H.B. 43 Enrolled

1

ALLOWANCE OF POLLING PLACES FOR
2 EARLY VOTING
3 2008 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Chief Sponsor: Glenn A. Donnelson
6 Senate Sponsor: Peter C. Knudson
7
8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This bill modifies the Election Code by amending provisions for the location of early
11 voting polling places.
12 Highlighted Provisions:
13 This bill:
14 . amends early voting polling place location provisions to permit the election officer to
15 use a nongovernment building or office for a polling place if there is no government
16 building or office available that meets certain requirements; and
17 . makes technical changes.
18 Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
19 None
20 Other Special Clauses:
21 None
22 Utah Code Sections Affected:
23 AMENDS:
24 20A-3-603, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapters 256 and 258
25
26 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
27 Section 1. Section 20A-3-603 is amended to read:
28 20A-3-603. Early voting polling places.
29 (1) The election officer shall designate one or more polling places for early voting,

30 provided that:
31 (a) except as provided in Subsection (3), at least one polling place is open on each day
32 that polls are open during the early voting period;
33 (b) each polling place meets the requirements for polling places under Chapter 5,
34 Election Administration;
35 (c) for all elections other than local special elections, municipal primary elections, and
36 municipal general elections, at least 10% of the voting devices at a polling place are accessible
37 for individuals with disabilities in accordance with Public Law 107-252, the Help America Vote
38 Act of 2002; and
39 (d) each polling place is located in a government building or office, unless the election
40 officer determines that, in the area designated by the election officer, there is no government
41 building or office [is] available[.] that:
42 (i) can be scheduled for use during early voting hours;
43 (ii) has the physical facilities necessary to accommodate early voting requirements;
44 (iii) has adequate space for voting equipment, poll workers, and voters; and
45 (iv) has adequate security, public accessibility, and parking.
46 (2) (a) In the event the election officer determines that the number of early voting
47 polling places is insufficient due to the number of registered voters who are voting, the election
48 officer may designate additional polling places during the early voting period.
49 (b) If an additional early voting polling place is designated, the election officer shall, as
50 soon as is reasonably possible, give notice of the dates, times, and location of the additional
51 polling place by:
52 (i) publishing the notice in one issue of a newspaper of general circulation in the county;
53 and
54 (ii) posting the notice at the additional polling place.
55 (3) For each regular general election and regular primary election, counties of the first
56 class shall ensure that:
57 (a) at least one polling place is located within each Utah State Senate district that is

58 located wholly or partially within the county; and
59 (b) at least one polling place located within each district is open on each day that polls
60 are open during the early voting period.