H.B. 352

1

ELECTION LAW VOTER REGISTRATION AND
2 ELECTION NOTICE AMENDMENTS
3 2003 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Sponsor: Douglas C. Aagard
6 This act modifies the Election Code to clarify that a voter may not change party
7 affiliation at a satellite voter registration location, but shall comply with the provision
8 regulating the process for changing party affiliation. This act eliminates the requirement
9 that the lieutenant governor post notice of elections if notice of the election is published.
10 This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
11 AMENDS:
12 20A-2-203, as last amended by Chapter 45, Laws of Utah 1999
13 20A-5-101, as last amended by Chapters 40 and 362, Laws of Utah 1998
14 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
15 Section 1. Section 20A-2-203 is amended to read:
16 20A-2-203. Satellite location -- Registration by satellite registrar.
17 (1) (a) Each county clerk shall designate at least one satellite location for voter
18 registration for every 25,000 people residing within the county.
19 (b) A county clerk may designate as many satellite locations as desired.
20 (2) (a) Any person who meets the voter registration requirements may register to vote
21 with a satellite registrar at any satellite location within the person's county of residence between
22 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.:
23 (i) on the Friday and Monday, the eighth and eleventh day, before the regular primary
24 election in counties holding a primary election;
25 (ii) on the Friday and Monday, the eighth and eleventh day, before the regular general
26 election;
27 (iii) on the Friday and Monday, the eighth and eleventh day, before the municipal

28 primary election in municipalities holding a municipal primary election; and
29 (iv) on the Friday and Monday, the eighth and eleventh day, before the municipal
30 general election.
31 (b) Each satellite registrar shall register to vote all persons who:
32 (i) present themselves for registration; and
33 (ii) are legally qualified and entitled to vote in that voting precinct on election day.
34 (3) (a) Unless the voter is registering for the first time, a voter may not designate or
35 change the voter's political party affiliation at the satellite location for voter registration on the
36 dates established in Subsection (2)(a)(i) for primary election voter registration.
37 (b) A voter wanting to change political party affiliation shall comply with the
38 requirements of Section 20A-2-107 .
39 [(3)] (4) For municipal elections, the municipality in which the registration is made
40 shall pay the expenses of registration.
41 Section 2. Section 20A-5-101 is amended to read:
42 20A-5-101. Notice of election.
43 (1) On or before February 1 in each regular general election year, the lieutenant
44 governor shall prepare and transmit a written notice to each county clerk that:
45 (a) designates the offices to be filled at the regular general election;
46 (b) identifies the dates for filing a declaration of candidacy for those offices; and
47 (c) contains a description of any ballot propositions to be decided by the voters that
48 have qualified for the ballot as of that date.
49 (2) (a) No later than February 10, each county clerk shall:
50 (i) publish a notice once in a newspaper published in that county; [and] or
51 (ii) (A) cause a copy of the notice to be posted in a conspicuous place most likely to
52 give notice of the election to the voters in each voting precinct within the county; and
53 (B) prepare an affidavit of that posting, showing a copy of the notice and the places
54 where the notice was posted.
55 (b) The notice required by Subsection (2)(a) shall:
56 (i) designate the offices to be voted on in that election in that county, other than special
57 district offices; and
58 (ii) identify the dates for filing a declaration of candidacy for those offices.

59 (3) Before each election, the election officer shall give written or printed notice of:
60 (a) the date and place of election;
61 (b) the hours during which the polls will be open;
62 (c) the polling places for each voting precinct; and
63 (d) the qualifications for persons to vote in the election.
64 (4) To provide the notice required by Subsection (3), the election officer shall publish
65 the notice at least two days before the election in a newspaper of general circulation common to
66 the area or in which the election is being held.




Legislative Review Note
as of 2-12-03 4:32 PM

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

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel