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H.B. 8

             1     

ELECTION LAW CHANGES

             2     
2000 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Sponsor: Loraine T. Pace

             5      AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS; ADDING AN AGE REQUIREMENT FOR
             6      CIRCULATORS OF INITIATIVE AND REFERENDA PETITIONERS; REQUIRING THAT
             7      PERSONS APPOINTED TO FILL A VACANCY IN A MUNICIPAL OFFICE MEET THE
             8      LEGAL QUALIFICATIONS FOR OFFICE; REVISING REQUIREMENTS FOR PETITION
             9      CIRCULATORS; AND MAKING TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.
             10      This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
             11      AMENDS:
             12          17-20-5, as last amended by Chapter 66, Laws of Utah 1984
             13          20A-1-510, as last amended by Chapter 24, Laws of Utah 1997
             14          20A-7-203, as last amended by Chapter 45, Laws of Utah 1999
             15          20A-7-205, as last amended by Chapter 45, Laws of Utah 1999
             16          20A-7-206, as last amended by Chapter 45, Laws of Utah 1999
             17          20A-7-303, as last amended by Chapter 45, Laws of Utah 1999
             18          20A-7-305, as last amended by Chapter 45, Laws of Utah 1999
             19          20A-7-306, as last amended by Chapter 45, Laws of Utah 1999
             20          20A-7-503, as last amended by Chapter 45, Laws of Utah 1999
             21          20A-7-504, as enacted by Chapter 272, Laws of Utah 1994
             22          20A-7-505, as last amended by Chapter 45, Laws of Utah 1999
             23          20A-7-506, as last amended by Chapter 45, Laws of Utah 1999
             24          20A-7-602, as enacted by Chapter 272, Laws of Utah 1994
             25          20A-7-603, as last amended by Chapter 45, Laws of Utah 1999
             26          20A-7-605, as last amended by Chapter 45, Laws of Utah 1999
             27          20A-7-606, as last amended by Chapter 45, Laws of Utah 1999


             28      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             29          Section 1. Section 17-20-5 is amended to read:
             30           17-20-5. Report of election and appointment of officers.
             31          [Every county clerk shall within] Within ten days after [the issuance by him of any] a
             32      county clerk issues a certificate of election [of elective county officers, excepting justices of the
             33      peace and constables, and after the issuance by him of any] or a certificate of appointment made
             34      to fill vacancies in elective county offices, [excepting justices of the peace and constables,] the
             35      county clerk shall prepare and forward to the lieutenant governor a certified report [on forms
             36      furnished by the lieutenant governor of every such certificate issued as aforesaid. Every such report
             37      shall show] showing:
             38          (1) the name of the county[,];
             39          (2) the name of the county office to which the person was elected or appointed[,];
             40          (3) the date of the election or appointment of [such] the person[;];
             41          (4) the date of the expiration of the term for which the person was elected or appointed[,];
             42          (5) the date of the certificate of election or appointment[,]; and
             43          (6) the date of the qualification of the person [so] elected or appointed.
             44          Section 2. Section 20A-1-510 is amended to read:
             45           20A-1-510. Midterm vacancies in municipal offices.
             46          (1) (a) Except as otherwise provided in Subsection (2), if any vacancy occurs in the office
             47      of municipal executive or member of a municipal legislative body, the municipal legislative body
             48      shall appoint a registered voter in the municipality who meets the qualifications for office
             49      established in Section 10-3-301 to fill the unexpired term of the office vacated until the January
             50      following the next municipal election.
             51          (b) Before acting to fill the vacancy, the municipal legislative body shall:
             52          (i) give public notice of the vacancy at least two weeks before the municipal legislative
             53      body meets to fill the vacancy; and
             54          (ii) identify, in the notice:
             55          (A) the date, time, and place of the meeting where the vacancy will be filled; and
             56          (B) the person to whom a person interested in being appointed to fill the vacancy may
             57      submit his name for consideration and any deadline for submitting it.
             58          (c) (i) If, for any reason, the municipal legislative body does not fill the vacancy within 30


