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H.B. 19

             1     

ELECTION CODE CRIMINAL PROVISIONS

             2     
2013 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Keith Grover

             5     
Senate Sponsor: Margaret Dayton

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      Committee Note:
             9          The Government Operations Interim Committee recommended this bill.
             10      General Description:
             11          This bill amends provisions in Title 20A, Election Code, regarding the penalty for and
             12      prosecution of violations of the Election Code.
             13      Highlighted Provisions:
             14          This bill:
             15          .    standardizes language that establishes certain criminal penalties in Title 20A,
             16      Election Code;
             17          .    repeals provisions that specify who is required to prosecute a violation of Title 20A,
             18      Election Code; and
             19          .    makes technical and conforming amendments.
             20      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             21          None
             22      Other Special Clauses:
             23          None
             24      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             25      AMENDS:
             26          20A-4-501, as enacted by Laws of Utah 1993, Chapter 1
             27          20A-4-502, as enacted by Laws of Utah 1993, Chapter 1


             28          20A-5-701, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 75
             29          20A-5-702, as enacted by Laws of Utah 1993, Chapter 1
             30          20A-5-705, as enacted by Laws of Utah 1993, Chapter 1
             31          20A-7-213, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2003, Chapter 304
             32          20A-7-312, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2009, Chapter 202
             33          20A-7-512, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2001, Chapter 20
             34          20A-8-103, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2012, Chapter 75
             35          20A-9-502, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2012, Chapter 75
             36      REPEALS:
             37          20A-4-503, as enacted by Laws of Utah 1993, Chapter 1
             38     
             39      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             40          Section 1. Section 20A-4-501 is amended to read:
             41           20A-4-501. Election returns -- Forgery.
             42          (1) It is unlawful for any person to:
             43          (a) forge or counterfeit any election returns from any election purporting to have been
             44      held at any voting precinct where no election was in fact held;
             45          (b) willfully substitute any forged or counterfeit election returns in the place of the true
             46      return for a voting precinct where any election was actually held; or
             47          (c) commit or cause any fraud in any election in any manner.
             48          (2) [Each person who violates this section may be sentenced to imprisonment in the
             49      state prison for a term of not less than two nor more than 10 years] A violation of this section is
             50      a third degree felony.
             51          Section 2. Section 20A-4-502 is amended to read:
             52           20A-4-502. Altering vote count or returns.
             53          (1) It is unlawful for any person to:
             54          (a) willfully add to or subtract from the votes actually cast at an election in any election
             55      returns; or
             56          (b) alter any election returns.
             57          (2) Any person who violates this section [may be sentenced to imprisonment in the
             58      state prison for not less than one nor more than five years] is guilty of a third degree felony.


             59          Section 3. Section 20A-5-701 is amended to read:
             60           20A-5-701. Willful neglect of duty or corrupt conduct -- Penalty.
             61          (1) It is unlawful for any poll worker to willfully neglect [his] the poll worker's duty or
             62      to willfully act corruptly in discharging [his] the poll worker's duty.
             63          (2) Any poll worker who violates this section is guilty of a third degree felony [and,
             64      upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of $500 or by confinement in the state prison for
             65      not less than one year or both].
             66          Section 4. Section 20A-5-702 is amended to read:
             67           20A-5-702. Destroying or concealing ballots.
             68          (1) It is unlawful for any person, or officer having charge of official ballots, to destroy,
             69      suppress, or conceal them, except authorized by this title.
             70          (2) Any person who violates this section is guilty of a third degree felony[, and shall be
             71      punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than one year nor more than five
             72      years].
             73          Section 5. Section 20A-5-705 is amended to read:
             74           20A-5-705. Officer or watcher revealing vote.
             75          (1) It is unlawful for any election official or watcher to reveal to any other person the
             76      name of any candidate for whom a voter has voted, or to communicate to another [his] the
             77      election official's or watcher's opinion, belief, or impression as to how or for whom a voter has
             78      voted.
             79          (2) [Any election official or watcher] A person who violates this section is guilty of a
             80      class A misdemeanor [and shall be imprisoned for not less than six months, and fined not less
             81      than $250].
             82          Section 6. Section 20A-7-213 is amended to read:
             83           20A-7-213. Misconduct of electors and officers -- Penalty.
             84          (1) It is unlawful for any person to:
             85          (a) sign any name other than [his] the person's own to any initiative petition;
             86          (b) knowingly sign [his] the person's name more than once for the same measure at one
             87      election;
             88          (c) sign an initiative knowing [he] the person is not a legal voter; or
             89          (d) knowingly and willfully violate any provision of this part.


