H.B. 63

             1     

RECALL ELECTIONS AMENDMENTS

             2     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Gage Froerer

             5     
Senate Sponsor: ____________

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill adds to the Election Code, subject to passage of an enabling amendment to the
             10      Utah Constitution, recall election provisions for the recall of the governor, the state
             11      auditor, the state treasurer, or the attorney general.
             12      Highlighted Provisions:
             13          This bill:
             14          .    defines terms;
             15          .    enacts a chapter governing a recall election of the governor, the state auditor, the
             16      state treasurer, or the attorney general;
             17          .    describes application and petition requirements for a recall election;
             18          .    describes signature requirements and provides a process for a voter to remove the
             19      voter's signature from a petition;
             20          .    describes the signatures that are required, together with other requirements, to
             21      qualify for a recall election to be held;
             22          .    describes the process for submission and review of recall election packets;
             23          .    describes duties of the lieutenant governor and county clerks with respect to a recall
             24      election petition;
             25          .    establishes an appeals process if the lieutenant governor determines that a recall
             26      election petition is insufficient;
             27          .    describes circumstances under which a recall election may not be held;


             28          .    describes the ballot and election date of a recall election;
             29          .    provides for removal from office of an executive branch elected official who is
             30      recalled;
             31          .    describes unlawful conduct in relation to provisions of this bill; and
             32          .    makes passage of this bill contingent upon passage of an enabling amendment to the
             33      Utah Constitution.
             34      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             35          None
             36      Other Special Clauses:
             37          This bill provides a contingent effective date of January 1, 2015.
             38      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             39      ENACTS:
             40           20A-17-101 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             41           20A-17-102 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             42           20A-17-201 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             43           20A-17-202 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             44           20A-17-203 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             45           20A-17-204 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             46           20A-17-205 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             47           20A-17-206 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             48           20A-17-301 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             49           20A-17-302 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             50           20A-17-303 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             51           20A-17-304 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             52           20A-17-401 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             53           20A-17-402 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             54           20A-17-403 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             55           20A-17-404 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             56           20A-17-501 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             57           20A-17-502 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             58     


             59      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             60          Section 1. Section 20A-17-101 is enacted to read:
             61     
CHAPTER 17. RECALL ELECTIONS

             62     
Part 1. General Provisions

             63          20A-17-101. Title.
             64          (1) This chapter is known as "Recall Elections."
             65          (2) This part is known as "General Provisions."
             66          Section 2. Section 20A-17-102 is enacted to read:
             67          20A-17-102. Definitions.
             68          As used in this chapter:
             69          (1) "Executive branch elected official" means the governor, the state auditor, the state
             70      treasurer, or the attorney general.
             71          (2) "Legal voter" means an individual who:
             72          (a) is registered to vote; or
             73          (b) intends to register to vote within 30 days after the day on which the individual signs
             74      a recall election petition.
             75          Section 3. Section 20A-17-201 is enacted to read:
             76     
Part 2. Application and Petition Requirements

             77          20A-17-201. Title.
             78          This part is known as "Application and Petition Requirements."
             79          Section 4. Section 20A-17-202 is enacted to read:
             80          20A-17-202. Application for recall election.
             81          (1) A person who desires to subject an executive branch elected official to a recall
             82      election shall file a recall election application with the lieutenant governor.
             83          (2) The application shall be on a form provided by the lieutenant governor's office that
             84      contains:
             85          (a) the name and residential address of at least five sponsors of the recall election
             86      application;
             87          (b) a statement indicating that each of the sponsors:
             88          (i) is a resident of Utah; and
             89          (ii) voted in a regular general election in Utah within the last three years;


             90          (c) the signature of each of the sponsors, attested to by a notary public;
             91          (d) the name and office of the executive branch elected official whom the sponsors
             92      desire to subject to a recall election; and
             93          (e) a statement indicating whether any person may be paid to gather signatures for the
             94      recall election petition.
             95          (3) The application and the application's contents are public when filed with the
             96      lieutenant governor.
             97          Section 5. Section 20A-17-203 is enacted to read:
             98          20A-17-203. Form of recall election petition and signature sheets.
             99          (1) A recall election petition is invalid unless:
             100          (a) the recall election petition is printed in substantially the following form:
             101          "RECALL ELECTION PETITION
             102          To the Honorable ____, Lieutenant Governor:
             103          We, the undersigned citizens of Utah, respectfully demand that _____________ (name
             104      and office of the executive branch elected official sought to be recalled) be subjected to a recall
             105      election;
             106          Each signer says:
             107          I have personally signed this petition;
             108          I am registered to vote in Utah or intend to become registered to vote in Utah within 30
             109      days after the day on which I sign this petition; and
             110          My residence and post office address are written correctly after my name."; and
             111          (b) each signature sheet:
             112          (i) is printed on sheets of paper 8-1/2 inches long and 11 inches wide;
             113          (ii) is ruled with a horizontal line three-fourths inch from the top, with the space above
             114      that line blank for the purpose of binding;
             115          (iii) contains the words "Recall Election Petition for," followed immediately by the
             116      name and office of the executive branch elected official sought to be recalled, printed below
             117      the horizontal line;
             118          (iv) contains the word "Warning" printed or typed at the top of each signature sheet;
             119          (v) contains, to the right of the word "Warning," the following statement printed or
             120      typed in not less than eight-point, single leaded type:


             121          "It is a class A misdemeanor for an individual to sign a recall election petition with any
             122      other name than the individual's own name, to knowingly sign the individual's name more than
             123      once for the same recall election, or to sign a recall election petition when the individual knows
             124      the individual is not a registered voter and does not intend to become a registered voter within
             125      30 days after the day on which the individual signs the election recall petition."; and
             126          (vi) is vertically divided into columns as follows:
             127          (A) the first column shall appear at the extreme left of the sheet, be five-eighths inch
             128      wide, be headed with "For Office Use Only," and be subdivided with a light vertical line down
             129      the middle with the left subdivision entitled "Registered" and the right subdivision left untitled;
             130          (B) the next column shall be 2-1/2 inches wide, headed "Registered Voter's Printed
             131      Name (must be legible to be counted)";
             132          (C) the next column shall be 2-1/2 inches wide, headed "Signature of Registered
             133      Voter";
             134          (D) the next column shall be one inch wide, headed "Birth Date or Age (Optional)";
             135          (E) the final column shall be 4-3/8 inches wide, headed "Street Address, City, Zip
             136      Code"; and
             137          (F) at the bottom of the sheet, contain the following statement: "Birth date or age
             138      information is not required, but may be used to verify your identity with voter registration
             139      records. If you choose not to provide this information, your signature may not be verified as a
             140      valid signature if you change your address before petition signatures are verified or if the
             141      information you provide does not match your voter registration records."
             142          (2) The final page of each recall election packet shall contain the following printed or
             143      typed statement:
             144          "Verification
             145          State of Utah, County of ____
             146          I, _______________, of ____, hereby state that:
             147          I am a resident of Utah and am at least 18 years old;
             148          All the names that appear in this packet were signed by individuals who professed to be
             149      the individuals whose names appear in it, and each of the individuals signed the individual's
             150      name on it in my presence;
             151          I believe that each individual printed and signed the individual's name and wrote the


             152      individual's post office address and residence correctly and that each signer is registered to vote
             153      in Utah or intends to become registered to vote within 30 days after the day on which the
             154      individual signed the petition.
             155          I have not paid or given anything of value to any individual who signed this recall
             156      petition to encourage that individual to sign it.
             157          ______________________________________________________________________
             158          (Name) (Residence Address) (Date)"
             159          (3) The forms prescribed in this section are not mandatory, and, if substantially
             160      followed, the recall election petitions are sufficient, notwithstanding clerical or technical errors.
             161          Section 6. Section 20A-17-204 is enacted to read:
             162          20A-17-204. Circulation requirements -- Lieutenant governor to provide sponsors
             163      with materials.
             164          (1) In order to obtain the necessary number of signatures required by this chapter, the
             165      sponsors shall circulate recall election packets that meet the form requirements of this part.
             166          (2) The lieutenant governor shall provide the sponsors with a copy of the recall election
             167      petition and one signature sheet.
             168          (3) The sponsors of the recall election petition shall:
             169          (a) arrange and pay for the printing of all additional copies of the petition and signature
             170      sheets; and
             171          (b) ensure that the copies of the petition and signature sheets meet the requirements of
             172      this part.
             173          (4) (a) The sponsors may prepare the recall election petition for circulation by creating
             174      multiple recall election packets.
             175          (b) The sponsors shall create the recall election packets by binding a copy of the recall
             176      election petition and no more than 50 signature sheets together at the top in a manner that the
             177      packets may be conveniently opened for signing.
             178          (c) The sponsors are not required to attach a uniform number of signature sheets to
             179      each recall election packet.
             180          (5) (a) After the sponsors have prepared sufficient recall election packets, the sponsors
             181      shall deliver the recall election packets to the lieutenant governor.
             182          (b) The lieutenant governor shall:


             183          (i) within five working days after the day on which the sponsors delivered the recall
             184      election packets to the lieutenant governor under Subsection (5)(a), number and return the
             185      recall election packets to the sponsors; and
             186          (ii) keep a record of the numbers assigned to each recall election packet.
             187          Section 7. Section 20A-17-205 is enacted to read:
             188          20A-17-205. Obtaining signatures -- Verification -- Removal of signature.
             189          (1) A Utah voter may sign a recall election petition if the voter is a legal voter.
             190          (2) (a) The sponsors shall ensure that the individual in whose presence each signature
             191      sheet is signed:
             192          (i) is at least 18 years old and meets the residency requirements described in Section
             193      20A-2-105 ; and
             194          (ii) verifies each signature sheet by completing the verification printed on the last page
             195      of each recall election packet.
             196          (b) An individual may not sign the verification printed on the last page of the recall
             197      election packet if the person signed a signature sheet in the recall election packet.
             198          (3) (a) A voter who signs a recall election petition may have the voter's signature
             199      removed from the petition by, before the day on which the lieutenant governor completes the
             200      process of removing signatures described in Section 20A-17-304 , submitting to the county
             201      clerk a statement requesting that the voter's signature be removed.
             202          (b) The statement described in Subsection (3)(a) shall include:
             203          (i) the name of the voter;
             204          (ii) the resident address at which the voter is registered to vote;
             205          (iii) the last four digits of the voter's Social Security number;
             206          (iv) the voter's driver license or identification card number; and
             207          (v) the signature of the voter.
             208          (c) A voter may not submit the statement described in this Subsection (3) by email or
             209      other electronic means.
             210          (d) The county clerk shall deliver all statements received under this Subsection (3):
             211          (i) with the recall election packets delivered to the lieutenant governor; or
             212          (ii) in a supplemental delivery to the lieutenant governor for a statement submitted
             213      after the county clerk delivers the recall election packets.


             214          (e) An individual may only remove a signature from a recall election petition in
             215      accordance with this Subsection (3).
             216          Section 8. Section 20A-17-206 is enacted to read:
             217          20A-17-206. Signature requirements -- Submission to a vote of the people.
             218          (1) A recall election of the executive branch elected official named in a recall election
             219      petition may not be held unless:
             220          (a) the sponsors obtain legal signatures that, after the verification and evaluation
             221      process described in Sections 20A-17-303 and 20A-17-304 , are equal to or greater than:
             222          (i) 10% of the cumulative total of all votes cast by voters of this state for all candidates
             223      for president of the United States at the last regular general election at which a president of the
             224      United States was elected; and
             225          (ii) for each of at least 26 Utah state Senate districts, 10% of the total of all votes cast
             226      in that district for all candidates for president of the United States at the last regular general
             227      election at which a president of the United States was elected;
             228          (b) the sponsors obtain the signatures described in Subsection (1)(a) within the period
             229      of time that:
             230          (i) begins on the day on which the lieutenant governor returns the recall election
             231      packets to a sponsor under Subsection 20A-17-204 (5)(b); and
             232          (ii) ends 180 days after the day described in Subsection (1)(b)(i); and
             233          (c) the recall election petition is declared sufficient in accordance with Section
             234      20A-17-304 .
             235          (2) The lieutenant governor shall provide the following information from the official
             236      canvass of the last regular general election at which a president of the United States was elected
             237      to any interested person:
             238          (a) the cumulative total of all votes cast by voters in this state for all candidates for
             239      president of the United States; and
             240          (b) for each Utah state Senate district, the total of all votes cast in that district for all
             241      candidates for president of the United States.
             242          (3) A person may not use signature sheets, or signatures collected on those signature
             243      sheets, in relation to a previous recall election petition for a subsequent recall election petition.
             244          Section 9. Section 20A-17-301 is enacted to read:


             245     
Part 3. Submission and Review of Petition

             246          20A-17-301. Title.
             247          This part is known as "Submission and Review of Petition."
             248          Section 10. Section 20A-17-302 is enacted to read:
             249          20A-17-302. Submitting recall election petition -- Certification of signatures by
             250      county clerks -- Transfer to lieutenant governor.
             251          (1) (a) In order to qualify for holding a recall election, the sponsors of a recall election
             252      petition shall deliver each signed and verified recall election packet to the county clerk of the
             253      county in which the packet was circulated no later than 180 days after the day on which the
             254      lieutenant governor returns the recall election packets to a sponsor under Subsection
             255      20A-17-204 (5)(b).
             256          (b) A sponsor may not submit a recall election packet after the deadline described in
             257      Subsection (1)(a).
             258          (2) Within 30 days after the day on which a county clerk receives each signed and
             259      verified recall election packet that was circulated in the county, the county clerk shall:
             260          (a) check the name of each individual who completed the verification for each recall
             261      election packet to determine whether each individual is a resident of Utah and is at least 18
             262      years old; and
             263          (b) submit to the attorney general and the county attorney the name of each individual
             264      who completed the verification for a recall election packet who is not a Utah resident or who is
             265      not at least 18 years old.
             266          (3) The county clerk may not certify a signature under Subsection (4) on a recall
             267      election packet that is not verified in accordance with Section 20A-17-205 .
             268          (4) No later than 30 days after the day on which a county clerk receives each signed
             269      and verified recall election packet that was circulated in the county, the county clerk shall:
             270          (a) determine whether each signer is a registered voter in accordance with the
             271      requirements of Section 20A-17-303 ;
             272          (b) certify on each recall election packet whether each name in the packet is the name
             273      of a registered voter; and
             274          (c) deliver each verified recall election packet to the lieutenant governor.
             275          (5) Upon receipt of a recall election packet under Subsection (4) and any statement


             276      timely submitted under Subsection 20A-17-205 (3), the lieutenant governor shall remove from
             277      the recall election petition a voter's signature if the voter has requested removal in accordance
             278      with Subsection 20A-17-205 (3).
             279          (6) A sponsor or an agent of a sponsor may not retrieve a recall election packet from a
             280      county clerk or the lieutenant governor after the sponsor or an agent of the sponsor submits the
             281      recall election packet to the county clerk.
             282          Section 11. Section 20A-17-303 is enacted to read:
             283          20A-17-303. Verification of petition signatures.
             284          (1) As used in this section:
             285          (a) "Substantially similar name" means:
             286          (i) the given name or surname shown on the petition, or both, contain only minor
             287      spelling differences when compared to the given name or surname shown on the official
             288      register;
             289          (ii) the surname shown on the petition exactly matches the surname shown on the
             290      official register, and the given names differ only because one of the given names shown is a
             291      commonly used abbreviation or variation of the other given name;
             292          (iii) the surname shown on the petition exactly matches the surname shown on the
             293      official register, and the given names differ only because one of the given names shown is
             294      accompanied by a first or middle initial or a middle name that is not shown on the other record;
             295      or
             296          (iv) the surname shown on the petition exactly matches the surname shown on the
             297      official register, and the given names differ only because one of the given names shown is an
             298      alphabetically corresponding initial that has been provided in the place of a given name shown
             299      on the other record.
             300          (b) "Substantially similar name" does not include a name with an initial or a middle
             301      name shown on the petition that does not match a different initial or middle name shown on the
             302      official register.
             303          (2) The county clerk shall use the following procedures in determining whether a
             304      signer is a registered voter:
             305          (a) when a signer's name and address shown on the petition exactly match a name and
             306      address shown on the official register and the signer's signature appears substantially similar to


             307      the signature on the statewide voter registration database, the county clerk shall declare the
             308      signature valid;
             309          (b) when there is no exact match of an address and a name, the county clerk shall
             310      declare the signature valid if:
             311          (i) the address on the petition matches the address of an individual on the official
             312      register with a substantially similar name; and
             313          (ii) the signer's signature appears substantially similar to the signature on the statewide
             314      voter registration database of the individual described in Subsection (2)(b)(i); or
             315          (c) when there is no match of an address, but a substantially similar name, the county
             316      clerk shall declare the signature valid if:
             317          (i) the birth date or age on the petition matches the birth date or age of an individual on
             318      the official register with a substantially similar name; and
             319          (ii) the signer's signature appears substantially similar to the signature on the statewide
             320      voter registration database of the individual described in Subsection (2)(c)(i).
             321          (3) If a signature is not declared valid under Subsection (2), the county clerk shall
             322      declare the signature to be invalid.
             323          Section 12. Section 20A-17-304 is enacted to read:
             324          20A-17-304. Evaluation by the lieutenant governor.
             325          (1) When a recall election packet is received from a county clerk, the lieutenant
             326      governor shall check off from the record the number of the recall election packet filed.
             327          (2) Within 15 days after the day on which the lieutenant governor receives all of the
             328      recall election packets, the lieutenant governor shall:
             329          (a) remove the signatures as required by Section 20A-17-205 ; and
             330          (b) after removing the signatures as required by Section 20A-17-205 :
             331          (i) count the number of the names certified by the county clerks that remain on each
             332      verified signature sheet; and
             333          (ii) declare the recall election petition to be sufficient or insufficient.
             334          (3) (a) If the total number of names counted under Subsection (2)(b)(i) equals or
             335      exceeds the number of names required under Section 20A-17-206 and the requirements of this
             336      chapter are met, the lieutenant governor shall mark upon the front of the recall election petition
             337      the word "sufficient."