             59      days after the vacancy occurs, the municipal legislative body shall vote upon the names that have
             60      been submitted.
             61          (ii) The two persons having the highest number of votes of the municipal legislative body
             62      shall appear before the municipal legislative body and the municipal legislative body shall vote
             63      again.
             64          (iii) If neither candidate receives a majority vote of the municipal legislative body at that
             65      time, the vacancy shall be filled by lot in the presence of the municipal legislative body.
             66          (2) (a) A vacancy in the office of municipal executive or member of a municipal legislative
             67      body shall be filled by an interim appointment, followed by an election to fill a two-year term, if:
             68          (i) the vacancy occurs, or a letter of resignation is received, by the municipal executive at
             69      least 14 days before the deadline for filing for election in an odd-numbered year; and
             70          (ii) two years of the vacated term will remain after the first Monday of January following
             71      the next municipal election.
             72          (b) In appointing an interim replacement, the municipal legislative body shall comply with
             73      the notice requirements of this section.
             74          (3) A member of a municipal legislative body may not participate in any part of the process
             75      established in this section to fill a vacancy if that member is being considered for appointment to
             76      fill the vacancy.
             77          Section 3. Section 20A-7-203 is amended to read:
             78           20A-7-203. Form of initiative petition and signature sheets.
             79          (1) (a) Each proposed initiative petition shall be printed in substantially the following
             80      form:
             81          "INITIATIVE PETITION To the Honorable ____, Lieutenant Governor:
             82          We, the undersigned citizens of Utah, respectfully demand that the following proposed law
             83      be submitted to the legal voters/Legislature of Utah for their/its approval or rejection at the regular
             84      general election/session to be held/ beginning on the ____ day of ____, 19__;
             85          Each signer says:
             86          I have personally signed this petition;
             87          I am registered to vote in Utah or intend to become registered to vote in Utah before the
             88      certification of the petition names by the county clerk; and
             89          My residence and post office address are written correctly after my name."


             90          (b) The sponsors of an initiative shall attach a copy of the proposed law to each initiative
             91      petition.
             92          (2) Each signature sheet shall:
             93          (a) be printed on sheets of paper 8-1/2 inches long and 11 inches wide;
             94          (b) be ruled with a horizontal line 3/4 inch from the top, with the space above that line
             95      blank for the purpose of binding;
             96          (c) contain the title of the initiative printed below the horizontal line;
             97          (d) contain the word "Warning" printed or typed at the top of each signature sheet under
             98      the title of the initiative;
             99          (e) contain, to the right of the word "Warning," the following statement printed or typed
             100      in not less than eight-point, single leaded type:
             101          "It is a class A misdemeanor for anyone to sign any initiative petition with any other name
             102      than his own, or knowingly to sign his name more than once for the same measure, or to sign an
             103      initiative petition when he knows he is not a registered voter and knows that he does not intend
             104      to become registered to vote before the certification of the petition names by the county clerk.";
             105          (f) contain horizontally ruled lines, 3/8 inch apart under the "Warning" statement required
             106      by this section; and
             107          (g) be vertically divided into columns as follows:
             108          (i) the first column shall appear at the extreme left of the sheet, be 5/8 inch wide, be
             109      headed with "For Office Use Only," and be subdivided with a light vertical line down the middle
             110      with the left subdivision entitled "Registered" and the right subdivision left untitled;
             111          (ii) the next column shall be three inches wide, headed "Registered Voter's Printed Name
             112      (must be legible to be counted)";
             113          (iii) the next column shall be three inches wide, headed "Signature of Registered Voter";
             114      and
             115          (iv) the final column shall be 4-3/8 inches wide, headed "Street Address, City, Zip Code".
             116          (3) The final page of each initiative packet shall contain the following printed or typed
             117      statement:
             118          "Verification
             119          State of Utah, County of ____
             120          I, _______________, of ____, hereby state that:


             121          I am a resident of Utah and am at least 18 years old;
             122          All the names that appear in this packet were signed by persons who professed to be the
             123      persons whose names appear in it, and each of them signed his name on it in my presence;
             124          I believe that each has printed and signed his name and written his post office address and
             125      residence correctly, and that each signer is registered to vote in Utah or intends to become
             126      registered to vote before the certification of the petition names by the county clerk.
             127          ________________________________________________________________________
             128          (Name) (Residence Address) (Date)"
             129          (4) The forms prescribed in this section are not mandatory, and, if substantially followed,
             130      the initiative petitions are sufficient, notwithstanding clerical and merely technical errors.
             131          Section 4. Section 20A-7-205 is amended to read:
             132           20A-7-205. Obtaining signatures -- Verification -- Removal of signature.
             133          (1) Any Utah voter may sign an initiative petition if the voter is a legal voter.
             134          (2) The sponsors shall ensure that the person in whose presence each signature sheet was
             135      signed:
             136          (a) is at least 18 years old and meets the residency requirements of Section 20A-2-105 ; and
             137          (b) verifies each signature sheet by completing the verification printed on the last page of
             138      each initiative packet.
             139          (3) (a) (i) Any voter who has signed an initiative petition may have his signature removed
             140      from the petition by submitting a notarized statement to that effect to the county clerk.
             141          (ii) In order for the signature to be removed, the statement must be received by the county
             142      clerk before he delivers the petition to the lieutenant governor.
             143          (b) Upon receipt of the statement, the county clerk shall remove the signature of the person
             144      submitting the statement from the initiative petition.
             145          (c) No one may remove signatures from an initiative petition after the petition is submitted
             146      to the lieutenant governor.
             147          Section 5. Section 20A-7-206 is amended to read:
             148           20A-7-206. Submitting the initiative petition -- Certification of signatures by the
             149      county clerks -- Transfer to lieutenant governor.
             150          (1) In order to qualify an initiative petition for placement on the regular general election
             151      ballot, the sponsors shall deliver each signed and verified initiative packet to the county clerk of


             152      the county in which the packet was circulated by the June 1 before the regular general election.
             153          (2) No later than June 15 before the regular general election, the county clerk shall:
             154          (a) check the names of all persons completing the verification for the initiative packet to
             155      determine whether or not those persons are residents of Utah and are at least 18 years old; and
             156          (b) submit the name of each of those persons who is not [registered to vote in Utah] a Utah
             157      resident or who is not at least 18 years old to the attorney general and county attorney.
             158          (3) No later than July 1 before the regular general election, the county clerk shall:
             159          (a) check all the names of the signers against the official registers to determine whether
             160      or not the signer is a registered voter;
             161          (b) certify on the petition whether or not each name is that of a registered voter; and
             162          (c) deliver all of the packets to the lieutenant governor.
             163          (4) In order to qualify an initiative petition for submission to the Legislature, the sponsors
             164      shall deliver each signed and verified initiative packet to the county clerk of the county in which
             165      the packet was circulated by the November 15 before the annual general session of the Legislature.
             166          (5) No later than December 1 before the annual general session of the Legislature, the
             167      county clerk shall:
             168          (a) check the names of all persons completing the verification for the initiative packet to
             169      determine whether or not those persons are Utah residents and are at least 18 years old; and
             170          (b) submit the name of each of those persons who is not a Utah resident or who is not at
             171      least 18 years old to the attorney general and county attorney.
             172          (6) No later than December 15 before the annual general session of the Legislature, the
             173      county clerk shall:
             174          (a) check all the names of the signers against the official registers to determine whether
             175      or not the signer is a registered voter;
             176          (b) certify on the petition whether or not each name is that of a registered voter; and
             177          (c) deliver all of the packets to the lieutenant governor.
             178          (7) Initiative packets are public once they are delivered to the county clerks.
             179          (8) The sponsor or their representatives may not retrieve initiative packets from the county
             180      clerks once they have submitted them.
             181          Section 6. Section 20A-7-303 is amended to read:
             182           20A-7-303. Form of referendum petition and signature sheets.


