Second Substitute S.B. 135

Senator Scott K. Jenkins proposes the following substitute bill:


             1     
VOTER REGISTRATION AMENDMENTS

             2     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Scott K. Jenkins

             5     
House Sponsor: Paul Ray

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill amends provisions of the Election Code relating to voter registration.
             10      Highlighted Provisions:
             11          This bill:
             12          .    provides that an individual who registers to vote in-person or online 15 or more
             13      days before an election may participate in early voting or may vote on election day;
             14          .    provides that a person who registers to vote in-person or online less than 15 days
             15      before an election, but more than six days before an election, may vote on election
             16      day;
             17          .    requires a county clerk to accept a voter registration form as late as the day before
             18      an election if the registrant timely filled out and submitted the voter registration
             19      form to another person who turns the voter registration form in late; and
             20          .    makes technical and conforming amendments.
             21      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             22          None
             23      Other Special Clauses:
             24          None
             25      Utah Code Sections Affected:


             26      AMENDS:
             27           20A-2-102.5 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapters 17, 297, and 327
             28           20A-2-201 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapters 225 and 276
             29           20A-2-206 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapter 17
             30           20A-4-107 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 390
             31     
             32      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             33          Section 1. Section 20A-2-102.5 is amended to read:
             34           20A-2-102.5. Voter registration deadline.
             35          (1) Except as provided in Sections 20A-2-201 [and], 20A-2-206 [and], or 20A-4-107 .
             36      or Chapter 16, Uniform Military and Overseas Voters Act, a person who fails to submit a
             37      correctly completed voter registration form on or before the voter registration deadline may not
             38      [be permitted to] vote in the election.
             39          (2) The voter registration deadline [shall be the date that] is 30 calendar days before the
             40      date of the election.
             41          Section 2. Section 20A-2-201 is amended to read:
             42           20A-2-201. Registering to vote at office of county clerk.
             43          (1) Except as provided in Subsection (3), the county clerk shall register to vote [all
             44      persons who present themselves for registration] each individual who registers in person at the
             45      county clerk's office during designated office hours if [those persons] the individual will, on the
             46      date of the election, [will] be legally eligible to vote in a voting precinct in the county in
             47      accordance with Section 20A-2-101 .
             48          (2) [If a registration form is submitted] If an individual submits a registration form in
             49      person at the office of the county clerk during the period beginning on the date after the voter
             50      registration deadline and ending on the date that is 15 calendar days before the date of the
             51      election, the county clerk shall:
             52          (a) accept a registration [forms from all persons who present themselves for
             53      registration] form from each individual who submits a registration form in person at the clerk's
             54      office during designated office hours if [those persons] the individual, on the date of the
             55      election, will be legally qualified and entitled to vote in a voting precinct in the county; and
             56          (b) inform [them] the individual that[:] the individual will be registered to vote in the


             57      pending election.
             58          [(i) they will be registered to vote in the pending election; and]
             59          [(ii) for the pending election, they must vote on the day of the election and will not be
             60      eligible to vote using early voting under Chapter 3, Part 6, Early Voting, because they
             61      registered too late.]
             62          [(3) If a registration form is submitted to the county clerk on the date of the election or
             63      during the 14 calendar days before an election, the county clerk shall:]
             64          [(a) accept registration forms from all persons who present themselves for registration
             65      at the clerk's office during designated office hours if those persons, on the date of the election,
             66      will be legally qualified and entitled to vote in a voting precinct in the county; and]
             67          [(b) inform them that they will be registered to vote but may not vote in the pending
             68      election because they registered too late.]
             69          (3) If an individual who will be legally qualified and entitled to vote in a voting
             70      precinct in the county on the date of an election appears in person, during designated office
             71      hours, and submits a registration form on the date of the election or during the 14 calendar days
             72      before an election, the county clerk shall:
             73          (a) accept the registration form; and
             74          (b) (i) if it is more than seven calendar days before the date of an election:
             75          (A) inform the individual that the individual is registered to vote in the pending
             76      election; and
             77          (B) for the pending election, the individual must vote on the day of the election and is
             78      not eligible to vote using early voting under Chapter 3, Part 6, Early Voting, because the
             79      individual registered too late; or
             80          (ii) if it is on the date of an election or during the seven calendar days before an
             81      election, inform the individual that the individual will be registered to vote but may not vote in
             82      the pending election because the individual registered too late.
             83          Section 3. Section 20A-2-206 is amended to read:
             84           20A-2-206. Electronic registration -- Requests for absentee ballot application.
             85          (1) The lieutenant governor may create and maintain an electronic system for voter
             86      registration and requesting an absentee ballot that is publicly available on the Internet.
             87          (2) An electronic system for voter registration shall require:


             88          (a) that an applicant have a valid driver license or identification card, issued under Title
             89      53, Chapter 3, Uniform Driver License Act, that reflects the person's current principal place of
             90      residence;
             91          (b) that the applicant provide the information required by Section 20A-2-104 , except
             92      that the applicant's signature may be obtained in the manner described in Subsections (2)(d)
             93      and (4);
             94          (c) that the applicant attest to the truth of the information provided; and
             95          (d) that the applicant authorize the lieutenant governor's and county clerk's use of the
             96      applicant's driver license or identification card signature, obtained under Title 53, Chapter 3,
             97      Uniform Driver License Act, for voter registration purposes.
             98          (3) Notwithstanding Section 20A-2-104 , an applicant using the electronic system for
             99      voter registration created under this section is not required to complete a printed registration
             100      form.
             101          (4) A system created and maintained under this section shall provide the notices
             102      concerning a voter's presentation of identification contained in Subsection 20A-2-104 (1).
             103          (5) The lieutenant governor shall obtain a digital copy of the applicant's driver license
             104      or identification card signature from the Driver License Division.
             105          (6) Upon receiving all information from an applicant and the Driver License Division,
             106      the lieutenant governor shall send the information to the county clerk for the county in which
             107      the applicant's principal place of residence is found for further action as required by Section
             108      20A-2-304 .
             109          (7) The lieutenant governor may use additional security measures to ensure the
             110      accuracy and integrity of an electronically submitted voter registration.
             111          (8) (a) If an individual applies to register under this section during the period beginning
             112      on the date after the voter registration deadline and ending on the date that is 15 calendar days
             113      before the date of an election, the county clerk shall:
             114          (i) accept the application for registration if the individual, on the date of the election,
             115      will be legally qualified and entitled to vote in a voting precinct in the state; and
             116          (ii) inform the individual that[: (A)] the individual is registered to vote in the pending
             117      election[; and].
             118          (b) If an individual applies to register under this section during the period beginning on


             119      the date that is 14 calendar days before the election and ending on the date that is seven
             120      calendar days before the election, the county clerk shall:
             121          (i) accept the application for registration if the individual, on the date of the election,
             122      will be legally qualified and entitled to vote in a voting precinct in the state; and
             123          (ii) inform the individual that:
             124          (A) the individual is registered to vote in the pending election; and
             125          (B) for the pending election, the individual must vote on the day of the election and is
             126      not eligible to vote using early voting under Chapter 3, Part 6, Early Voting, because the
             127      individual registered too late.
             128          [(b)] (c) If an individual applies to register under this section during the [14] six
             129      calendar days before an election, the county clerk shall:
             130          (i) accept the application for registration if the individual, on the date of the election,
             131      will be legally qualified and entitled to vote in a voting precinct in the state; and
             132          (ii) inform the individual that the individual is registered to vote but may not vote in
             133      the pending election because the individual registered too late.
             134          (9) (a) A registered voter may file an application for an absentee ballot in accordance
             135      with Section 20A-3-304 on the electronic system for voter registration established under this
             136      section.
             137          (b) The lieutenant governor shall provide a means by which a registered voter shall
             138      sign the application form as provided in Section 20A-3-304 .
             139          Section 4. Section 20A-4-107 is amended to read:
             140           20A-4-107. Review and disposition of provisional ballot envelopes.
             141          (1) As used in this section, a person is "legally entitled to vote" if:
             142          (a) the person:
             143          (i) is registered to vote in the state;
             144          (ii) votes the ballot for the voting precinct in which the person resides; and
             145          (iii) provided valid voter identification to the poll worker;
             146          (b) the person:
             147          (i) is registered to vote in the state;
             148          (ii) (A) provided valid voter identification to the poll worker; or
             149          (B) either failed to provide valid voter identification or the documents provided as


