (i) The convention or committee shall prepare a certificate of nomination for each
             1820      person nominated.
             1821          (ii) The certificate of nomination shall:


             1822          (A) contain the name of the office for which each person is nominated, the name, post
             1823      office address, and, if in a city, the street number of residence and place of business, if any, of
             1824      each person nominated;
             1825          (B) designate in not more than five words the political party that the convention or
             1826      committee represents;
             1827          (C) contain a copy of the resolution passed at the convention that authorized the
             1828      committee to make the nomination;
             1829          (D) contain a statement certifying that the name of the candidate nominated by the
             1830      political party will not appear on the ballot as a candidate for any other political party;
             1831          (E) be signed by the presiding officer and secretary of the convention or committee;
             1832      and
             1833          (F) contain a statement identifying the residence and post office address of the
             1834      presiding officer and secretary and certifying that the presiding officer and secretary were
             1835      officers of the convention or committee and that the certificates are true to the best of their
             1836      knowledge and belief.
             1837          (iii) Certificates of nomination shall be filed with the clerk not later than the sixth
             1838      Tuesday before the November municipal election.
             1839          (e) A committee appointed at a convention, if authorized by an enabling resolution,
             1840      may also make nominations or fill vacancies in nominations made at a convention.
             1841          (f) The election ballot shall substantially comply with the form prescribed in Title 20A,
             1842      Chapter 6, Part 4, Ballot Form Requirements for Municipal Elections, but the party name shall
             1843      be included with the candidate's name.
             1844          (4) (a) Any third, fourth, or fifth class city may adopt an ordinance before the June 1
             1845      that falls before the regular municipal election that:
             1846          (i) exempts the city from the other methods of nominating candidates to municipal
             1847      office provided in this section; and
             1848          (ii) provides for a partisan primary election method of nominating candidates as
             1849      provided in this Subsection (4).


             1850          (b) (i) Any party that was a registered political party at the last regular general election
             1851      or regular municipal election is a municipal political party under this section.
             1852          (ii) Any political party may qualify as a municipal political party by presenting a
             1853      petition to the city recorder that:
             1854          (A) is signed, with a holographic signature, by registered voters within the municipality
             1855      equal to at least 20% of the number of votes cast for all candidates for mayor in the last
             1856      municipal election at which a mayor was elected;
             1857          (B) is filed with the city recorder by the seventh Tuesday before the date of the
             1858      municipal primary election;
             1859          (C) is substantially similar to the form of the signature sheets described in Section
             1860      20A-7-303 ; and
             1861          (D) contains the name of the municipal political party using not more than five words.
             1862          (c) (i) If the number of candidates for a particular office does not exceed twice the
             1863      number of offices to be filled at the regular municipal election, no partisan primary election for
             1864      that office shall be held and the candidates are considered to be nominated.
             1865          (ii) If the number of candidates for a particular office exceeds twice the number of
             1866      offices to be filled at the regular municipal election, those candidates for municipal office shall
             1867      be nominated at a partisan primary election.
             1868          (d) The clerk shall ensure that:
             1869          (i) the partisan municipal primary ballot is similar to the ballot forms required by
             1870      Sections 20A-6-401 and 20A-6-401.1 ;
             1871          (ii) the candidates for each municipal political party are listed in one or more columns
             1872      under their party name and emblem;
             1873          (iii) the names of candidates of all parties are printed on the same ballot, but under
             1874      their party designation;
             1875          (iv) every ballot is folded and perforated so as to separate the candidates of one party
             1876      from those of the other parties and so as to enable the elector to separate the part of the ballot
             1877      containing the names of the party of his choice from the remainder of the ballot; and


             1878          (v) the side edges of all ballots are perforated so that the outside sections of the ballots,
             1879      when detached, are similar in appearance to inside sections when detached.
             1880          (e) After marking a municipal primary ballot, the voter shall:
             1881          (i) detach the part of the ballot containing the names of the candidates of the party he
             1882      has voted from the rest of the ballot;
             1883          (ii) fold the detached part so that its face is concealed and deposit it in the ballot box;
             1884      and
             1885          (iii) fold the remainder of the ballot containing the names of the candidates of the
             1886      parties for whom the elector did not vote and deposit it in the blank ballot box.
             1887          (f) Immediately after the canvass, the election judges shall, without examination,
             1888      destroy the tickets deposited in the blank ballot box.
             1889          Section 36. Section 20A-9-502 is amended to read:
             1890           20A-9-502. Certificate of nomination -- Contents -- Circulation -- Verification.
             1891          (1) The candidate shall:
             1892          (a) prepare a certificate of nomination in substantially the following form:
             1893          "State of Utah, County of ______________________________________________
             1894          I, ______________, declare my intention of becoming an unaffiliated candidate for the
             1895      political group designated as ____ for the office of ____. I do solemnly swear that I can
             1896      qualify to hold that office both legally and constitutionally if selected, and that I reside at ____
             1897      Street, in the city of ____, county of ____, state of Utah, zip code ____, phone ____, and that I
             1898      am providing, or have provided, the required number of holographic signatures of registered
             1899      voters required by law; that as a candidate at the next election I will not knowingly violate any
             1900      election or campaign law; I will file all campaign financial disclosure reports as required by
             1901      law; and I understand that failure to do so will result in my disqualification as a candidate for
             1902      this office and removal of my name from the ballot.
             1903     
__________________________________________