             183          (1) (a) Each proposed referendum petition shall be printed in substantially the following
             184      form:
             185          "REFERENDUM PETITION To the Honorable ____, Lieutenant Governor:
             186          We, the undersigned citizens of Utah, respectfully order that Senate (or House) Bill No.
             187      ____, entitled (title of act, and, if the petition is against less than the whole act, set forth here the
             188      part or parts on which the referendum is sought), passed by the ____ Session of the Legislature of
             189      the state of Utah, be referred to the people of Utah for their approval or rejection at a regular
             190      general election or a statewide special election;
             191          Each signer says:
             192          I have personally signed this petition;
             193          I am registered to vote in Utah or intend to become registered to vote in Utah before the
             194      certification of the petition names by the county clerk; and
             195          My residence and post office address are written correctly after my name."
             196          (b) The sponsors of a referendum shall attach a copy of the law that is the subject of the
             197      referendum to each referendum petition.
             198          (2) Each signature sheet shall:
             199          (a) be printed on sheets of paper 8-1/2 inches long and 11 inches wide;
             200          (b) be ruled with a horizontal line 3/4 inch from the top, with the space above that line
             201      blank for the purpose of binding;
             202          (c) contain the title of the referendum printed below the horizontal line;
             203          (d) contain the word "Warning" printed or typed at the top of each signature sheet under
             204      the title of the referendum;
             205          (e) contain, to the right of the word "Warning," the following statement printed or typed
             206      in not less than eight-point, single leaded type:
             207          "It is a class A misdemeanor for anyone to sign any referendum petition with any other
             208      name than his own, or knowingly to sign his name more than once for the same measure, or to sign
             209      a referendum petition when he knows he is not a registered voter and knows that he does not intend
             210      to become registered to vote before the certification of the petition names by the county clerk.";
             211          (f) contain horizontally ruled lines, 3/8 inch apart under the "Warning" statement required
             212      by this section; and
             213          (g) be vertically divided into columns as follows:


             214          (i) the first column shall appear at the extreme left of the sheet, be 5/8 inch wide, be
             215      headed with "For Office Use Only," and be subdivided with a light vertical line down the middle;
             216          (ii) the next column shall be three inches wide, headed "Registered Voter's Printed Name
             217      (must be legible to be counted)";
             218          (iii) the next column shall be three inches wide, headed "Signature of Registered Voter";
             219      and
             220          (iv) the final column shall be 4-3/8 inches wide, headed "Street Address, City, Zip Code".
             221          (3) The final page of each referendum packet shall contain the following printed or typed
             222      statement:
             223          "Verification
             224          State of Utah, County of ____
             225          I, _______________, of ____, hereby state that:
             226          I am a Utah resident and am at least 18 years old;
             227          All the names that appear in this packet were signed by persons who professed to be the
             228      persons whose names appear in it, and each of them signed his name on it in my presence;
             229          I believe that each has printed and signed his name and written his post office address and
             230      residence correctly, and that each signer is registered to vote in Utah or intends to become
             231      registered to vote before the certification of the petition names by the county clerk.
             232          ________________________________________________________________________
             233          (Name) (Residence Address) (Date)"
             234          (4) The forms prescribed in this section are not mandatory, and, if substantially followed,
             235      the referendum petitions are sufficient, notwithstanding clerical and merely technical errors.
             236          Section 7. Section 20A-7-305 is amended to read:
             237           20A-7-305. Obtaining signatures -- Verification -- Removal of signature.
             238          (1) Any Utah voter may sign a referendum petition if the voter is a legal voter.
             239          (2) The sponsors shall ensure that the person in whose presence each signature sheet was
             240      signed:
             241          (a) is at least 18 years old and meets the residency requirements of Section 20A-2-105 ; and
             242          (b) verifies each signature sheet by completing the verification printed on the last page of
             243      each signature sheet.
             244          (3) (a) (i) Any voter who has signed a referendum petition may have his signature removed


