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H.B. 339

             1     

ELECTION BALLOT AMENDMENTS

             2     
2012 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Steve Eliason

             5     
Senate Sponsor: Curtis S. Bramble

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill modifies provisions in Title 20A, Election Code, related to election ballots.
             10      Highlighted Provisions:
             11          This bill:
             12          .    provides a definition;
             13          .    requires an election officer to include a business reply mail envelope with an
             14      absentee ballot in certain circumstances;
             15          .    changes the date on which an election officer mails an absentee ballot;
             16          .    requires the election officer to notify a voter if the voter's absentee ballot is rejected
             17      and the reason the absentee ballot was rejected;
             18          .    requires the election officer to report all absentee ballots that were rejected;
             19          .    requires an elections officer to ensure that an absentee or provisional ballot is not
             20      accessible until the ballot is counted; and
             21          .    makes technical changes.
             22      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             23          None
             24      Other Special Clauses:
             25          None
             26      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             27      AMENDS:


             28          20A-1-102, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapters 17, 40, 310, and 335
             29          20A-3-302, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, Chapter 71
             30          20A-3-302.5, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2009, Chapter 24
             31          20A-3-305, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 197
             32          20A-3-306, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2009, Chapter 191
             33          20A-3-307, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 324
             34          20A-3-308, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapter 327
             35          20A-4-304, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 82
             36     
             37      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             38          Section 1. Section 20A-1-102 is amended to read:
             39           20A-1-102. Definitions.
             40          As used in this title:
             41          (1) "Active voter" means a registered voter who has not been classified as an inactive
             42      voter by the county clerk.
             43          (2) "Automatic tabulating equipment" means apparatus that automatically examines
             44      and counts votes recorded on paper ballots or ballot sheets and tabulates the results.
             45          (3) (a) "Ballot" means the storage medium, whether paper, mechanical, or electronic,
             46      upon which a voter records the voter's votes.
             47          (b) "Ballot" includes ballot sheets, paper ballots, electronic ballots, and secrecy
             48      envelopes.
             49          (4) "Ballot sheet":
             50          (a) means a ballot that:
             51          (i) consists of paper or a card where the voter's votes are marked or recorded; and
             52          (ii) can be counted using automatic tabulating equipment; and
             53          (b) includes punch card ballots and other ballots that are machine-countable.
             54          (5) "Ballot label" means the cards, papers, booklet, pages, or other materials that:
             55          (a) contain the names of offices and candidates and statements of ballot propositions to
             56      be voted on; and
             57          (b) are used in conjunction with ballot sheets that do not display that information.
             58          (6) "Ballot proposition" means a question, issue, or proposal that is submitted to voters


             59      on the ballot for their approval or rejection including:
             60          (a) an opinion question specifically authorized by the Legislature;
             61          (b) a constitutional amendment;
             62          (c) an initiative;
             63          (d) a referendum;
             64          (e) a bond proposition;
             65          (f) a judicial retention question; or
             66          (g) any other ballot question specifically authorized by the Legislature.
             67          (7) "Board of canvassers" means the entities established by Sections 20A-4-301 and
             68      20A-4-306 to canvass election returns.
             69          (8) "Bond election" means an election held for the purpose of approving or rejecting
             70      the proposed issuance of bonds by a government entity.
             71          (9) "Book voter registration form" means voter registration forms contained in a bound
             72      book that are used by election officers and registration agents to register persons to vote.
             73          (10) "Business reply mail envelope" means an envelope that may be mailed free of
             74      charge by the sender.
             75          [(10)] (11) "By-mail voter registration form" means a voter registration form designed
             76      to be completed by the voter and mailed to the election officer.
             77          [(11)] (12) "Canvass" means the review of election returns and the official declaration
             78      of election results by the board of canvassers.
             79          [(12)] (13) "Canvassing judge" means a poll worker designated to assist in counting
             80      ballots at the canvass.
             81          [(13)] (14) "Contracting election officer" means an election officer who enters into a
             82      contract or interlocal agreement with a provider election officer.
             83          [(14)] (15) "Convention" means the political party convention at which party officers
             84      and delegates are selected.
             85          [(15)] (16) "Counting center" means one or more locations selected by the election
             86      officer in charge of the election for the automatic counting of ballots.
             87          [(16)] (17) "Counting judge" means a poll worker designated to count the ballots
             88      during election day.
             89          [(17)] (18) "Counting poll watcher" means a person selected as provided in Section