             1904     
Subscribed and sworn to before me this ______(month\day\year).

             1905     
__________________________________________


             1906     
Notary Public (or other officer

             1907     
qualified to administer oaths)"; and

             1908          (b) attach signature sheets to the certificate that contain a place for the registered
             1909      voter's holographic signature, a place for the registered voter to print [his] the registered voter's
             1910      name, and a place for the registered voter's address.
             1911          (2) (a) The candidate shall circulate the nomination petition and submit it to the county
             1912      clerk for certification when the petition has been completed by:
             1913          (i) at least 1,000 registered voters residing within the state when the nomination is for
             1914      an office to be filled by the voters of the entire state; or
             1915          (ii) at least 300 registered voters residing within a political division or at least 5% of
             1916      the registered voters residing within a political division, whichever is less, when the
             1917      nomination is for an office to be filled by the voters of any political division smaller than the
             1918      state.
             1919          (b) In reviewing the petition, the county clerk shall count and certify only those persons
             1920      who signed the petition with a holographic signature who:
             1921          (i) are registered voters within the political division that the candidate seeks to
             1922      represent; and
             1923          (ii) did not sign any other certificate of nomination for that office.
             1924          (c) The candidate may supplement or amend the certificate of nomination at any time
             1925      on or before the filing deadline.
             1926          Section 37. Section 20A-11-103 is amended to read:
             1927           20A-11-103. Notice of pending interim and summary reports -- Form of
             1928      submission -- Public availability.
             1929          (1) (a) Except as provided under Subsection (1)(b), 10 days before an interim report or
             1930      summary report is due under this chapter or Chapter 12, Part 2, Judicial Retention Elections,
             1931      the chief election officer shall inform the filing entity by postal mail or, if requested by the
             1932      filing entity, by electronic mail:
             1933          (i) that the financial statement is due;


             1934          (ii) of the date that the financial statement is due; and
             1935          (iii) of the penalty for failing to file the financial statement.
             1936          (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection (1)(a), under this section the chief
             1937      election officer is not required to provide notice:
             1938          (i) to a candidate or political party of the financial statement that is due before the
             1939      candidate's political convention;
             1940          (ii) of a financial statement due in connection with a public hearing for an initiative
             1941      under the requirements of Section 20A-7-204.1 ; or
             1942          (iii) to a corporation or labor organization, as defined in Section 20A-11-1501 .
             1943          (2) A filing entity shall electronically file a financial statement via electronic mail or
             1944      the Internet according to specifications established by the chief election officer.
             1945          (3) (a) A financial statement is considered timely filed if it is received by the chief
             1946      election officer's office before the close of regular office hours on the date that it is due.
             1947          (b) A chief election officer may extend the time in which a filing entity is required to
             1948      file a financial statement if a filing entity notifies the chief election officer of the existence of
             1949      an extenuating circumstance that is outside the control of the filing entity.
             1950          (4) Notwithstanding any provision of Title 63G, Chapter 2, Government Records
             1951      Access and Management Act, the lieutenant governor shall:
             1952          (a) make each campaign finance statement filed by a candidate available for public
             1953      inspection and copying no later than one business day after the statement is filed; and
             1954          (b) post an electronic copy or the contents of each financial statement in a searchable
             1955      format on a website established by the lieutenant governor:
             1956          (i) for campaign finance statements submitted to the lieutenant governor under the
             1957      requirements of Section 10-3-208 or Section 17-16-6.5 , no later than seven business days after
             1958      the date of receipt of the campaign finance statement; or
             1959          (ii) for a summary report or interim report filed under the requirements of this chapter
             1960      or Chapter 12, Part 2, Judicial Retention Elections, no later than three business days after the
             1961      date the statement is electronically filed.


             1962          (5) If a municipality, under Section 10-3-208 , or a county, under Section 17-16-6.5 ,
             1963      elects to provide campaign finance disclosure on its own website, rather than through the
             1964      lieutenant governor, the website established by the lieutenant governor shall contain a link or
             1965      other access point to the municipality or county website.
             1966          Section 38. Repealer.
             1967          This bill repeals:
             1968          Section 20A-7-206.5, Financial disclosure -- Paid circulators.
             1969          Section 39. Effective date.
             1970          If approved by two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, this bill takes effect
             1971      upon approval by the governor, or the day following the constitutional time limit of Utah
             1972      Constitution Article VII, Section 8, without the governor's signature, or in the case of a veto,
             1973      the date of veto override.


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