             245      from the petition by submitting a notarized statement to that effect to the county clerk.
             246          (ii) In order for the signature to be removed, the statement must be received by the county
             247      clerk before he delivers the petition to the lieutenant governor.
             248          (b) Upon receipt of the statement, the county clerk shall remove the signature of the person
             249      submitting the statement from the referendum petition.
             250          (c) No one may remove signatures from a referendum petition after the petition is
             251      submitted to the lieutenant governor.
             252          Section 8. Section 20A-7-306 is amended to read:
             253           20A-7-306. Submitting the referendum petition -- Certification of signatures by the
             254      county clerks -- Transfer to lieutenant governor.
             255          (1) No later than 40 days after the end of the legislative session at which the law passed,
             256      the sponsors shall deliver each signed and verified referendum packet to the county clerk of the
             257      county in which the packet was circulated.
             258          (2) No later than 55 days after the end of the legislative session at which the law passed,
             259      the county clerk shall:
             260          (a) check the names of all persons completing the verification on the back of each
             261      signature sheet to determine whether or not those persons are Utah residents and are at least 18
             262      years old; and
             263          (b) submit the name of each of those persons who is not a Utah resident or who is not at
             264      least 18 years old to the attorney general and county attorney.
             265          (3) No later than 55 days after the end of the legislative session at which the law passed,
             266      the county clerk shall:
             267          (a) check all the names of the signers against the official registers to determine whether
             268      or not the signer is a voter;
             269          (b) certify on the referendum petition whether or not each name is that of a voter; and
             270          (c) deliver all of the referendum packets to the lieutenant governor.
             271          Section 9. Section 20A-7-503 is amended to read:
             272           20A-7-503. Form of initiative petitions and signature sheets.
             273          (1) (a) Each proposed initiative petition shall be printed in substantially the following
             274      form:
             275          "INITIATIVE PETITION To the Honorable ____, County Clerk/City Recorder/Town


             276      Clerk:
             277          We, the undersigned citizens of Utah, respectfully demand that the following proposed law
             278      be submitted to: the legislative body for its approval or rejection at its next meeting; and the legal
             279      voters of the county/city/town, if the legislative body rejects the proposed law or takes no action
             280      on it.
             281          Each signer says:
             282          I have personally signed this petition;
             283          I am registered to vote in Utah or intend to become registered to vote in Utah before the
             284      certification of the petition names by the county clerk; and
             285          My residence and post office address are written correctly after my name."
             286          (b) The sponsors of an initiative shall attach a copy of the proposed law to each initiative
             287      petition.
             288          (2) Each signature sheet shall:
             289          (a) be printed on sheets of paper 8-1/2 inches long and 11 inches wide;
             290          (b) be ruled with a horizontal line 3/4 inch from the top, with the space above that line
             291      blank for the purpose of binding;
             292          (c) contain the title of the initiative printed below the horizontal line;
             293          (d) contain the word "Warning" printed or typed at the top of each signature sheet under
             294      the title of the initiative;
             295          (e) contain, to the right of the word "Warning," the following statement printed or typed
             296      in not less than eight-point, single leaded type:
             297          "It is a class A misdemeanor for anyone to sign any initiative petition with any other name
             298      than his own, or knowingly to sign his name more than once for the same measure, or to sign an
             299      initiative petition when he knows he is not a registered voter and knows that he does not intend
             300      to become registered to vote before the certification of the petition names by the county clerk.";
             301          (f) contain horizontally ruled lines, 3/8 inch apart under the "Warning" statement required
             302      by this section;
             303          (g) be vertically divided into columns as follows:
             304          (i) the first column shall appear at the extreme left of the sheet, be 5/8 inch wide, be
             305      headed with "For Office Use Only", and be subdivided with a light vertical line down the middle
             306      with the left subdivision entitled "Registered" and the right subdivision left untitled;