             90      20A-3-201 to witness the counting of ballots.
             91          [(18)] (19) "Counting room" means a suitable and convenient private place or room,
             92      immediately adjoining the place where the election is being held, for use by the poll workers
             93      and counting judges to count ballots during election day.
             94          [(19)] (20) "County officers" means those county officers that are required by law to be
             95      elected.
             96          [(20)] (21) "Date of the election" or "election day" or "day of the election":
             97          (a) means the day that is specified in the calendar year as the day that the election
             98      occurs; and
             99          (b) does not include:
             100          (i) deadlines established for absentee voting; or
             101          (ii) any early voting or early voting period as provided under Chapter 3, Part 6, Early
             102      Voting.
             103          [(21)] (22) "Elected official" means:
             104          (a) a person elected to an office under Section 20A-1-303 ;
             105          (b) a person who is considered to be elected to a municipal office in accordance with
             106      Subsection 20A-1-206 (1)(c)(ii); or
             107          (c) a person who is considered to be elected to a local district office in accordance with
             108      Subsection 20A-1-206 (3)(c)(ii).
             109          [(22)] (23) "Election" means a regular general election, a municipal general election, a
             110      statewide special election, a local special election, a regular primary election, a municipal
             111      primary election, and a local district election.
             112          [(23)] (24) "Election Assistance Commission" means the commission established by
             113      Public Law 107-252, the Help America Vote Act of 2002.
             114          [(24)] (25) "Election cycle" means the period beginning on the first day persons are
             115      eligible to file declarations of candidacy and ending when the canvass is completed.
             116          [(25)] (26) "Election judge" means a poll worker that is assigned to:
             117          (a) preside over other poll workers at a polling place;
             118          (b) act as the presiding election judge; or
             119          (c) serve as a canvassing judge, counting judge, or receiving judge.
             120          [(26)] (27) "Election officer" means:


             121          (a) the lieutenant governor, for all statewide ballots and elections;
             122          (b) the county clerk for:
             123          (i) a county ballot and election; and
             124          (ii) a ballot and election as a provider election officer as provided in Section
             125      20A-5-400.1 or 20A-5-400.5 ;
             126          (c) the municipal clerk for:
             127          (i) a municipal ballot and election; and
             128          (ii) a ballot and election as a provider election officer as provided in Section
             129      20A-5-400.1 or 20A-5-400.5 ;
             130          (d) the local district clerk or chief executive officer for:
             131          (i) a local district ballot and election; and
             132          (ii) a ballot and election as a provider election officer as provided in Section
             133      20A-5-400.1 or 20A-5-400.5 ; or
             134          (e) the business administrator or superintendent of a school district for:
             135          (i) a school district ballot and election; and
             136          (ii) a ballot and election as a provider election officer as provided in Section
             137      20A-5-400.1 or 20A-5-400.5 .
             138          [(27)] (28) "Election official" means:
             139          (a) for an election other than a bond election, the count of votes cast in the election and
             140      the election returns requested by the board of canvassers; or
             141          (b) any election officer, election judge, or poll worker.
             142          [(28)] (29) "Election results" means:
             143          (a) for an election other than a bond election, the count of votes cast in the election and
             144      the election returns requested by the board of canvassers; or
             145          (b) for bond elections, the count of those votes cast for and against the bond
             146      proposition plus any or all of the election returns that the board of canvassers may request.
             147          [(29)] (30) "Election returns" includes the pollbook, all affidavits of registration, the
             148      military and overseas absentee voter registration and voting certificates, one of the tally sheets,
             149      any unprocessed absentee ballots, all counted ballots, all excess ballots, all unused ballots, all
             150      spoiled ballots, the ballot disposition form, and the total votes cast form.
             151          [(30)] (31) "Electronic ballot" means a ballot that is recorded using a direct electronic


             152      voting device or other voting device that records and stores ballot information by electronic
             153      means.
             154          [(31)] (32) "Electronic signature" means an electronic sound, symbol, or process
             155      attached to or logically associated with a record and executed or adopted by a person with the
             156      intent to sign the record.
             157          [(32)] (33) (a) "Electronic voting device" means a voting device that uses electronic
             158      ballots.
             159          (b) "Electronic voting device" includes a direct recording electronic voting device.
             160          [(33)] (34) "Inactive voter" means a registered voter who has:
             161          (a) been sent the notice required by Section 20A-2-306 ; and
             162          (b) failed to respond to that notice.
             163          [(34)] (35) "Inspecting poll watcher" means a person selected as provided in this title to
             164      witness the receipt and safe deposit of voted and counted ballots.
             165          [(35)] (36) "Judicial office" means the office filled by any judicial officer.
             166          [(36)] (37) "Judicial officer" means any justice or judge of a court of record or any
             167      county court judge.
             168          [(37)] (38) "Local district" means a local government entity under Title 17B, Limited
             169      Purpose Local Government Entities - Local Districts, and includes a special service district
             170      under Title 17D, Chapter 1, Special Service District Act.
             171          [(38)] (39) "Local district officers" means those local district officers that are required
             172      by law to be elected.
             173          [(39)] (40) "Local election" means a regular municipal election, a local special
             174      election, a local district election, and a bond election.
             175          [(40)] (41) "Local political subdivision" means a county, a municipality, a local
             176      district, or a local school district.
             177          [(41)] (42) "Local special election" means a special election called by the governing
             178      body of a local political subdivision in which all registered voters of the local political
             179      subdivision may vote.
             180          [(42)] (43) "Municipal executive" means:
             181          (a) the mayor in the council-mayor form of government defined in Section 10-3b-102 ;
             182      or


