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H.B. 403

             1     

MUNICIPAL ELECTION AMENDMENTS

             2     
2013 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: R. Curt Webb

             5     
Senate Sponsor: J. Stuart Adams

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill modifies provisions related to a municipal election.
             10      Highlighted Provisions:
             11          This bill:
             12          .    changes the deadline for a person to file a declaration of candidacy in an election
             13      from June 15 of any odd-numbered year to June 7 of any odd-numbered year;
             14          .    changes the deadline for the local district clerk to certify the names of local district
             15      board candidates from July 20 of the municipal election year to June 12 of the
             16      municipal election year;
             17          .    changes the deadline for qualifying as a municipal political party from at least 55
             18      days before the date of the municipal primary election to May 31 of any
             19      odd-numbered year;
             20          .    changes the deadline for filing a declaration of candidacy to become a valid write-in
             21      candidate from 45 days before a municipal general election to 60 days before a
             22      municipal general election; and
             23          .    makes technical changes.
             24      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             25          None
             26      Other Special Clauses:
             27          None


             28      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             29      AMENDS:
             30          17B-1-306, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2012, Chapter 97
             31          20A-9-203, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2012, Chapter 294
             32          20A-9-404, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2012, Chapter 251
             33          20A-9-601, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapter 40
             34     
             35      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             36          Section 1. Section 17B-1-306 is amended to read:
             37           17B-1-306. Local district board -- Election procedures.
             38          (1) Except as provided in Subsection (11), each elected board member shall be selected
             39      as provided in this section.
             40          (2) (a) Each election of a local district board member shall be held:
             41          (i) at the same time as the municipal general election; and
             42          (ii) at polling places designated by the county clerk in consultation with the local
             43      district for each county in which the local district is located, which polling places shall coincide
             44      with municipal general election polling places whenever feasible.
             45          (b) (i) Subject to Subsections (4)(f) and (g), the number of polling places under
             46      Subsection (2)(a)(ii) in an election of board members of an irrigation district shall be one
             47      polling place per division of the district, designated by the district board.
             48          (ii) Each polling place designated by an irrigation district board under Subsection
             49      (2)(b)(i) shall coincide with a polling place designated by the county clerk under Subsection
             50      (2)(a)(ii).
             51          (3) (a) The clerk of each local district with a board member position to be filled at the
             52      next municipal general election shall provide notice of:
             53          (i) each elective position of the local district to be filled at the next municipal general
             54      election;
             55          (ii) the constitutional and statutory qualifications for each position; and
             56          (iii) the dates and times for filing a declaration of candidacy.
             57          (b) The notice required under Subsection (3)(a) shall be:
             58          (i) posted in at least five public places within the local district at least 10 days before


             59      the first day for filing a declaration of candidacy; or
             60          (ii) (A) published in a newspaper of general circulation within the local district at least
             61      three but no more than 10 days before the first day for filing a declaration of candidacy; and
             62          (B) published, in accordance with Section 45-1-101 , for 10 days before the first day for
             63      filing a declaration of candidacy.
             64          (4) (a) To become a candidate for an elective local district board position, the
             65      prospective candidate shall file a declaration of candidacy in person with the local district,
             66      during office hours and not later than the close of normal office hours between June 1 and June
             67      [15] 7 of any odd-numbered year.
             68          (b) When June [15] 7 is a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, the filing time shall be
             69      extended until the close of normal office hours on the following regular business day.
             70          (c) (i) Before the filing officer may accept any declaration of candidacy, the filing
             71      officer shall:
             72          (A) read to the prospective candidate the constitutional and statutory qualification
             73      requirements for the office that the candidate is seeking; and
             74          (B) require the candidate to state whether or not the candidate meets those
             75      requirements.
             76          (ii) If the prospective candidate does not meet the qualification requirements for the
             77      office, the filing officer may not accept the declaration of candidacy.
             78          (iii) If it appears that the prospective candidate meets the requirements of candidacy,
             79      the filing officer shall accept the declaration of candidacy.
             80          (d) The declaration of candidacy shall substantially comply with the following form:
             81          "I, (print name) ____________, being first duly sworn, say that I reside at (Street)
             82      ____________, City of ________________, County of ________________, State of Utah,
             83      (Zip Code) ______, (Telephone Number, if any)____________; that I meet the qualifications
             84      for the office of board of trustees member for _______________________ (state the name of
             85      the local district); that I am a candidate for that office to be voted upon at the next election, and
             86      I hereby request that my name be printed upon the official ballot for that election.
             87          (Signed) _________________________________________
             88          Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me by ____________ on this ______ day
             89      of ____________, ____.