             307          (ii) the next column shall be three inches wide, headed "Registered Voter's Printed Name
             308      (must be legible to be counted)";
             309          (iii) the next column shall be three inches wide, headed "Signature of Registered Voter";
             310      and
             311          (iv) the final column shall be 4-3/8 inches wide, headed "Street Address, City, Zip Code";
             312      and
             313          (h) contain the following statement, printed or typed upon the back of each sheet:
             314          "Verification
             315          State of Utah, County of ____
             316          I, _______________, of ____, hereby state that:
             317          I am a resident of Utah and am at least 18 years old;
             318          All the names that appear on this sheet were signed by persons who professed to be the
             319      persons whose names appear in it, and each of them signed his name on it in my presence;
             320          I believe that each has printed and signed his name and written his post office address and
             321      residence correctly, and that each signer is registered to vote in Utah or intends to become
             322      registered to vote before the certification of the petition names by the county clerk.
             323          _____________________________"
             324          (3) The forms prescribed in this section are not mandatory, and, if substantially followed,
             325      the initiative petitions are sufficient, notwithstanding clerical and merely technical errors.
             326          Section 10. Section 20A-7-504 is amended to read:
             327           20A-7-504. Circulation requirements -- Local clerk to provide sponsors with
             328      materials.
             329          (1) In order to obtain the necessary number of signatures required by this part, the sponsors
             330      shall circulate initiative packets that meet the form requirements of this part.
             331          (2) The local clerk shall furnish to the sponsors:
             332          (a) [five copies] one copy of the initiative petition; and
             333          (b) [five] one signature [sheets] sheet.
             334          (3) The sponsors of the petition shall:
             335          (a) arrange and pay for the printing of all additional copies of the petition and signature
             336      sheets; and
             337          (b) ensure that the copies of the petition and signature sheets meet the form requirements


             338      of this section.
             339          (4) (a) The sponsors may prepare the initiative for circulation by creating multiple
             340      initiative packets.
             341          (b) The sponsors shall create those packets by binding a copy of the initiative petition, a
             342      copy of the proposed law, and no more than 50 signature sheets together at the top in such a way
             343      that the packets may be conveniently opened for signing.
             344          (c) The sponsors need not attach a uniform number of signature sheets to each initiative
             345      packet.
             346          (5) (a) After the sponsors have prepared sufficient initiative packets, they shall return them
             347      to the local clerk.
             348          (b) The local clerk shall:
             349          (i) number each of the initiative packets and return them to the sponsors within five
             350      working days; and
             351          (ii) keep a record of the numbers assigned to each packet.
             352          Section 11. Section 20A-7-505 is amended to read:
             353           20A-7-505. Obtaining signatures -- Verification -- Removal of signature.
             354          (1) Any Utah voter may sign a local initiative petition if the voter is a legal voter and
             355      resides in the local jurisdiction.
             356          (2) The sponsors shall ensure that the person in whose presence each signature sheet was
             357      signed:
             358          (a) is at least 18 years old and meets the residency requirements of Section 20A-2-105 ; and
             359          (b) verifies each signature sheet by completing the verification printed on the back of each
             360      signature sheet.
             361          (3) (a) (i) Any voter who has signed an initiative petition may have his signature removed
             362      from the petition by submitting a notarized statement to that effect to the local clerk.
             363          (ii) In order for the signature to be removed, the statement must be received by the local
             364      clerk before he delivers the petition to the county clerk to be certified.
             365          (b) Upon receipt of the statement, the local clerk shall remove the signature of the person
             366      submitting the statement from the initiative petition.
             367          (c) No one may remove signatures from an initiative petition after the petition is submitted
             368      to the county clerk to be certified.


