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First Substitute H.B. 255

Representative Sheryl L. Allen proposes the following substitute bill:


             1     
REGISTERING FOR PRIMARY ELECTIONS

             2     
2003 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Sponsor: Sheryl L. Allen

             5      This act modifies the election code by allowing unaffiliated voters to affiliate with a
             6      political party at all regular primary elections. Section 20A-2-107.5 is repealed July 1,
             7      2008.
             8      This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
             9      AMENDS:
             10          20A-3-104.5, as enacted by Chapter 328, Laws of Utah 2000
             11          63-55b-120, as last amended by Chapter 136, Laws of Utah 2002
             12      ENACTS:
             13          20A-2-107.5, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             14      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             15          Section 1. Section 20A-2-107.5 is enacted to read:
             16          20A-2-107.5. Designating or changing party affiliation -- Regular primary
             17      election.
             18          (1) At any regular primary election:
             19          (a) each county clerk shall provide change of party affiliation forms to the election
             20      judges for each voting precinct within the county; and
             21          (b) any registered voter who is classified as "unaffiliated" may affiliate with a political
             22      party by completing the form and giving it to the election judge.
             23          (2) An unaffiliated voter who affiliates with a political party as provided in Subsection
             24      (1)(b) may vote in that party's primary election.
             25          Section 2. Section 20A-3-104.5 is amended to read:



             26           20A-3-104.5. Voting -- Regular primary election.
             27          (1) (a) Any registered voter desiring to vote at the regular primary election shall give
             28      his name, the name of the registered political party whose ballot the voter wishes to vote, and,
             29      if requested, his residence, to one of the election judges.
             30          (b) If an election judge does not know the person requesting a ballot and has reason to
             31      doubt that person's identity, the judge shall request identification or have the voter identified by
             32      a known registered voter of the district.
             33          (c) If the voter is challenged as provided in Section 20A-3-202 , the judge shall provide
             34      a ballot to the voter if the voter takes an oath that the grounds of the challenge are false.
             35          (2) (a) (i) When the voter is properly identified, the election judge in charge of the
             36      official register shall check the official register to determine:
             37          (A) whether or not the person is registered to vote; and
             38          (B) whether or not the person's party affiliation designation in the official register
             39      allows the voter to vote the ballot that the voter requested.
             40          (ii) If the official register does not affirmatively identify the voter as being affiliated
             41      with a registered political party or if the official register identifies the voter as being
             42      "unaffiliated," the voter shall be considered to be "unaffiliated."
             43          (b) (i) If the voter's name is not found on the official register and, if it is not unduly
             44      disruptive of the election process, the election judge shall attempt to contact the county clerk's
             45      office to request oral verification of the voter's registration.
             46          (ii) If oral verification is received from the county clerk's office, the judge shall record
             47      the verification on the official register, determine the voter's party affiliation and the ballot that
             48      the voter is qualified to vote, and perform the other administrative steps required by Subsection
             49      (3).
             50          (c) (i) Except as provided in Subsection (2)(c)(ii), if the voter's political party
             51      affiliation listed in the official register does not allow the voter to vote the ballot that the voter
             52      requested, the election judge shall inform the voter of that fact and inform the voter of the
             53      ballot or ballots that the voter's party affiliation does allow the voter to vote.
             54          (ii) (A) If the voter is listed in the official register as "unaffiliated," or if the official
             55      register does not affirmatively identify the voter as either "unaffiliated" or affiliated with a
             56      registered political party, and the voter, as an "unaffiliated" voter, is not authorized to vote the



             57      ballot that the voter requests, the election judge shall ask the voter if the voter wishes to vote
             58      another registered political party ballot that the voter, as "unaffiliated," is authorized to vote, or
             59      remain "unaffiliated."
             60          (B) If the voter wishes to vote another registered political party ballot that the
             61      unaffiliated voter is authorized to vote, the election judge shall proceed as required by
             62      Subsection (3).
             63          (C) If the voter wishes to remain unaffiliated and does not wish to vote another ballot
             64      that unaffiliated voters are authorized to vote, the election judge shall instruct the voter that the
             65      voter may not vote.
             66          (iii) For the primary [election] elections held [June 24, 2002,] in 2004, 2006, and 2008
             67      only:
             68          (iv) (A) [if] If the voter is listed in the official register as "unaffiliated," or if the
             69      official register does not affirmatively identify the voter as either "unaffiliated" or "affiliated"
             70      with a registered political party, the election judge shall ask the voter if the voter wishes to
             71      affiliate with a registered political party, or remain "unaffiliated."
             72          (B) If the voter wishes to affiliate with the registered political party whose ballot the
             73      voter requested, the election judge shall direct the voter to complete the change of party
             74      affiliation form and proceed as required by Subsection (3).
             75          (C) If the voter wishes to remain unaffiliated and wishes to vote another registered
             76      political party ballot that the unaffiliated voter is authorized to vote, the election judge shall
             77      proceed as required by Subsection (3).
             78          (D) If the voter wishes to remain unaffiliated and does not wish to vote another ballot
             79      that unaffiliated voters are authorized to vote, the election judge shall instruct the voter that the
             80      voter may not vote.
             81          (3) If the election judge determines that the voter is registered and eligible, under
             82      Subsection (2), to vote the ballot that the voter requested:
             83          (a) the election judge in charge of the official register shall:
             84          (i) write the ballot number and the name of the registered political party whose ballot
             85      the voter voted opposite the name of the voter in the official register; and
             86          (ii) direct the voter to sign his name in the election column in the official register;
             87          (b) another judge shall list the ballot number and voter's name in the pollbook; and


             88          (c) the election judge having charge of the ballots shall:
             89          (i) endorse his initials on the stub;
             90          (ii) check the name of the voter on the pollbook list with the number of the stub;
             91          (iii) hand the voter the ballot for the registered political party that the voter requested
             92      and for which the voter is authorized to vote; and
             93          (iv) allow the voter to enter the voting booth.
             94          (4) Whenever the election officer is required to furnish more than one kind of official
             95      ballot to the voting precinct, the election judges of that voting precinct shall give the registered
             96      voter the kind of ballot that the voter is qualified to vote.
             97          Section 3. Section 63-55b-120 is amended to read:
             98           63-55b-120. Repeal dates, Title 20A.
             99          (1) Section 20A-1-205 is repealed January 1, 2003.
             100          (2) Section 20A-2-107.1 is repealed July 1, 2002.
             101          (3) Section 20A-2-107.5 is repealed July 1, 2008.


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