             90          (Signed) ________________________
             91              (Clerk or Notary Public)"
             92          (e) Each person wishing to become a valid write-in candidate for an elective local
             93      district board position is governed by Section 20A-9-601 .
             94          (f) If at least one person does not file a declaration of candidacy as required by this
             95      section, a person shall be appointed to fill that board position by following the procedures and
             96      requirements for appointment established in Section 20A-1-512 .
             97          (g) If only one candidate files a declaration of candidacy and there is no write-in
             98      candidate who complies with Section 20A-9-601 , the board, in accordance with Section
             99      20A-1-206 , may:
             100          (i) consider the candidate to be elected to the position; and
             101          (ii) cancel the election.
             102          (5) (a) A primary election may be held if:
             103          (i) the election is authorized by the local district board; and
             104          (ii) the number of candidates for a particular local board position or office exceeds
             105      twice the number of persons needed to fill that position or office.
             106          (b) The primary election shall be conducted:
             107          (i) on the same date as the municipal primary election, as provided for in Section
             108      20A-1-201.5 ; and
             109          (ii) according to the procedures for municipal primary elections provided under Title
             110      20A, Election Code.
             111          (6) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (6)(c), the local district clerk shall certify the
             112      candidate names to the clerk of each county in which the local district is located no later than
             113      [July 20] June 12 of the municipal election year.
             114          (b) (i) Except as provided in Subsection (6)(c) and in accordance with Section
             115      20A-6-305 , the clerk of each county in which the local district is located shall coordinate the
             116      placement of the name of each candidate for local district office in the nonpartisan section of
             117      the municipal general election ballot with the municipal election clerk.
             118          (ii) If consolidation of the local district election ballot with the municipal general
             119      election ballot is not feasible, the county clerk shall provide for a separate local district election
             120      ballot to be administered by poll workers at polling locations designated under Subsection (2).


             121          (c) (i) Subsections (6)(a) and (b) do not apply to an election of a member of the board
             122      of an irrigation district established under Chapter 2a, Part 5, Irrigation District Act.
             123          (ii) (A) Subject to Subsection (6)(c)(ii)(B), the board of each irrigation district shall
             124      prescribe the form of the ballot for each board member election.
             125          (B) Each ballot for an election of an irrigation district board member shall be in a
             126      nonpartisan format.
             127          (C) The name of each candidate shall be placed on the ballot in the order specified
             128      under Section 20A-6-305 .
             129          (7) (a) Each voter at an election for a board of trustees member of a local district shall:
             130          (i) be a registered voter within the district, except for an election of:
             131          (A) an irrigation district board of trustees member; or
             132          (B) a basic local district board of trustees member who is elected by property owners;
             133      and
             134          (ii) meet the requirements to vote established by the district.
             135          (b) Each voter may vote for as many candidates as there are offices to be filled.
             136          (c) The candidates who receive the highest number of votes are elected.
             137          (8) Except as otherwise provided by this section, the election of local district board
             138      members is governed by Title 20A, Election Code.
             139          (9) (a) A person elected to serve on a local district board shall serve a four-year term,
             140      beginning at noon on the January 1 after the person's election.
             141          (b) A person elected shall be sworn in as soon as practical after January 1.
             142          (10) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (10)(b), each local district shall reimburse
             143      the county or municipality holding an election under this section for the costs of the election
             144      attributable to that local district.
             145          (b) Each irrigation district shall bear its own costs of each election it holds under this
             146      section.
             147          (11) This section does not apply to an improvement district that provides electric or gas
             148      service.
             149          (12) Except as provided in Subsection 20A-3-605 (1)(b), the provisions of Title 20A,
             150      Chapter 3, Part 6, Early Voting, do not apply to an election under this section.
             151          Section 2. Section 20A-9-203 is amended to read:


             152           20A-9-203. Declarations of candidacy -- Municipal general elections.
             153          (1) (a) (i) A person may become a candidate for any municipal office if:
             154          (A) the person is a registered voter; and
             155          (B) (I) the person has resided within the municipality in which that person seeks to
             156      hold elective office for the 12 consecutive months immediately before the date of the election;
             157      or
             158          (II) if the territory in which the person resides was annexed into the municipality, the
             159      person has resided within the annexed territory or the municipality the 12 consecutive months
             160      immediately before the date of the election.
             161          (ii) For purposes of determining whether a person meets the residency requirement of
             162      Subsection (1)(a)(i)(B)(I) in a municipality that was incorporated less than 12 months before
             163      the election, the municipality shall be considered to have been incorporated 12 months before
             164      the date of the election.
             165          (b) In addition to the requirements of Subsection (1)(a), each candidate for a municipal
             166      council position shall, if elected from a district, be a resident of the council district from which
             167      elected.
             168          (c) In accordance with Utah Constitution Article IV, Section 6, any mentally
             169      incompetent person, any person convicted of a felony, or any person convicted of treason or a
             170      crime against the elective franchise may not hold office in this state until the right to hold
             171      elective office is restored under Section 20A-2-101.3 or 20A-2-101.5 .
             172          (2) (a) A person seeking to become a candidate for a municipal office shall:
             173          (i) file a declaration of candidacy, in person with the city recorder or town clerk, during
             174      office hours and not later than the close of normal office hours, between June 1 and June [15] 7
             175      of any odd-numbered year; and
             176          (ii) pay the filing fee, if one is required by municipal ordinance.
             177          (b) Any resident of a municipality may nominate a candidate for a municipal office by:
             178          (i) filing a nomination petition with the city recorder or town clerk during office hours,
             179      but not later than the close of normal office hours, between June 1 and June [15] 7 of any
             180      odd-numbered year; and
             181          (ii) paying the filing fee, if one is required by municipal ordinance.
             182          (3) (a) Before the filing officer may accept any declaration of candidacy or nomination


             183      petition, the filing officer shall:
             184          (i) read to the prospective candidate or person filing the petition the constitutional and
             185      statutory qualification requirements for the office that the candidate is seeking; and
             186          (ii) require the candidate or person filing the petition to state whether the candidate
             187      meets those requirements.
             188          (b) If the prospective candidate does not meet the qualification requirements for the
             189      office, the filing officer may not accept the declaration of candidacy or nomination petition.
             190          (c) If it appears that the prospective candidate meets the requirements of candidacy, the
             191      filing officer shall:
             192          (i) inform the candidate that the candidate's name will appear on the ballot as it is
             193      written on the declaration of candidacy;
             194          (ii) provide the candidate with a copy of the current campaign financial disclosure laws
             195      for the office the candidate is seeking and inform the candidate that failure to comply will
             196      result in disqualification as a candidate and removal of the candidate's name from the ballot;
             197          (iii) provide the candidate with a copy of Section 20A-7-801 regarding the Statewide
             198      Electronic Voter Information Website Program and inform the candidate of the submission
             199      deadline under Subsection 20A-7-801 (4)(a);
             200          (iv) provide the candidate with a copy of the pledge of fair campaign practices
             201      described under Section 20A-9-206 and inform the candidate that:
             202          (A) signing the pledge is voluntary; and
             203          (B) signed pledges shall be filed with the filing officer; and
             204          (v) accept the declaration of candidacy or nomination petition.
             205          (d) If the candidate elects to sign the pledge of fair campaign practices, the filing
             206      officer shall:
             207          (i) accept the candidate's pledge; and
             208          (ii) if the candidate has filed for a partisan office, provide a certified copy of the
             209      candidate's pledge to the chair of the county or state political party of which the candidate is a
             210      member.
             211          (4) The declaration of candidacy shall substantially comply with the following form:
             212          "I, (print name) ____, being first sworn, say that I reside at ____ Street, City of ____,
             213      County of ____, state of Utah, Zip Code ____, Telephone Number (if any) ____; that I am a


             214      registered voter; and that I am a candidate for the office of ____ (stating the term). I will meet
             215      the legal qualifications required of candidates for this office. I will file all campaign financial
             216      disclosure reports as required by law and I understand that failure to do so will result in my
             217      disqualification as a candidate for this office and removal of my name from the ballot. I
             218      request that my name be printed upon the applicable official ballots. (Signed)
             219      _______________
             220          Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me by ____ on this
             221      __________(month\day\year).
             222          (Signed) _______________ (Clerk or other officer qualified to administer oath)"
             223          (5) (a) A registered voter may be nominated for municipal office by submitting a
             224      petition signed, with a holographic signature, by:
             225          (i) 25 residents of the municipality who are at least 18 years old; or
             226          (ii) 20% of the residents of the municipality who are at least 18 years old.
             227          (b) (i) The petition shall substantially conform to the following form:
             228     
"NOMINATION PETITION