             183          (b) the mayor in the council-manager form of government defined in Subsection
             184      10-3b-103 (6).
             185          [(43)] (44) "Municipal general election" means the election held in municipalities and
             186      local districts on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each odd-numbered
             187      year for the purposes established in Section 20A-1-202 .
             188          [(44)] (45) "Municipal legislative body" means the council of the city or town in any
             189      form of municipal government.
             190          [(45)] (46) "Municipal office" means an elective office in a municipality.
             191          [(46)] (47) "Municipal officers" means those municipal officers that are required by
             192      law to be elected.
             193          [(47)] (48) "Municipal primary election" means an election held to nominate
             194      candidates for municipal office.
             195          [(48)] (49) "Official ballot" means the ballots distributed by the election officer to the
             196      poll workers to be given to voters to record their votes.
             197          [(49)] (50) "Official endorsement" means:
             198          (a) the information on the ballot that identifies:
             199          (i) the ballot as an official ballot;
             200          (ii) the date of the election; and
             201          (iii) the facsimile signature of the election officer; and
             202          (b) the information on the ballot stub that identifies:
             203          (i) the poll worker's initials; and
             204          (ii) the ballot number.
             205          [(50)] (51) "Official register" means the official record furnished to election officials
             206      by the election officer that contains the information required by Section 20A-5-401 .
             207          [(51)] (52) "Paper ballot" means a paper that contains:
             208          (a) the names of offices and candidates and statements of ballot propositions to be
             209      voted on; and
             210          (b) spaces for the voter to record the voter's vote for each office and for or against each
             211      ballot proposition.
             212          [(52)] (53) "Political party" means an organization of registered voters that has
             213      qualified to participate in an election by meeting the requirements of Chapter 8, Political Party


             214      Formation and Procedures.
             215          [(53)] (54) (a) "Poll worker" means a person assigned by an election official to assist
             216      with an election, voting, or counting votes.
             217          (b) "Poll worker" includes election judges.
             218          (c) "Poll worker" does not include a watcher.
             219          [(54)] (55) "Pollbook" means a record of the names of voters in the order that they
             220      appear to cast votes.
             221          [(55)] (56) "Polling place" means the building where voting is conducted.
             222          [(56)] (57) "Position" means a square, circle, rectangle, or other geometric shape on a
             223      ballot in which the voter marks the voter's choice.
             224          [(57)] (58) "Provider election officer" means an election officer who enters into a
             225      contract or interlocal agreement with a contracting election officer to conduct an election for
             226      the contracting election officer's local political subdivision in accordance with Section
             227      20A-5-400.1 .
             228          [(58)] (59) "Provisional ballot" means a ballot voted provisionally by a person:
             229          (a) whose name is not listed on the official register at the polling place;
             230          (b) whose legal right to vote is challenged as provided in this title; or
             231          (c) whose identity was not sufficiently established by a poll worker.
             232          [(59)] (60) "Provisional ballot envelope" means an envelope printed in the form
             233      required by Section 20A-6-105 that is used to identify provisional ballots and to provide
             234      information to verify a person's legal right to vote.
             235          [(60)] (61) "Primary convention" means the political party conventions at which
             236      nominees for the regular primary election are selected.
             237          [(61)] (62) "Protective counter" means a separate counter, which cannot be reset, that:
             238          (a) is built into a voting machine; and
             239          (b) records the total number of movements of the operating lever.
             240          [(62)] (63) "Qualify" or "qualified" means to take the oath of office and begin
             241      performing the duties of the position for which the person was elected.
             242          [(63)] (64) "Receiving judge" means the poll worker that checks the voter's name in the
             243      official register, provides the voter with a ballot, and removes the ballot stub from the ballot
             244      after the voter has voted.