             369          Section 12. Section 20A-7-506 is amended to read:
             370           20A-7-506. Submitting the initiative petition -- Certification of signatures by the
             371      county clerks -- Transfer to local clerk.
             372          (1) No later than 120 days before any regular general election, for county initiatives, or
             373      municipal general election, for municipal initiatives, the sponsors shall deliver each signed and
             374      verified initiative packet to the county clerk of the county in which the packet was circulated.
             375          (2) No later than 90 days before any general election, the county clerk shall:
             376          (a) check the names of all persons completing the verification on the back of each
             377      signature sheet to determine whether or not those persons are residents of Utah and are at least 18
             378      years old; and
             379          (b) submit the name of each of those persons who is not a Utah resident or who is not at
             380      least 18 years old to the attorney general and county attorney.
             381          (3) No later than 60 days before any general election, the county clerk shall:
             382          (a) check all the names of the signers against the official registers to determine whether
             383      or not the signer is a voter;
             384          (b) certify on the petition whether or not each name is that of a voter; and
             385          (c) deliver all of the packets to the local clerk.
             386          Section 13. Section 20A-7-602 is amended to read:
             387           20A-7-602. Local referendum process -- Application procedures.
             388          (1) Persons wishing to circulate a referendum petition shall file an application with the
             389      local clerk.
             390          (2) The application shall contain:
             391          (a) the name and residence address of at least five sponsors of the referendum petition;
             392          (b) a certification indicating that each of the sponsors:
             393          (i) is a [voter] resident of Utah; and
             394          (ii) (A) if the referendum challenges a county ordinance, has voted in a regular general
             395      election in Utah within the last three years; or
             396          (B) if the referendum challenges a municipal ordinance, has voted in a regular municipal
             397      election in Utah within the last three years;
             398          (c) the signature of each of the sponsors, attested to by a notary public; and
             399          (d) [five copies] one copy of the law.


             400          Section 14. Section 20A-7-603 is amended to read:
             401           20A-7-603. Form of referendum petition and signature sheets.
             402          (1) (a) Each proposed referendum petition shall be printed in substantially the following
             403      form:
             404          "REFERENDUM PETITION To the Honorable ____, County Clerk/City Recorder/Town
             405      Clerk:
             406          We, the undersigned citizens of Utah, respectfully order that Ordinance No. ____, entitled
             407      (title of ordinance, and, if the petition is against less than the whole ordinance, set forth here the
             408      part or parts on which the referendum is sought), passed by the ____ be referred to the voters for
             409      their approval or rejection at the regular/municipal general election to be held on the ____ day of
             410      ____, 19__;
             411          Each signer says:
             412          I have personally signed this petition;
             413          I am registered to vote in Utah or intend to become registered to vote in Utah before the
             414      certification of the petition names by the county clerk; and
             415          My residence and post office address are written correctly after my name."
             416          (b) The sponsors of a referendum shall attach a copy of the law that is the subject of the
             417      referendum to each referendum petition.
             418          (2) Each signature sheet shall:
             419          (a) be printed on sheets of paper 8-1/2 inches long and 11 inches wide;
             420          (b) be ruled with a horizontal line 3/4 inch from the top, with the space above that line
             421      blank for the purpose of binding;
             422          (c) contain the title of the referendum printed below the horizontal line;
             423          (d) contain the word "Warning" printed or typed at the top of each signature sheet under
             424      the title of the referendum;
             425          (e) contain, to the right of the word "Warning," the following statement printed or typed
             426      in not less than eight-point, single leaded type:
             427          "It is a class A misdemeanor for anyone to sign any referendum petition with any other
             428      name than his own, or knowingly to sign his name more than once for the same measure, or to sign
             429      a referendum petition when he knows he is not a registered voter and knows that he does not intend
             430      to become registered to vote before the certification of the petition names by the county clerk.";


