Download Zipped Introduced WordPerfect HB0085.ZIP
[Status][Bill Documents][Fiscal Note][Bills Directory]

H.B. 85

             1     

VOTING RECOUNT AMENDMENTS

             2     
2013 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Craig Hall

             5     
Senate Sponsor: ____________

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill amends the Election Code by changing the formula for determining when a
             10      voting recount may be requested.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    changes the formula for determining when a voting recount may be requested; and
             14          .    makes technical and conforming changes.
             15      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             16          None
             17      Other Special Clauses:
             18          None
             19      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             20      AMENDS:
             21          20A-4-401, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 329
             22     
             23      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             24          Section 1. Section 20A-4-401 is amended to read:
             25           20A-4-401. Recounts -- Procedure.
             26          (1) (a) [(i) For any regular primary, regular general, or municipal general election, or
             27      the Western States Presidential primary, when any candidate loses by not more than a total of


             28      one vote per voting precinct, the] For a race between candidates, if the difference between the
             29      number of votes cast for the candidate who receives the highest number of votes in the race and
             30      another candidate in the race is equal to or less than .25% of the total number of votes cast for
             31      all candidates in the race, that other candidate may file a request for a recount:
             32          (i) for a municipal primary election, with the municipal clerk, within three days after
             33      the canvass; or
             34          (ii) for all other elections, within seven days after the canvass with:
             35          (A) the municipal clerk, if the election is a municipal general election;
             36          (B) the local district clerk, if the election is a local district election;
             37          (C) the county clerk, for races [or ballot propositions] voted on entirely within a single
             38      county; or
             39          (D) the lieutenant governor, for statewide races and [ballot propositions and for]
             40      multicounty races [and ballot propositions].
             41          [(ii) For any municipal primary election, when any candidate loses by not more than a
             42      total of one vote per voting precinct, the candidate may file a request for a recount with the
             43      appropriate election officer within three days after the canvass.]
             44          (b) The election officer shall:
             45          (i) supervise the recount;
             46          (ii) recount all ballots cast for that [office] race;
             47          (iii) reexamine all unopened absentee ballots to ensure compliance with Chapter 3, Part
             48      3, Absentee Voting; and
             49          (iv) declare elected the person receiving the highest number of votes on the recount.
             50          (2) (a) [Any] For a ballot proposition or a bond proposition, if the proposition passes or
             51      fails by a margin that is equal to or less than .25% of the total votes cast for or against the
             52      proposition, any 10 voters who voted in [an election when any ballot proposition or bond] the
             53      election where the proposition was on the ballot may file a request for a recount [with the
             54      appropriate election officer] within seven days of the canvass[.] with:
             55          (i) the municipal clerk, if the election is a municipal election;
             56          (ii) the local district clerk, if the election is a local district election;
             57          (iii) the county clerk, for propositions voted on entirely within a single county; or
             58          (iv) the lieutenant governor, for statewide propositions and multicounty propositions.


             59          (b) The election officer shall:
             60          (i) supervise the recount;
             61          (ii) recount all ballots cast for that ballot proposition or bond proposition;
             62          (iii) reexamine all unopened absentee ballots to ensure compliance with Chapter 3, Part
             63      3, Absentee Voting; and
             64          (iv) declare the ballot proposition or bond proposition to have "passed" or "failed"
             65      based upon the results of the recount.
             66          (c) Proponents and opponents of the ballot proposition or bond proposition may
             67      designate representatives to witness the recount.
             68          (d) The voters requesting the recount shall pay the costs of the recount.
             69          (3) Costs incurred by recount under Subsection (1) may not be assessed against the
             70      person requesting the recount.
             71          (4) (a) Upon completion of the recount, the election officer shall immediately convene
             72      the board of canvassers.
             73          (b) The board of canvassers shall:
             74          (i) canvass the election returns for the race or proposition that was the subject of the
             75      recount; and
             76          (ii) with the assistance of the election officer, prepare and sign the report required by
             77      Section 20A-4-304 or Section 20A-4-306 .
             78          (c) If the recount is for a statewide or multicounty race or for a statewide proposition,
             79      the board of county canvassers shall prepare and transmit a separate report to the lieutenant
             80      governor as required by Subsection 20A-4-304 (3).
             81          (d) The canvassers' report prepared as provided in this Subsection (4) is the official
             82      result of the race or proposition that is the subject of the recount.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 1-8-13 3:41 PM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


[Bill Documents][Bills Directory]