             245          [(64)] (65) "Registration form" means a book voter registration form and a by-mail
             246      voter registration form.
             247          [(65)] (66) "Regular ballot" means a ballot that is not a provisional ballot.
             248          [(66)] (67) "Regular general election" means the election held throughout the state on
             249      the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each even-numbered year for the
             250      purposes established in Section 20A-1-201 .
             251          [(67)] (68) "Regular primary election" means the election on the fourth Tuesday of
             252      June of each even-numbered year, to nominate candidates of political parties and nonpolitical
             253      groups to advance to the regular general election.
             254          [(68)] (69) "Resident" means a person who resides within a specific voting precinct in
             255      Utah.
             256          [(69)] (70) "Sample ballot" means a mock ballot similar in form to the official ballot
             257      printed and distributed as provided in Section 20A-5-405 .
             258          [(70)] (71) "Scratch vote" means to mark or punch the straight party ticket and then
             259      mark or punch the ballot for one or more candidates who are members of different political
             260      parties.
             261          [(71)] (72) "Secrecy envelope" means the envelope given to a voter along with the
             262      ballot into which the voter places the ballot after the voter has voted it in order to preserve the
             263      secrecy of the voter's vote.
             264          [(72)] (73) "Special election" means an election held as authorized by Section
             265      20A-1-204 .
             266          [(73)] (74) "Spoiled ballot" means each ballot that:
             267          (a) is spoiled by the voter;
             268          (b) is unable to be voted because it was spoiled by the printer or a poll worker; or
             269          (c) lacks the official endorsement.
             270          [(74)] (75) "Statewide special election" means a special election called by the governor
             271      or the Legislature in which all registered voters in Utah may vote.
             272          [(75)] (76) "Stub" means the detachable part of each ballot.
             273          [(76)] (77) "Substitute ballots" means replacement ballots provided by an election
             274      officer to the poll workers when the official ballots are lost or stolen.
             275          [(77)] (78) "Ticket" means each list of candidates for each political party or for each


             276      group of petitioners.
             277          [(78)] (79) "Transfer case" means the sealed box used to transport voted ballots to the
             278      counting center.
             279          [(79)] (80) "Vacancy" means the absence of a person to serve in any position created
             280      by statute, whether that absence occurs because of death, disability, disqualification,
             281      resignation, or other cause.
             282          [(80)] (81) "Valid voter identification" means:
             283          (a) a form of identification that bears the name and photograph of the voter which may
             284      include:
             285          (i) a currently valid Utah driver license;
             286          (ii) a currently valid identification card that is issued by:
             287          (A) the state; or
             288          (B) a branch, department, or agency of the United States;
             289          (iii) a currently valid Utah permit to carry a concealed weapon;
             290          (iv) a currently valid United States passport; or
             291          (v) a currently valid United States military identification card;
             292          (b) one of the following identification cards, whether or not the card includes a
             293      photograph of the voter:
             294          (i) a valid tribal identification card;
             295          (ii) a Bureau of Indian Affairs card; or
             296          (iii) a tribal treaty card; or
             297          (c) two forms of identification not listed under Subsection [(80)] (81)(a) or (b) but that
             298      bear the name of the voter and provide evidence that the voter resides in the voting precinct,
             299      which may include:
             300          (i) a current utility bill or a legible copy thereof, dated within the 90 days before the
             301      election;
             302          (ii) a bank or other financial account statement, or a legible copy thereof;
             303          (iii) a certified birth certificate;
             304          (iv) a valid Social Security card;
             305          (v) a check issued by the state or the federal government or a legible copy thereof;
             306          (vi) a paycheck from the voter's employer, or a legible copy thereof;


             307          (vii) a currently valid Utah hunting or fishing license;
             308          (viii) certified naturalization documentation;
             309          (ix) a currently valid license issued by an authorized agency of the United States;
             310          (x) a certified copy of court records showing the voter's adoption or name change;
             311          (xi) a valid Medicaid card, Medicare card, or Electronic Benefits Transfer Card;
             312          (xii) a currently valid identification card issued by:
             313          (A) a local government within the state;
             314          (B) an employer for an employee; or
             315          (C) a college, university, technical school, or professional school located within the
             316      state; or
             317          (xiii) a current Utah vehicle registration.
             318          [(81)] (82) "Valid write-in candidate" means a candidate who has qualified as a
             319      write-in candidate by following the procedures and requirements of this title.
             320          [(82)] (83) "Voter" means a person who:
             321          (a) meets the requirements for voting in an election;
             322          (b) meets the requirements of election registration;
             323          (c) is registered to vote; and
             324          (d) is listed in the official register book.
             325          [(83)] (84) "Voter registration deadline" means the registration deadline provided in
             326      Section 20A-2-102.5 .
             327          [(84)] (85) "Voting area" means the area within six feet of the voting booths, voting
             328      machines, and ballot box.
             329          [(85)] (86) "Voting booth" means:
             330          (a) the space or compartment within a polling place that is provided for the preparation
             331      of ballots, including the voting machine enclosure or curtain; or
             332          (b) a voting device that is free standing.
             333          [(86)] (87) "Voting device" means:
             334          (a) an apparatus in which ballot sheets are used in connection with a punch device for
             335      piercing the ballots by the voter;
             336          (b) a device for marking the ballots with ink or another substance;
             337          (c) an electronic voting device or other device used to make selections and cast a ballot