             431          (f) contain horizontally ruled lines, 3/8 inch apart under the "Warning" statement required
             432      by this section;
             433          (g) be vertically divided into columns as follows:
             434          (i) the first column shall appear at the extreme left of the sheet, be 5/8 inch wide, be
             435      headed with "For Office Use Only," and be subdivided with a light vertical line down the middle;
             436          (ii) the next column shall be three inches wide, headed "Registered Voter's Printed Name
             437      (must be legible to be counted)";
             438          (iii) the next column shall be three inches wide, headed "Signature of Registered Voter";
             439      and
             440          (iv) the final column shall be 4-3/8 inches wide, headed "Street Address, City, Zip Code";
             441      and
             442          (h) contain the following statement, printed or typed upon the back of each sheet:
             443          "Verification
             444          State of Utah, County of ____
             445          I, _______________, of ____, hereby state that:
             446          I am a resident of Utah and am at least 18 years old;
             447          All the names that appear on this sheet were signed by persons who professed to be the
             448      persons whose names appear in it, and each of them signed his name on it in my presence;
             449          I believe that each has printed and signed his name and written his post office address and
             450      residence correctly, and that each signer is registered to vote in Utah or intends to become
             451      registered to vote before the certification of the petition names by the county clerk.
             452          _____________________________"
             453          (3) The forms prescribed in this section are not mandatory, and, if substantially followed,
             454      the referendum petitions are sufficient, notwithstanding clerical and merely technical errors.
             455          Section 15. Section 20A-7-605 is amended to read:
             456           20A-7-605. Obtaining signatures -- Verification -- Removal of signature.
             457          (1) Any Utah voter may sign a local referendum petition if the voter is a legal voter and
             458      resides in the local jurisdiction.
             459          (2) The sponsors shall ensure that the person in whose presence each signature sheet was
             460      signed:
             461          (a) is at least 18 years old and meets the residency requirements of Section 20A-2-105 ; and


             462          (b) verifies each signature sheet by completing the verification printed on the back of each
             463      signature sheet.
             464          (3) (a) [(i)] Any voter who has signed a referendum petition may have his signature
             465      removed from the petition by submitting a notarized statement to that effect to the local clerk.
             466          [(ii) In order for the signature to be removed, the statement must be received by the local
             467      clerk before he delivers the petition to the county clerk to be certified.]
             468          (b) [Upon] Except as provided in Subsection (3)(c), upon receipt of the statement, the local
             469      clerk shall remove the signature of the person submitting the statement from the referendum
             470      petition.
             471          (c) [No one] A local clerk may not remove signatures from a referendum petition after the
             472      petition [is] has been submitted to the county clerk to be certified.
             473          Section 16. Section 20A-7-606 is amended to read:
             474           20A-7-606. Submitting the referendum petition -- Certification of signatures by the
             475      county clerks -- Transfer to local clerk.
             476          (1) No later than 120 days before any regular general election for county referenda, or
             477      municipal general election for local referenda, the sponsors shall deliver each signed and verified
             478      referendum packet to the county clerk of the county in which the packet was circulated.
             479          (2) No later than 90 days before any general election, the county clerk shall:
             480          (a) check the names of all persons completing the verification on the back of each
             481      signature sheet to determine whether or not those persons are Utah residents and are at least 18
             482      years old; and
             483          (b) submit the name of each of those persons who is not a Utah resident or who is not at
             484      least 18 years old to the attorney general and county attorney.
             485          (3) No later than 60 days before any general election, the county clerk shall:
             486          (a) check all the names of the signers against the official registers to determine whether
             487      or not the signer is a voter;
             488          (b) certify on the referendum petition whether or not each name is that of a voter; and
             489          (c) deliver all of the referendum packets to the local clerk.





Legislative Review Note
    as of 11-1-99 7:38 AM


A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


Committee Note

The Government Operations Interim Committee recommended this bill.


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