             229          The undersigned residents of (name of municipality) being 18 years old or older
             230      nominate (name of nominee) to the office of ____ for the (two or four-year term, whichever is
             231      applicable)."
             232          (ii) The remainder of the petition shall contain lines and columns for the signatures of
             233      persons signing the petition and their addresses and telephone numbers.
             234          (6) If the declaration of candidacy or nomination petition fails to state whether the
             235      nomination is for the two or four-year term, the clerk shall consider the nomination to be for
             236      the four-year term.
             237          (7) (a) The clerk shall verify with the county clerk that all candidates are registered
             238      voters.
             239          (b) Any candidate who is not registered to vote is disqualified and the clerk may not
             240      print the candidate's name on the ballot.
             241          (8) Immediately after expiration of the period for filing a declaration of candidacy, the
             242      clerk shall:
             243          (a) cause the names of the candidates as they will appear on the ballot to be published:
             244          (i) in at least two successive publications of a newspaper with general circulation in the


             245      municipality; and
             246          (ii) as required in Section 45-1-101 ; and
             247          (b) notify the lieutenant governor of the names of the candidates as they will appear on
             248      the ballot.
             249          (9) A declaration of candidacy or nomination petition filed under this section may not
             250      be amended after the expiration of the period for filing a declaration of candidacy.
             251          (10) (a) A declaration of candidacy or nomination petition filed under this section is
             252      valid unless a written objection is filed with the clerk within five days after the last day for
             253      filing.
             254          (b) If an objection is made, the clerk shall:
             255          (i) mail or personally deliver notice of the objection to the affected candidate
             256      immediately; and
             257          (ii) decide any objection within 48 hours after it is filed.
             258          (c) If the clerk sustains the objection, the candidate may correct the problem by
             259      amending the declaration or petition within three days after the objection is sustained or by
             260      filing a new declaration within three days after the objection is sustained.
             261          (d) (i) The clerk's decision upon objections to form is final.
             262          (ii) The clerk's decision upon substantive matters is reviewable by a district court if
             263      prompt application is made to the district court.
             264          (iii) The decision of the district court is final unless the Supreme Court, in the exercise
             265      of its discretion, agrees to review the lower court decision.
             266          (11) Any person who filed a declaration of candidacy and was nominated, and any
             267      person who was nominated by a nomination petition, may, any time up to 23 days before the
             268      election, withdraw the nomination by filing a written affidavit with the clerk.
             269          Section 3. Section 20A-9-404 is amended to read:
             270           20A-9-404. Municipal primary elections.
             271          (1) (a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, candidates for municipal office in
             272      all municipalities shall be nominated at a municipal primary election.
             273          (b) Municipal primary elections shall be held:
             274          (i) consistent with Section 20A-1-201.5 , on the second Tuesday following the first
             275      Monday in the August before the regular municipal election; and


             276          (ii) whenever possible, at the same polling places as the regular municipal election.
             277          (2) If the number of candidates for a particular municipal office does not exceed twice
             278      the number of persons needed to fill that office, a primary election for that office may not be
             279      held and the candidates are considered nominated.
             280          (3) (a) For purposes of this Subsection (3), "convention" means an organized assembly
             281      of voters or delegates.
             282          (b) (i) By ordinance adopted before the May 1 that falls before a regular municipal
             283      election, any third, fourth, or fifth class city or town may exempt itself from a primary election
             284      by providing that the nomination of candidates for municipal office to be voted upon at a
             285      municipal election be nominated by a political party convention or committee.
             286          (ii) Any primary election exemption ordinance adopted under the authority of this
             287      subsection remains in effect until repealed by ordinance.
             288          (c) (i) A convention or committee may not nominate more than one group of
             289      candidates or have placed on the ballot more than one group of candidates for the municipal
             290      offices to be voted upon at the municipal election.
             291          (ii) A convention or committee may nominate a person who has been nominated by a
             292      different convention or committee.
             293          (iii) A political party may not have more than one group of candidates placed upon the
             294      ballot and may not group the same candidates on different tickets by the same party under a
             295      different name or emblem.
             296          (d) (i) The convention or committee shall prepare a certificate of nomination for each
             297      person nominated.
             298          (ii) The certificate of nomination shall:
             299          (A) contain the name of the office for which each person is nominated, the name, post
             300      office address, and, if in a city, the street number of residence and place of business, if any, of
             301      each person nominated;
             302          (B) designate in not more than five words the political party that the convention or
             303      committee represents;
             304          (C) contain a copy of the resolution passed at the convention that authorized the
             305      committee to make the nomination;
             306          (D) contain a statement certifying that the name of the candidate nominated by the