             338          (b) If the total number of names counted under Subsection (2)(b)(i) does not equal or
             339      exceed the number of names required under Section 20A-17-206 or a requirement of this
             340      chapter is not met, the lieutenant governor shall mark upon the front of the recall election
             341      petition the word "insufficient."
             342          (c) The lieutenant governor shall, on the day on which the lieutenant governor marks
             343      the recall election petition "sufficient" or "insufficient":
             344          (i) send notice of the lieutenant governor's action to any one of the sponsors; and
             345          (ii) post notice of the lieutenant governor's action on the lieutenant governor's website.
             346          (4) After the lieutenant governor declares a recall election petition to be insufficient,
             347      the sponsors may not submit additional signatures to qualify the petition for the ballot.
             348          (5) (a) If the lieutenant governor marks a recall election petition "insufficient" or fails
             349      to timely comply with Subsection (2)(b)(ii), any voter who believes that the recall election
             350      petition is sufficient may, within 15 days after the earlier of the day on which the lieutenant
             351      governor makes the notification described in Subsection (3)(c) or the day on which the deadline
             352      described in Subsection (2) expires, apply to the Supreme Court for an extraordinary writ to
             353      compel the lieutenant governor to declare the election petition to be sufficient.
             354          (b) The Supreme Court shall:
             355          (i) determine whether the recall election petition is legally sufficient; and
             356          (ii) certify the court's findings to the lieutenant governor.
             357          (c) If the supreme Court certifies that the recall election petition is legally sufficient,
             358      the lieutenant governor shall, within one business day after the day on which the Supreme
             359      Court certifies that the recall election petition is legally sufficient:
             360          (i) attach a verified copy of the judgment to the recall election petition; and
             361          (ii) mark the petition as "sufficient."
             362          (d) If the Supreme Court determines that a recall election petition is not legally
             363      sufficient, the Supreme Court may enjoin the lieutenant governor and all other officers from
             364      proceeding with the recall election.
             365          (6) A petition determined to be sufficient in accordance with this section is qualified
             366      for the ballot.
             367          Section 13. Section 20A-17-401 is enacted to read:
             368     
Part 4. Recall Election


             369          20A-17-401. Title.
             370          This part is known as "Recall Election."
             371          Section 14. Section 20A-17-402 is enacted to read:
             372          20A-17-402. Recall election dates -- Cancellation of recall election.
             373          (1) Except as provided in Subsection (2), the lieutenant governor and each county clerk
             374      shall ensure that a recall election, based on a recall election petition that is declared to be
             375      sufficient under Section 20A-17-304 , is held on the earlier of:
             376          (a) the next Western States Presidential Primary that will occur at least 65 days after
             377      the day on which the recall election petition is declared to be sufficient under Section
             378      20A-17-304 ;
             379          (b) the next regular primary election that will occur at least 65 days after the day on
             380      which the recall election petition is declared to be sufficient under Section 20A-17-304 ;
             381          (c) the next regular general election that will occur at least 65 days after the day on
             382      which the recall election petition is declared to be sufficient under Section 20A-17-304 ; or
             383          (d) the next statewide special election called by the governor or the Legislature that
             384      will occur at least 65 days after the day on which the recall election petition is declared to be
             385      sufficient under Section 20A-17-304 , regardless of whether the special election is called for the
             386      purpose of the recall election.
             387          (2) A recall election may not be held if:
             388          (a) the executive branch elected official who is the subject of the recall election
             389      petition resigns or is otherwise removed from office before the day on which the recall election
             390      will be held;
             391          (b) (i) the executive branch elected official's term of office will end within 90 days
             392      after the day on which the recall election petition is declared to be sufficient under Section
             393      20A-17-304 ; and
             394          (ii) the executive branch elected official will not be on the ballot for reelection; or
             395          (c) (i) the recall election would, under Subsection (1), be held at the next general
             396      election; and
             397          (ii) the executive branch elected official will be on the ballot for reelection in a regular
             398      general election.
             399          Section 15. Section 20A-17-403 is enacted to read:


             400          20A-17-403. Form of ballot -- Manner of voting.
             401          (1) The county clerks shall ensure that the portion of a ballot for a recall election of an
             402      executive branch elected official is presented on the official ballot as follows:
             403          (a) the name of the executive branch elected official who is the subject of the recall
             404      election petition shall appear on the ballot;
             405          (b) immediately after the executive branch elected official's name shall appear the
             406      name of the registered political party of which the executive branch elected official is a
             407      member;
             408          (c) immediately after the name and political party described in Subsections
             409      (1) (a) and (b) shall appear the question, "Shall __________ (name of the executive branch
             410      elected official) be retained as __________(position that the executive branch elected official
             411      holds)?"; and
             412          (d) immediately adjacent to the question described in Subsection (1)(c) shall appear the
             413      words "Yes" and "No," each word presented with an adjacent square in which the elector may
             414      indicate the elector's vote.
             415          (2) Electors desiring to retain the executive branch elected official in office shall mark
             416      the square adjacent to the word "Yes," and electors desiring to remove the executive branch
             417      elected official from office shall mark the square adjacent to the word "No."
             418          Section 16. Section 20A-17-404 is enacted to read:
             419          20A-17-404. Return and canvass -- Retention -- Removal from office.
             420          (1) The votes in a recall election shall be counted, canvassed, and delivered as provided
             421      in Title 20A, Chapter 4, Part 3, Canvassing Returns.
             422          (2) After the state board of canvassers completes its canvass, the lieutenant governor
             423      shall issue a proclamation that:
             424          (a) certifies the number of votes for and against retaining the executive branch elected
             425      official in office; and
             426          (b) (i) if the number of votes for retaining the executive branch elected official in office
             427      equals or exceeds the number of votes against retaining the executive branch elected official in
             428      office, declares that the executive branch elected official is retained in office; or
             429          (ii) if the number of votes for retaining the executive branch elected official in office
             430      does not equal or exceed the number of votes against retaining the executive branch elected


             431      official in office, declares that the executive branch elected official is removed from office and
             432      that the office is vacant.
             433          Section 17. Section 20A-17-501 is enacted to read:
             434     
Part 5. Unlawful Conduct

             435          20A-17-501. Title.
             436          This part is known as "Unlawful Conduct."
             437          Section 18. Section 20A-17-502 is enacted to read:
             438          20A-17-502. Misconduct of electors, officers, and others -- Penalties.
             439          (1) It is a class B misdemeanor for a person to:
             440          (a) sign any name other than the person's own name to a recall election petition;
             441          (b) knowingly sign the person's name more than once for the same recall election
             442      petition;
             443          (c) sign a recall election petition if, at the time that the person signs the recall election
             444      petition, the person:
             445          (i) knows that the person is not a legal voter; and
             446          (ii) does not intend to become a legal voter within 30 days after the day on which the
             447      person signs the recall election petition; or
             448          (d) knowingly and willfully violate any provision of this part that is not described in
             449      Subsections (1)(a) through (c), (2), or (3).
             450          (2) It is a class B misdemeanor for an individual to sign the verification for a recall
             451      election packet knowing that:
             452          (a) the individual does not meet the residency requirements described in Section
             453      20A-2-105 ;
             454          (b) the individual did not witness the signatures of the individuals whose names appear
             455      in the recall election packet; or
             456          (c) an individual whose signature appears in the recall election packet:
             457          (i) is not registered to vote in Utah; and
             458          (ii) does not intend to become registered to vote in Utah within 30 days after the day on
             459      which the individual signs the recall election packet.
             460          (3) A person is guilty of a class A misdemeanor if the person:
             461          (a) pays an individual to sign a recall election petition;


             462          (b) pays an individual to remove the individual's signature from a recall election
             463      petition;
             464          (c) accepts payment to sign a recall election petition;
             465          (d) accepts payment to have the individual's name removed from a recall election
             466      petition; or
             467          (e) removes an individual's name from a recall election petition, unless authorized by
             468      law to remove the individual's name from the recall election petition.
             469          Section 19. Effective date.
             470          This bill takes effect on January 1, 2015, if the amendment to the Utah Constitution
             471      proposed by H.J.R. 4, Joint Resolution on Recall Elections, 2014 General Session, passes the
             472      Legislature and is approved by a majority of those voting on the amendment at the next regular
             473      general election.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 1-14-14 8:20 AM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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