             90          (2) It is unlawful for any person to sign the verification for an initiative packet knowing
             91      that:
             92          (a) [he] the person does not meet the residency requirements of Section 20A-2-105 ;
             93          (b) [he] the person has not witnessed the signatures of those persons whose names
             94      appear in the initiative packet; or
             95          (c) one or more persons whose signatures appear in the initiative packet is either:
             96          (i) not registered to vote in Utah; or
             97          (ii) does not intend to become registered to vote in Utah.
             98          (3) It is unlawful for any person to:
             99          (a) pay a person to sign an initiative petition;
             100          (b) pay a person to remove the person's signature from an initiative petition;
             101          (c) accept payment to sign an initiative petition; or
             102          (d) accept payment to have the person's name removed from an initiative petition.
             103          (4) Any person violating this section is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
             104          [(5) The attorney general or the county attorney shall prosecute any violation of this
             105      section.]
             106          Section 7. Section 20A-7-312 is amended to read:
             107           20A-7-312. Misconduct of electors and officers -- Penalty.
             108          (1) It is unlawful for any person to:
             109          (a) sign any name other than [his] the person's own to any referendum petition;
             110          (b) knowingly sign [his] the person's name more than once for the same measure at one
             111      election;
             112          (c) sign a referendum knowing [he] the person is not a legal voter; or
             113          (d) knowingly and willfully violate any provision of this part.
             114          (2) It is unlawful for any person to sign the verification for a referendum packet
             115      knowing that:
             116          (a) [he] the person does not meet the residency requirements of Section 20A-2-105 ;
             117          (b) [he] the person has not witnessed the signatures of those persons whose names
             118      appear in the referendum packet; or
             119          (c) one or more persons whose signatures appear in the referendum packet is either:
             120          (i) not registered to vote in Utah; or


             121          (ii) does not intend to become registered to vote in Utah.
             122          (3) Any person violating this section is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
             123          [(4) The attorney general or the county or district attorney shall prosecute any violation
             124      of this section.]
             125          Section 8. Section 20A-7-512 is amended to read:
             126           20A-7-512. Misconduct of electors and officers -- Penalty.
             127          (1) It is unlawful for any person to:
             128          (a) sign any name other than [his] the person's own to any initiative petition;
             129          (b) knowingly sign [his] the person's name more than once for the same measure at one
             130      election;
             131          (c) sign an initiative knowing [he] the person is not a legal voter; or
             132          (d) knowingly and willfully violate any provision of this part.
             133          (2) It is unlawful for any person to sign the verification for an initiative packet knowing
             134      that:
             135          (a) [he] the person does not meet the residency requirements of Section 20A-2-105 ;
             136          (b) [he] the person has not witnessed the signatures of those persons whose names
             137      appear in the initiative packet; or
             138          (c) one or more persons whose signatures appear in the initiative packet is either:
             139          (i) not registered to vote in Utah; or
             140          (ii) does not intend to become registered to vote in Utah.
             141          (3) Any person violating this part is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
             142          [(4) The county attorney or municipal attorney shall prosecute any violation of this
             143      section.]
             144          Section 9. Section 20A-8-103 is amended to read:
             145           20A-8-103. Petition procedures -- Criminal penalty.
             146          (1) As used in this section, the proposed name or emblem of a registered political party
             147      is "distinguishable" if a reasonable person of average intelligence will be able to perceive a
             148      difference between the proposed name or emblem and any name or emblem currently being
             149      used by another registered political party.
             150          (2) To become a registered political party, an organization of registered voters that is
             151      not a continuing political party shall:


             152          (a) circulate a petition seeking registered political party status beginning no earlier than
             153      the date of the statewide canvass held after the last regular general election and ending no later
             154      than the February 15 of the year in which the next regular general election will be held; and
             155          (b) file a petition with the lieutenant governor that is signed, with a holographic
             156      signature, by at least 2,000 registered voters on or before February 15 of the year in which a
             157      regular general election will be held.
             158          (3) The petition shall:
             159          (a) be on sheets of paper 8-1/2 inches long and 11 inches wide;
             160          (b) be ruled with a horizontal line 3/4 inch from the top, with the space above that line
             161      blank for the purpose of binding;
             162          (c) contain the name of the political party and the words "Political Party Registration
             163      Petition" printed directly below the horizontal line;
             164          (d) contain the word "Warning" printed directly under the words described in
             165      Subsection (3)(c);
             166          (e) contain, to the right of the word "Warning," the following statement printed in not
             167      less than eight-point, single leaded type:
             168          "It is a class A misdemeanor for anyone to knowingly sign a political party registration
             169      petition signature sheet with any name other than the person's own name or more than once for
             170      the same party or if the person is not registered to vote in this state and does not intend to
             171      become registered to vote in this state before the petition is submitted to the lieutenant
             172      governor.";
             173          (f) contain the following statement directly under the statement described in Subsection
             174      (3)(e):
             175          "POLITICAL PARTY REGISTRATION PETITION To the Honorable ____,
             176      Lieutenant Governor:
             177          We, the undersigned citizens of Utah, seek registered political party status for ____
             178      (name);
             179          Each signer says:
             180          I have personally signed this petition with a holographic signature;
             181          I am registered to vote in Utah or will register to vote in Utah before the petition is
             182      submitted to the lieutenant governor;


             183          I am or desire to become a member of the political party; and
             184          My street address is written correctly after my name."; and
             185          (g) be vertically divided into columns as follows:
             186          (i) the first column shall appear at the extreme left of the sheet, be 5/8 inch wide, be
             187      headed with "For Office Use Only," and be subdivided with a light vertical line down the
             188      middle;
             189          (ii) the next column shall be 2-1/2 inches wide, headed "Registered Voter's Printed
             190      Name (must be legible to be counted)";
             191          (iii) the next column shall be 2-1/2 inches wide, headed "Holographic Signature of
             192      Registered Voter";
             193          (iv) the next column shall be one inch wide, headed "Birth Date or Age (Optional)";
             194          (v) the final column shall be 4-3/8 inches wide, headed "Street Address, City, Zip
             195      Code"; and
             196          (vi) at the bottom of the sheet, contain the following statement: "Birth date or age
             197      information is not required, but it may be used to verify your identity with voter registration
             198      records. If you choose not to provide it, your signature may not be certified as a valid signature
             199      if you change your address before petition signatures are certified or if the information you
             200      provide does not match your voter registration records.";
             201          (h) have a final page bound to one or more signature sheets that are bound together that
             202      contains the following printed statement:
             203          "Verification
             204          State of Utah, County of ____
             205          I, _______________, of ____, hereby state that:
             206          I am a Utah resident and am at least 18 years old;
             207          All the names that appear on the signature sheets bound to this page were signed by
             208      persons who professed to be the persons whose names appear on the signature sheets, and each
             209      of them signed the person's name on the signature sheets in my presence;
             210          I believe that each has printed and signed the person's name and written the person's
             211      street address correctly, and that each signer is registered to vote in Utah or will register to vote
             212      in Utah before the petition is submitted to the lieutenant governor.
             213          ______________________________________________________________________


             214          (Signature)            (Residence Address)                (Date)"; and
             215          (i) be bound to a cover sheet that:
             216          (i) identifies the political party's name, which may not exceed four words, and the
             217      emblem of the party;
             218          (ii) states the process that the organization will follow to organize and adopt a
             219      constitution and bylaws; and
             220          (iii) is signed by a filing officer, who agrees to receive communications on behalf of
             221      the organization.
             222          (4) The filing officer described in Subsection (3)(i)(iii) shall ensure that the person in
             223      whose presence each signature sheet is signed:
             224          (a) is at least 18 years old;
             225          (b) meets the residency requirements of Section 20A-2-105 ; and
             226          (c) verifies each signature sheet by completing the verification bound to one or more
             227      signature sheets that are bound together.
             228          (5) A person may not sign the verification if the person signed a signature sheet bound
             229      to the verification.
             230          (6) The lieutenant governor shall:
             231          (a) determine whether the required number of voters appears on the petition;
             232          (b) review the proposed name and emblem to determine if they are "distinguishable"
             233      from the names and emblems of other registered political parties; and
             234          (c) certify the lieutenant governor's findings to the filing officer described in
             235      Subsection (3)(i)(iii) within 30 days of the filing of the petition.
             236          (7) (a) If the lieutenant governor determines that the petition meets the requirements of
             237      this section, and that the proposed name and emblem are distinguishable, the lieutenant
             238      governor shall authorize the filing officer described in Subsection (3)(i)(iii) to organize the
             239      prospective political party.
             240          (b) If the lieutenant governor finds that the name, emblem, or both are not
             241      distinguishable from the names and emblems of other registered political parties, the lieutenant
             242      governor shall notify the filing officer that the filing officer has seven days to submit a new
             243      name or emblem to the lieutenant governor.
             244          (8) A registered political party may not change its name or emblem during the regular