             150      valid voter identification were inadequate and the poll worker recorded that fact in the official
             151      register but the county clerk verifies the person's identity and residence through some other
             152      means; and
             153          (iii) did not vote in the person's precinct of residence, but the ballot that the person
             154      voted was from the person's county of residence and includes one or more candidates or ballot
             155      propositions on the ballot voted in the person's precinct of residence; or
             156          (c) the person:
             157          (i) is registered to vote in the state;
             158          (ii) either failed to provide valid voter identification or the documents provided as
             159      valid voter identification were inadequate and the poll worker recorded that fact in the official
             160      register; and
             161          (iii) (A) the county clerk verifies the person's identity and residence through some other
             162      means as reliable as photo identification; or
             163          (B) the person provides valid voter identification to the county clerk or an election
             164      officer who is administering the election by the close of normal office hours on Monday after
             165      the date of the election.
             166          (2) (a) Upon receipt of provisional ballot envelopes, the election officer shall review
             167      the affirmation on the face of each provisional ballot envelope and determine if the person
             168      signing the affirmation is:
             169          (i) registered to vote in this state; and
             170          (ii) legally entitled to vote:
             171          (A) the ballot that the person voted; or
             172          (B) if the ballot is from the person's county of residence, for at least one ballot
             173      proposition or candidate on the ballot that the person voted.
             174          (b) If the election officer determines that the person is not registered to vote in this
             175      state or is not legally entitled to vote in the county or for any of the ballot propositions or
             176      candidates on the ballot that the person voted, the election officer shall retain the ballot
             177      envelope, unopened, for the period specified in Section 20A-4-202 unless ordered by a court to
             178      produce or count it.
             179          (c) If the election officer determines that the person is registered to vote in this state
             180      and is legally entitled to vote in the county and for at least one of the ballot propositions or


             181      candidates on the ballot that the person voted, the election officer shall remove the ballot from
             182      the provisional ballot envelope and place the ballot with the absentee ballots to be counted with
             183      those ballots at the canvass.
             184          (d) The election officer may not count, or allow to be counted a provisional ballot
             185      unless the person's identity and residence is established by a preponderance of the evidence.
             186          (3) If the election officer determines that the person is registered to vote in this state,
             187      the election officer shall ensure that the voter registration records are updated to reflect the
             188      information provided on the provisional ballot envelope.
             189          (4) If the election officer determines that the person is not registered to vote in this
             190      state and the information on the provisional ballot envelope is complete, the election officer
             191      shall:
             192          (a) consider the provisional ballot envelope a voter registration form for the person's
             193      county of residence; and
             194          (b) (i) register the person if the voter's county of residence is within the county; or
             195          (ii) forward the voter registration form to the election officer of the person's county of
             196      residence, which election officer shall register the person.
             197          (5) Notwithstanding any provision of this section, the election officer shall remove the
             198      ballot from a provisional ballot envelope and place the ballot with the absentee ballots to be
             199      counted with those ballots at the canvass, if:
             200          (a) the election officer determines, in accordance with the provisions of this section,
             201      that the sole reason a provisional ballot may not otherwise be counted is because the voter
             202      registration was filed less than eight days before the election;
             203          (b) eight or more days before the election, the individual who cast the provisional
             204      ballot:
             205          (i) completed and signed the voter registration; and
             206          (ii) provided the voter registration to another person to file;
             207          (c) the late filing was made due to the person described in Subsection (5)(b)(ii) filing
             208      the voter registration less than eight days before the election; and
             209          (d) the election officer receives the voter registration no later than one day before the
             210      day of the election.


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