             338      electronically, or any component thereof;
             339          (d) an automated voting system under Section 20A-5-302 ; or
             340          (e) any other method for recording votes on ballots so that the ballot may be tabulated
             341      by means of automatic tabulating equipment.
             342          [(87)] (88) "Voting machine" means a machine designed for the sole purpose of
             343      recording and tabulating votes cast by voters at an election.
             344          [(88)] (89) "Voting poll watcher" means a person appointed as provided in this title to
             345      witness the distribution of ballots and the voting process.
             346          [(89)] (90) "Voting precinct" means the smallest voting unit established as provided by
             347      law within which qualified voters vote at one polling place.
             348          [(90)] (91) "Watcher" means a voting poll watcher, a counting poll watcher, an
             349      inspecting poll watcher, and a testing watcher.
             350          [(91)] (92) "Western States Presidential Primary" means the election established in
             351      Chapter 9, Part 8.
             352          [(92)] (93) "Write-in ballot" means a ballot containing any write-in votes.
             353          [(93)] (94) "Write-in vote" means a vote cast for a person whose name is not printed on
             354      the ballot according to the procedures established in this title.
             355          Section 2. Section 20A-3-302 is amended to read:
             356           20A-3-302. Absentee voting -- No polling place for remote districts.
             357          (1) Whenever, on the 60th day before an election, there are 500 or fewer persons
             358      registered to vote in a voting precinct, the county legislative body of the county in which the
             359      voting precinct is located may elect to administer an election entirely by absentee ballot.
             360          (2) If the county legislative body of the county in which the voting precinct is located
             361      decides to administer an election entirely by absentee ballot, the county clerk shall mail to each
             362      registered voter within that voting precinct:
             363          (a) an absentee ballot;
             364          (b) a statement that there will be no polling place for the election;
             365          (c) a business reply mail envelope;
             366          [(c)] (d) instructions for returning the ballot that include an express notice about any
             367      relevant deadlines that the voter must meet in order for his vote to be counted; and
             368          [(d)] (e) a warning, on a separate page of colored paper in bold face print, indicating


             369      that if the voter fails to follow the instructions included with the absentee ballot, he will be
             370      unable to vote in that election because there will be no polling place in the voting precinct on
             371      the day of the election.
             372          (3) Any voter who votes by absentee ballot under this subsection is not required to
             373      apply for an absentee ballot as required by this part.
             374          (4) (a) The county clerk of a county that administers an election entirely by absentee
             375      ballot shall:
             376          (i) obtain, in person, the signatures of each voter within that voting precinct before the
             377      election; and
             378          (ii) maintain the signatures on file in the county clerk's office.
             379          (b) (i) Upon receiving the returned absentee ballots, the county clerk shall compare the
             380      signature on each absentee ballot with the voter's signature that is maintained on file and verify
             381      that the signatures are the same.
             382          (ii) If the county clerk questions the authenticity of the signature on the absentee ballot,
             383      the clerk shall immediately contact the voter to verify the signature.
             384          (iii) If the voter does not confirm his signature on the absentee ballot, the county clerk
             385      shall:
             386          (A) immediately send another absentee ballot and other voting materials as required by
             387      this subsection to the voter; and
             388          (B) disqualify the initial absentee ballot.
             389          Section 3. Section 20A-3-302.5 is amended to read:
             390           20A-3-302.5. Absentee voting -- No polling place in elections for certain districts.
             391          (1) As used in this section, "district" means a:
             392          (a) local district, as defined in Section 17B-1-102 ; or
             393          (b) special service district, as defined in Section 17D-1-102 .
             394          (2) Notwithstanding Sections 17B-1-306 and 17D-1-303 , at least 60 days before the
             395      day of an election, a district may elect to administer an election entirely by absentee ballot.
             396          (3) If a district decides to administer an election entirely by absentee ballot, the district
             397      shall mail to each registered voter within the district:
             398          (a) an absentee ballot;
             399          (b) a statement that there will be no polling place for the election;