             245      general election cycle.
             246          (9) (a) It is unlawful for any person to:
             247          (i) knowingly sign a political party registration petition:
             248          (A) with any name other than the person's own name;
             249          (B) more than once for the same political party; or
             250          (C) if the person is not registered to vote in this state and does not intend to become
             251      registered to vote in this state before the petition is submitted to the lieutenant governor; or
             252          (ii) sign the verification of a political party registration petition signature sheet if the
             253      person:
             254          (A) does not meet the residency requirements of Section 20A-2-105 ;
             255          (B) has not witnessed the signing by those persons whose names appear on the political
             256      party registration petition signature sheet; or
             257          (C) knows that a person whose signature appears on the political party registration
             258      petition signature sheet is not registered to vote in this state and does not intend to become
             259      registered to vote in this state.
             260          (b) Any person violating this Subsection (9) is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
             261          [(c) The attorney general or the county attorney shall prosecute any violation of this
             262      Subsection (9).]
             263          Section 10. Section 20A-9-502 is amended to read:
             264           20A-9-502. Certificate of nomination -- Contents -- Circulation -- Verification --
             265      Criminal penalty.
             266          (1) The candidate shall:
             267          (a) prepare a certificate of nomination in substantially the following form:
             268          "State of Utah, County of ______________________________________________
             269          I, ______________, declare my intention of becoming an unaffiliated candidate for the
             270      political group designated as ____ for the office of ____. I do solemnly swear that I can
             271      qualify to hold that office both legally and constitutionally if selected, and that I reside at ____
             272      Street, in the city of ____, county of ____, state of ______, zip code ____, phone ____, and
             273      that I am providing, or have provided, the required number of holographic signatures of
             274      registered voters required by law; that as a candidate at the next election I will not knowingly
             275      violate any election or campaign law; I will file all campaign financial disclosure reports as


             276      required by law; and I understand that failure to do so will result in my disqualification as a
             277      candidate for this office and removal of my name from the ballot.
             278     
__________________________________________

             279     
Subscribed and sworn to before me this ______(month\day\year).

             280     
__________________________________________

             281     
Notary Public (or other officer

             282     
qualified to administer oaths)";

             283          (b) bind signature sheets to the certificate that:
             284          (i) are printed on sheets of paper 8-1/2 inches long and 11 inches wide;
             285          (ii) are ruled with a horizontal line 3/4 inch from the top, with the space above that line
             286      blank for the purpose of binding;
             287          (iii) contain the name of the proposed candidate and the words "Unaffiliated Candidate
             288      Certificate of Nomination Petition" printed directly below the horizontal line;
             289          (iv) contain the word "Warning" printed directly under the words described in
             290      Subsection (1)(b)(iii);
             291          (v) contain, to the right of the word "Warning," the following statement printed in not
             292      less than eight-point, single leaded type:
             293          "It is a class A misdemeanor for anyone to knowingly sign a certificate of nomination
             294      signature sheet with any name other than the person's own name or more than once for the
             295      same candidate or if the person is not registered to vote in this state and does not intend to
             296      become registered to vote in this state before the county clerk certifies the signatures.";
             297          (vi) contain the following statement directly under the statement described in
             298      Subsection (1)(b)(v):
             299          "Each signer says:
             300          I have personally signed this petition with a holographic signature;
             301          I am registered to vote in Utah or intend to become registered to vote in Utah before the
             302      county clerk certifies my signature; and
             303          My street address is written correctly after my name.";
             304          (vii) contain horizontally ruled lines, 3/8 inch apart under the statement described in
             305      Subsection (1)(b)(vi); and
             306          (viii) be vertically divided into columns as follows:


             307          (A) the first column shall appear at the extreme left of the sheet, be 5/8 inch wide, be
             308      headed with "For Office Use Only," and be subdivided with a light vertical line down the
             309      middle;
             310          (B) the next column shall be 2-1/2 inches wide, headed "Registered Voter's Printed
             311      Name (must be legible to be counted)";
             312          (C) the next column shall be 2-1/2 inches wide, headed "Holographic Signature of
             313      Registered Voter";
             314          (D) the next column shall be one inch wide, headed "Birth Date or Age (Optional)";
             315          (E) the final column shall be 4-3/8 inches wide, headed "Street Address, City, Zip
             316      Code"; and
             317          (F) at the bottom of the sheet, contain the following statement: "Birth date or age
             318      information is not required, but it may be used to verify your identity with voter registration
             319      records. If you choose not to provide it, your signature may not be certified as a valid signature
             320      if you change your address before petition signatures are certified or if the information you
             321      provide does not match your voter registration records."; and
             322          (c) bind a final page to one or more signature sheets that are bound together that
             323      contains, except as provided by Subsection (2), the following printed statement:
             324          "Verification
             325          State of Utah, County of ____
             326          I, _______________, of ____, hereby state that:
             327          I am a Utah resident and am at least 18 years old;
             328          All the names that appear on the signature sheets bound to this page were signed by
             329      persons who professed to be the persons whose names appear on the signature sheets, and each
             330      of them signed the person's name on the signature sheets in my presence;
             331          I believe that each has printed and signed the person's name and written the person's
             332      street address correctly, and that each signer is registered to vote in Utah or will register to vote
             333      in Utah before the county clerk certifies the signatures on the signature sheet.
             334          ______________________________________________________________________
             335          (Signature)            (Residence Address)                (Date)".
             336          (2) (a) The candidate shall circulate the nomination petition and ensure that the person
             337      in whose presence each signature sheet is signed:


             338          (i) is at least 18 years old;
             339          (ii) except as provided by Subsection (2)(b), meets the residency requirements of
             340      Section 20A-2-105 ; and
             341          (iii) verifies each signature sheet by completing the verification bound to one or more
             342      signature sheets that are bound together.
             343          (b) A person who is not a resident may sign the verification on a petition for an
             344      unaffiliated candidate for the office of President of the United States.
             345          (c) A person may not sign the verification if the person signed a signature sheet bound
             346      to the verification.
             347          (3) (a) It is unlawful for any person to:
             348          (i) knowingly sign a certificate of nomination signature sheet:
             349          (A) with any name other than the person's own name;
             350          (B) more than once for the same candidate; or
             351          (C) if the person is not registered to vote in this state and does not intend to become
             352      registered to vote in this state before the county clerk certifies the signatures; or
             353          (ii) sign the verification of a certificate of nomination signature sheet if the person:
             354          (A) except as provided by Subsection (2)(b), does not meet the residency requirements
             355      of Section 20A-2-105 ;
             356          (B) has not witnessed the signing by those persons whose names appear on the
             357      certificate of nomination signature sheet; or
             358          (C) knows that a person whose signature appears on the certificate of nomination
             359      signature sheet is not registered to vote in this state and does not intend to become registered to
             360      vote in this state.
             361          (b) Any person violating this Subsection (3) is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
             362          [(c) The attorney general or the county attorney shall prosecute any violation of this
             363      Subsection (3).]
             364          (4) (a) The candidate shall submit the petition and signature sheets to the county clerk
             365      for certification when the petition has been completed by:
             366          (i) at least 1,000 registered voters residing within the state when the nomination is for
             367      an office to be filled by the voters of the entire state; or
             368          (ii) at least 300 registered voters residing within a political division or at least 5% of


             369      the registered voters residing within a political division, whichever is less, when the
             370      nomination is for an office to be filled by the voters of any political division smaller than the
             371      state.
             372          (b) In reviewing the petition, the county clerk shall count and certify only those persons
             373      who signed the petition with a holographic signature who:
             374          (i) are registered voters within the political division that the candidate seeks to
             375      represent; and
             376          (ii) did not sign any other certificate of nomination for that office.
             377          (c) The candidate may supplement or amend the certificate of nomination at any time
             378      on or before the filing deadline.
             379          Section 11. Repealer.
             380          This bill repeals:
             381          Section 20A-4-503, Abetting forgery or alteration.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 10-22-12 7:29 AM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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