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Third Substitute H.B. 204

Representative James A. Dunnigan proposes the following substitute bill:


             1     
ELECTION AMENDMENTS

             2     
2013 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Steve Eliason

             5     
Senate Sponsor: ____________

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill amends provisions relating to elections.
             10      Highlighted Provisions:
             11          This bill:
             12          .    clarifies how to cast a valid absentee ballot; and
             13          .    makes technical changes.
             14      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             15          None
             16      Other Special Clauses:
             17          This bill coordinates with H.B. 53, Election Law Amendments, by providing
             18      substantive amendments.
             19      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             20      AMENDS:
             21          20A-3-301, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2004, Chapter 195
             22          20A-3-306, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2012, Chapter 309
             23          20A-3-702, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapter 291
             24      Utah Code Sections Affected by Coordination Clause:
             25          20A-3-306, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2012, Chapter 309


             26     
             27      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             28          Section 1. Section 20A-3-301 is amended to read:
             29           20A-3-301. Voting by absentee ballot.
             30          (1) Any person who is registered to vote may vote by absentee ballot.
             31          (2) [A] Except as provided in Section 20A-3-702 , a registered voter may not vote in
             32      person if the voter voted by absentee ballot.
             33          Section 2. Section 20A-3-306 is amended to read:
             34           20A-3-306. Voting ballot -- Returning ballot.
             35          (1) (a) To vote a mail-in absentee ballot, the absentee voter shall:
             36          (i) complete and sign the affidavit on the envelope;
             37          (ii) mark the votes on the absentee ballot;
             38          (iii) place the voted absentee ballot in the envelope;
             39          (iv) securely seal the envelope; and
             40          (v) attach postage, unless voting in accordance with Section 20A-3-302 , and deposit
             41      the envelope in the mail or deliver it in person to the election officer from whom the ballot was
             42      obtained.
             43          (b) To vote an absentee ballot in person at the office of the election officer, the absent
             44      voter shall:
             45          (i) complete and sign the affidavit on the envelope;
             46          (ii) mark the votes on the absent-voter ballot;
             47          (iii) place the voted absent-voter ballot in the envelope;
             48          (iv) securely seal the envelope; and
             49          (v) give the ballot and envelope to the election officer.
             50          (2) An absentee ballot is not valid unless:
             51          (a) in the case of an absentee ballot that is voted in person[, it]:
             52          (i) the ballot is applied for and cast in person at the office of the appropriate election
             53      officer no later than the Friday before election day; or
             54          (ii) the ballot is submitted at a polling location in the political subdivision where the
             55      absentee voter resides;
             56          (b) in the case of an absentee ballot that is returned by mail, the ballot is:


             57          (i) clearly postmarked before election day; and
             58          (ii) received in the office of the election officer before noon on the day of the official
             59      canvass following the election; or
             60          [(b)] (c) in the case of a military-overseas ballot, the ballot is submitted in accordance
             61      with Section 20A-16-404 .
             62          (3) An absentee voter may submit a completed absentee ballot at a polling location
             63      located in a political subdivision holding the election, if the absentee voter resides in the
             64      political subdivision.
             65          (4) An absentee voter may submit an incomplete absentee ballot at a polling location
             66      for the voting precinct where the voter resides, request that the ballot be declared spoiled, and
             67      vote in person.
             68          Section 3. Section 20A-3-702 is amended to read:
             69           20A-3-702. Election day voting center -- Hours of operation -- Compliance with
             70      Election Code.
             71          (1) An election officer may operate an election day voting center in one or more
             72      locations designated under Section 20A-3-703 .
             73          (2) An election officer shall provide for voting at an election day voting center by:
             74          (a) regular ballot if:
             75          (i) the election day voting center is designated under Section 20A-5-403 as the polling
             76      place for the voting precinct in which the voter resides; and
             77          (ii) the voter is eligible to vote using a regular ballot in accordance with this title;
             78          (b) voting center ballot if:
             79          (i) the election day voting center is not designated under Section 20A-5-403 as the
             80      polling place for the voting precinct in which the voter resides;
             81          (ii) the voter resides within the political subdivision holding the election; and
             82          (iii) the voter is otherwise eligible to vote using a regular ballot in accordance with this
             83      title; or
             84          (c) provisional ballot if the voter is only eligible to vote using a provisional ballot in
             85      accordance with this title.
             86          (3) An election officer shall ensure that an election day voting center:
             87          (a) is open on election day during the time period specified under Section 20A-1-302 ;


             88          (b) allows an eligible voter to vote if the voter:
             89          (i) resides within the political subdivision holding an election; and
             90          (ii) arrives at the election day voting center by the designated closing time in
             91      accordance with Section 20A-1-302 ; and
             92          (c) is administered according to the requirements of this title.
             93          (4) A person may submit a completed absentee ballot at an election day voting center
             94      for the political subdivision in which the person resides.
             95          (5) A person may submit an incomplete absentee ballot at an election day voting center
             96      for the political subdivision in which the person resides, request that the ballot be declared
             97      spoiled, and vote in person.
             98          Section 4. Coordinating H.B. 204 with H.B. 53 -- Substantive amendments.
             99          If this H.B. 204 and H.B. 53, Election Law Amendments, both pass and become law, it
             100      is the intent of the Legislature that the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel, in
             101      preparing the Utah Code database for publication, modify Subsection 20A-3-306 (2) to read as
             102      follows:
             103          "(2) An absentee ballot is not valid unless:
             104          (a) in the case of an absentee ballot that is voted in person, [it] the ballot:
             105          (i) is applied for and cast in person at the office of the appropriate election officer no
             106      later than the Friday before election day; or
             107          (ii) is submitted on election day at a polling location in the political subdivision where
             108      the absentee voter resides;
             109          (b) in the case of an absentee ballot that is submitted by mail, the ballot is:
             110          (i) clearly postmarked before election day; and
             111          (ii) received in the office of the election officer before noon on the day of the official
             112      canvass following the election; or
             113          [(b)] (c) in the case of a military-overseas ballot, the ballot is submitted in accordance
             114      with Section 20A-16-404.".


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