             400          (c) a business reply mail envelope;
             401          [(c)] (d) instructions for returning the ballot that include an express notice about any
             402      relevant deadlines that the voter must meet in order for the voter's vote to be counted; and
             403          [(d)] (e) a warning, on a separate page of colored paper in bold face print, indicating
             404      that if the voter fails to follow the instructions included with the absentee ballot, the voter will
             405      be unable to vote in that election because there will be no polling place on the day of the
             406      election.
             407          (4) Any voter who votes by absentee ballot under this section is not required to apply
             408      for an absentee ballot as required by this part.
             409          (5) (a) A district that administers an election entirely by absentee ballot shall:
             410          (i) (A) obtain, in person, the signatures of each voter within the district before the
             411      election; and
             412          (B) maintain the signatures on file in the district's office; or
             413          (ii) obtain the signatures of each voter within the district from the county clerk.
             414          (b) (i) Upon receiving the returned absentee ballots, the district shall compare the
             415      signature on each absentee ballot with the voter's signature that is maintained on file and verify
             416      that the signatures are the same.
             417          (ii) If the district questions the authenticity of the signature on the absentee ballot, the
             418      district shall immediately contact the voter to verify the signature.
             419          (iii) If the voter does not confirm the voter's signature on the absentee ballot, the
             420      district shall:
             421          (A) immediately send another absentee ballot and other voting materials as required by
             422      this section to the voter; and
             423          (B) disqualify the initial absentee ballot.
             424          Section 4. Section 20A-3-305 is amended to read:
             425           20A-3-305. Mailing of ballot to voter -- Enclose self-addressed envelope --
             426      Affidavit.
             427          (1) (a) Upon timely receipt of an absentee voter application properly filled out and
             428      signed[, or as soon after receipt of the application as the official absentee ballots for the voting
             429      precinct in which the applicant resides have been printed] less than 30 days before the election,
             430      the election officer shall either:


             431          [(a)] (i) give the applicant an official absentee ballot and envelope to vote in the office;
             432      or
             433          [(b)] (ii) mail an official absentee ballot, postage paid, to the absentee voter and
             434      enclose an envelope printed as required in Subsection (2).
             435          (b) Twenty-eight days before election day, the election officer shall mail an official
             436      absentee ballot, postage paid, to all absentee voters, other than to a uniformed-service voter or
             437      an overseas voter, who have submitted a properly filled out and signed absentee voter
             438      application before the day on which the ballots are mailed and enclose an envelope printed as
             439      required by Subsection (2).
             440          (2) The election officer shall ensure that:
             441          (a) the name, official title, and post office address of the election officer is printed on
             442      the front of the envelope; and
             443          (b) a printed affidavit in substantially the following form is printed on the back of the
             444      envelope:
             445      "County of ____    State of ____
             446          I, ____, solemnly swear that: I am a qualified resident voter of the ____ voting precinct
             447      in ____ County, Utah and that I am entitled to vote in that voting precinct at the next election.
             448      I am not a convicted felon currently incarcerated for commission of a felony.
             449     
______________________________

             450     
Signature of Absentee Voter"

             451          (3) If the election officer determines that the absentee voter is required to show valid
             452      voter identification, the election officer shall:
             453          (a) issue the voter a provisional ballot in accordance with Section 20A-3-105.5 ;
             454          (b) instruct the voter to include a copy of the voter's valid voter identification with the
             455      return ballot;
             456          (c) provide the voter clear instructions on how to vote a provisional ballot; and
             457          (d) comply with the requirements of Subsection (2).
             458          Section 5. Section 20A-3-306 is amended to read:
             459           20A-3-306. Voting ballot -- Returning ballot.
             460          (1) (a) To vote a mail-in absentee ballot, the absentee voter shall:
             461          (i) complete and sign the affidavit on the envelope;