             307      political party will not appear on the ballot as a candidate for any other political party;
             308          (E) be signed by the presiding officer and secretary of the convention or committee;
             309      and
             310          (F) contain a statement identifying the residence and post office address of the
             311      presiding officer and secretary and certifying that the presiding officer and secretary were
             312      officers of the convention or committee and that the certificates are true to the best of their
             313      knowledge and belief.
             314          (iii) Certificates of nomination shall be filed with the clerk not later than 80 days
             315      before the municipal general election.
             316          (e) A committee appointed at a convention, if authorized by an enabling resolution,
             317      may also make nominations or fill vacancies in nominations made at a convention.
             318          (f) The election ballot shall substantially comply with the form prescribed in Title 20A,
             319      Chapter 6, Part 4, Ballot Form Requirements for Municipal Elections, but the party name shall
             320      be included with the candidate's name.
             321          (4) (a) Any third, fourth, or fifth class city may adopt an ordinance before the May 1
             322      that falls before the regular municipal election that:
             323          (i) exempts the city from the other methods of nominating candidates to municipal
             324      office provided in this section; and
             325          (ii) provides for a partisan primary election method of nominating candidates as
             326      provided in this Subsection (4).
             327          (b) (i) Any party that was a registered political party at the last regular general election
             328      or regular municipal election is a municipal political party under this section.
             329          (ii) Any political party may qualify as a municipal political party by presenting a
             330      petition to the city recorder that:
             331          (A) is signed, with a holographic signature, by registered voters within the municipality
             332      equal to at least 20% of the number of votes cast for all candidates for mayor in the last
             333      municipal election at which a mayor was elected;
             334          (B) is filed with the city recorder [at least 55 days before the date of the municipal
             335      primary election] by May 31 of any odd-numbered year;
             336          (C) is substantially similar to the form of the signature sheets described in Section
             337      20A-7-303 ; and


             338          (D) contains the name of the municipal political party using not more than five words.
             339          (c) (i) If the number of candidates for a particular office does not exceed twice the
             340      number of offices to be filled at the regular municipal election, no partisan primary election for
             341      that office shall be held and the candidates are considered to be nominated.
             342          (ii) If the number of candidates for a particular office exceeds twice the number of
             343      offices to be filled at the regular municipal election, those candidates for municipal office shall
             344      be nominated at a partisan primary election.
             345          (d) The clerk shall ensure that:
             346          (i) the partisan municipal primary ballot is similar to the ballot forms required by
             347      Sections 20A-6-401 and 20A-6-401.1 ;
             348          (ii) the candidates for each municipal political party are listed in one or more columns
             349      under their party name and emblem;
             350          (iii) the names of candidates of all parties are printed on the same ballot, but under
             351      their party designation;
             352          (iv) every ballot is folded and perforated so as to separate the candidates of one party
             353      from those of the other parties and so as to enable the elector to separate the part of the ballot
             354      containing the names of the party of his choice from the remainder of the ballot; and
             355          (v) the side edges of all ballots are perforated so that the outside sections of the ballots,
             356      when detached, are similar in appearance to inside sections when detached.
             357          (e) After marking a municipal primary ballot, the voter shall:
             358          (i) detach the part of the ballot containing the names of the candidates of the party he
             359      has voted from the rest of the ballot;
             360          (ii) fold the detached part so that its face is concealed and deposit it in the ballot box;
             361      and
             362          (iii) fold the remainder of the ballot containing the names of the candidates of the
             363      parties for whom the elector did not vote and deposit it in the blank ballot box.
             364          (f) Immediately after the canvass, the election judges shall, without examination,
             365      destroy the tickets deposited in the blank ballot box.
             366          Section 4. Section 20A-9-601 is amended to read:
             367           20A-9-601. Qualifying as a write-in candidate.
             368          (1) (a) Each person wishing to become a valid write-in candidate shall file a declaration


             369      of candidacy in person or through a designated agent for a candidate for President or Vice
             370      President of the United States with the appropriate filing officer not later than 30 days before
             371      the regular general election or [45] 60 days before a municipal general election in which the
             372      person intends to be a write-in candidate.
             373          (b) (i) The filing officer shall:
             374          (A) read to the candidate the constitutional and statutory requirements for the office;
             375      and
             376          (B) ask the candidate whether or not the candidate meets the requirements.
             377          (ii) If the candidate cannot meet the requirements of office, the filing officer may not
             378      accept the write-in candidate's declaration of candidacy.
             379          (2) By November 1 of each regular general election year, the lieutenant governor shall
             380      certify to each county clerk the names of all write-in candidates who filed their declaration of
             381      candidacy with the lieutenant governor.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 3-4-13 4:03 PM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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