             462          (ii) mark [his] the votes on the absentee ballot;
             463          (iii) place the voted absentee ballot in the envelope;
             464          (iv) securely seal the envelope; and
             465          (v) attach postage, unless voting in accordance with Section 20A-3-302 or
             466      20A-3-302.5 , and deposit the envelope in the mail or deliver it in person to the election officer
             467      from whom the ballot was obtained.
             468          (b) To vote an absentee ballot in person at the office of the election officer, the absent
             469      voter shall:
             470          (i) complete and sign the affidavit on the envelope;
             471          (ii) mark [his] the votes on the absent-voter ballot;
             472          (iii) place the voted absent-voter ballot in the envelope;
             473          (iv) securely seal the envelope; and
             474          (v) give the ballot and envelope to the election officer.
             475          (2) An absentee ballot is not valid unless:
             476          (a) in the case of an absentee ballot that is voted in person, it is applied for and cast in
             477      person at the office of the appropriate election officer no later than the Friday before election
             478      day; or
             479          (b) in the case of [an absentee ballot that is returned by mail or transmitted
             480      electronically under Section 20A-3-408.5 , it is:] a military-overseas ballot, submitted in
             481      accordance with Section 20A-16-404 .
             482          [(i) clearly postmarked or electronically transmitted before election day; and]
             483          [(ii) received in the office of the election officer before noon on the day of the official
             484      canvass following the election.]
             485          Section 6. Section 20A-3-307 is amended to read:
             486           20A-3-307. Processing of absentee ballot.
             487          (1) Except as provided in Subsection (2), upon receipt of an envelope containing an
             488      absentee ballot, the election officer shall:
             489          (a) enclose the unopened envelope containing the absentee ballot and the written
             490      application of the absentee voter in a larger envelope;
             491          (b) seal that envelope and endorse it with:
             492          (i) the name or number of the proper voting precinct;


             493          (ii) the name and official title of the election officer; and
             494          (iii) the words "This envelope contains an absentee ballot and may only be opened on
             495      election day at the polls while the polls are open."; and
             496          (c) safely keep the envelope [in his] locked in a secure place in the election officer's
             497      office until it is delivered by [him] the election officer to the proper election judges.
             498          (2) If the election officer receives envelopes containing absentee ballots too late to
             499      transmit them to the election judges on election day, the election officer shall retain those
             500      absentee ballots in a safe and secure place until they can be processed as provided in Section
             501      20A-3-309 .
             502          (3) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (3)(c), when reasonably possible, the election
             503      officer shall deliver or mail valid absentee ballots to the appropriate voting precinct election
             504      judges so that they may be processed at the voting precinct on election day.
             505          (b) If the election officer is unable to determine the voting precinct to which an
             506      absentee ballot should be sent, or if a valid absentee ballot is received too late for delivery on
             507      election day to election judges, the election officer shall retain the absentee ballot in a safe
             508      place until it can be processed as required by Section 20A-3-309 .
             509          (c) When the absentee ballots will be centrally counted, the election officer shall
             510      deliver those absentee ballots to the counting center on election day for counting.
             511          Section 7. Section 20A-3-308 is amended to read:
             512           20A-3-308. Absentee ballots in the custody of poll workers -- Disposition.
             513          (1) (a) Voting precinct poll workers shall open envelopes containing absentee ballots
             514      that are in their custody on election day at the polling places during the time the polls are open
             515      as provided in this Subsection (1).
             516          (b) The poll workers shall:
             517          (i) first, open the outer envelope only; and
             518          (ii) compare the signature of the voter on the application with the signature on the
             519      affidavit.
             520          (2) (a) The poll workers shall carefully open and remove the absentee voter envelope
             521      so as not to destroy the affidavit on the envelope if they find that:
             522          (i) the affidavit is sufficient;
             523          (ii) the signatures correspond; and


             524          (iii) the applicant is registered to vote in that voting precinct and has not voted in that
             525      election.
             526          (b) If, after opening the absentee voter envelope, the poll worker finds that a
             527      provisional ballot envelope is enclosed, the poll worker shall:
             528          (i) record, in the official register, whether:
             529          (A) the voter included valid voter identification; or
             530          (B) a covered voter, as defined in Section 20A-16-102 , did not provide valid voter
             531      identification as permitted by Public Law 107-252, the Help America Vote Act of 2002;
             532          (ii) if any type of identification was included, record the type of identification provided
             533      by the voter in the appropriate space in the official register;
             534          (iii) record the provisional ballot number on the official register; and
             535          (iv) place the provisional ballot envelope with the other provisional ballot envelopes to
             536      be transmitted to the county clerk.
             537          (c) If the absentee ballot is not a provisional ballot, the poll workers shall:
             538          (i) remove the absentee ballot from the envelope without unfolding it or permitting it to
             539      be opened or examined;
             540          (ii) initial the stub in the same manner as for other ballots;
             541          (iii) remove the stub from the ballot;
             542          (iv) deposit the ballot in the ballot box; and
             543          (v) mark the official register and pollbook to show that the voter has voted.
             544          (3) If the poll workers determine that the affidavit is insufficient, or that the signatures
             545      do not correspond, or that the applicant is not a registered voter in the voting precinct, they
             546      shall:
             547          (a) disallow the vote; and
             548          (b) without opening the absentee voter envelope, mark across the face of the envelope:
             549          (i) "Rejected as defective"; or
             550          (ii) "Rejected as not a registered voter."
             551          (4) The poll workers shall deposit the absentee voter envelope, when the absentee
             552      ballot is voted, and the absentee voter envelope with its contents unopened when the absent
             553      vote is rejected, in the ballot box containing the ballots.
             554          (5) (a) An election officer shall notify a voter if a poll worker rejects the voter's ballot


             555      and specify the reason for the rejection.
             556          (b) An election officer shall give the notice described in Subsection (5)(a) to a voter no
             557      later than seven days after:
             558          (i) election day if the election officer receives the ballot before or on election day; and
             559          (ii) the canvass if the election officer receives the ballot after election day and before
             560      the end of the canvass.
             561          [(5)] (6) The election officer shall retain and preserve the absentee voter envelopes in
             562      the manner provided by law for the retention and preservation of official ballots voted at that
             563      election.
             564          Section 8. Section 20A-4-304 is amended to read:
             565           20A-4-304. Declaration of results -- Canvassers' report.
             566          (1) Each board of canvassers shall:
             567          (a) declare "elected" or "nominated" those persons who:
             568          (i) had the highest number of votes; and
             569          (ii) sought election or nomination to an office completely within the board's
             570      jurisdiction;
             571          (b) declare:
             572          (i) "approved" those ballot propositions that:
             573          (A) had more "yes" votes than "no" votes; and
             574          (B) were submitted only to the voters within the board's jurisdiction;
             575          (ii) "rejected" those ballot propositions that:
             576          (A) had more "no" votes than "yes" votes or an equal number of "no" votes and "yes"
             577      votes; and
             578          (B) were submitted only to the voters within the board's jurisdiction;
             579          (c) certify the vote totals for persons and for and against ballot propositions that were
             580      submitted to voters within and beyond the board's jurisdiction and transmit those vote totals to
             581      the lieutenant governor; and
             582          (d) if applicable, certify the results of each local district election to the local district
             583      clerk.
             584          (2) (a) As soon as the result is declared, the election officer shall prepare a report of the
             585      result, which shall contain:


             586          (i) the total number of votes cast in the board's jurisdiction;
             587          (ii) the names of each candidate whose name appeared on the ballot;
             588          (iii) the title of each ballot proposition that appeared on the ballot;
             589          (iv) each office that appeared on the ballot;
             590          (v) from each voting precinct:
             591          (A) the number of votes for each candidate; and
             592          (B) the number of votes for and against each ballot proposition;
             593          (vi) the total number of votes given in the board's jurisdiction to each candidate, and
             594      for and against each ballot proposition; [and]
             595          (vii) the number of ballots that were rejected; and
             596          [(vii)] (viii) a statement certifying that the information contained in the report is
             597      accurate.
             598          (b) The election officer and the board of canvassers shall:
             599          (i) review the report to ensure that it is correct; and
             600          (ii) sign the report.
             601          (c) The election officer shall:
             602          (i) record or file the certified report in a book kept for that purpose;
             603          (ii) prepare and transmit a certificate of nomination or election under the officer's seal
             604      to each nominated or elected candidate;
             605          (iii) publish a copy of the certified report:
             606          (A) in one or more conspicuous places within the jurisdiction;
             607          (B) in a conspicuous place on the county's website; and
             608          (C) in a newspaper with general circulation in the board's jurisdiction; and
             609          (iv) file a copy of the certified report with the lieutenant governor.
             610          (3) When there has been a regular general or a statewide special election for statewide
             611      officers, for officers that appear on the ballot in more than one county, or for a statewide or two
             612      or more county ballot proposition, each board of canvassers shall:
             613          (a) prepare a separate report detailing the number of votes for each candidate and the
             614      number of votes for and against each ballot proposition; and
             615          (b) transmit it by registered mail to the lieutenant governor.
             616          (4) In each county election, municipal election, school election, local district election,


             617      and local special election, the election officer shall transmit the reports to the lieutenant
             618      governor within 14 days after the date of the election.
             619          (5) In regular primary elections and in the Western States Presidential Primary, the
             620      board shall transmit to the lieutenant governor:
             621          (a) the county totals for multi-county races, to be telephoned or faxed to the lieutenant
             622      governor:
             623          (i) not later than the second Tuesday after the primary election for the regular primary
             624      election; and
             625          (ii) not later than the Tuesday following the election for the Western States Presidential
             626      Primary; and
             627          (b) a complete tabulation showing voting totals for all primary races, precinct by
             628      precinct, to be mailed to the lieutenant governor on or before the third Friday following the
             629      primary election.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 2-17-12 10:14 AM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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