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S.B. 23 Enrolled

             1     

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR CANDIDATE AMENDMENTS

             2     
2013 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Peter C. Knudson

             5     
House Sponsor: Kraig Powell

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill amends provisions in Title 20A, Election Code, related to candidates for the
             10      office of lieutenant governor.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    allows a person who has filed a declaration of candidacy for another office to
             14      withdraw as a candidate for that office and file a declaration of candidacy for the
             15      office of lieutenant governor; and
             16          .    makes technical changes.
             17      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             18          None
             19      Other Special Clauses:
             20          None
             21      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             22      AMENDS:
             23          20A-9-201, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2011, Third Special Session, Chapter 2
             24     
             25      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             26          Section 1. Section 20A-9-201 is amended to read:
             27           20A-9-201. Declarations of candidacy -- Candidacy for more than one office or of
             28      more than one political party prohibited with exceptions -- General filing and form
             29      requirements -- Affidavit of impecuniosity.


             30          (1) Before filing a declaration of candidacy for election to any office, a person shall:
             31          (a) be a United States citizen; and
             32          (b) meet the legal requirements of that office.
             33          (2) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (2)(b), a person may not:
             34          (i) file a declaration of candidacy for, or be a candidate for, more than one office in
             35      Utah during any election year; or
             36          (ii) appear on the ballot as the candidate of more than one political party.
             37          (b) (i) A person may file a declaration of candidacy for, or be a candidate for, President
             38      or Vice President of the United States and another office, if the person resigns the person's
             39      candidacy for the other office after the person is officially nominated for President or Vice
             40      President of the United States.
             41          (ii) A person may file a declaration of candidacy for, or be a candidate for, more than
             42      one justice court judge office.
             43          (iii) A person may file a declaration of candidacy for lieutenant governor even if the
             44      person filed a declaration of candidacy for another office in the same election year if the person
             45      withdraws as a candidate for the other office in accordance with Subsection 20A-9-202 (6)
             46      before filing the declaration of candidacy for lieutenant governor.
             47          (3) (a) (i) Except for presidential candidates, before the filing officer may accept any
             48      declaration of candidacy, the filing officer shall:
             49          (A) read to the prospective candidate the constitutional and statutory qualification
             50      requirements for the office that the candidate is seeking; and
             51          (B) require the candidate to state whether or not the candidate meets those
             52      requirements.
             53          (ii) Before accepting a declaration of candidacy for the office of county attorney, the
             54      county clerk shall ensure that the person filing that declaration of candidacy is:
             55          (A) a United States citizen;
             56          (B) an attorney licensed to practice law in Utah who is an active member in good
             57      standing of the Utah State Bar;


             58          (C) a registered voter in the county in which the person is seeking office; and
             59          (D) a current resident of the county in which the person is seeking office and either has
             60      been a resident of that county for at least one year or was appointed and is currently serving as
             61      county attorney and became a resident of the county within 30 days after appointment to the
             62      office.
             63          (iii) Before accepting a declaration of candidacy for the office of district attorney, the
             64      county clerk shall ensure that, as of the date of the election, the person filing that declaration of
             65      candidacy is:
             66          (A) a United States citizen;
             67          (B) an attorney licensed to practice law in Utah who is an active member in good
             68      standing of the Utah State Bar;
             69          (C) a registered voter in the prosecution district in which the person is seeking office;
             70      and
             71          (D) a current resident of the prosecution district in which the person is seeking office
             72      and either will have been a resident of that prosecution district for at least one year as of the
             73      date of the election or was appointed and is currently serving as district attorney and became a
             74      resident of the prosecution district within 30 days after receiving appointment to the office.
             75          (iv) Before accepting a declaration of candidacy for the office of county sheriff, the
             76      county clerk shall ensure that the person filing the declaration of candidacy:
             77          (A) as of the date of filing:
             78          (I) is a United States citizen;
             79          (II) is a registered voter in the county in which the person seeks office;
             80          (III) (Aa) has successfully met the standards and training requirements established for
             81      law enforcement officers under Title 53, Chapter 6, Part 2, Peace Officer Training and
             82      Certification Act; or
             83          (Bb) has met the waiver requirements in Section 53-6-206 ; and
             84          (IV) is qualified to be certified as a law enforcement officer, as defined in Section
             85      53-13-103 ; and


             86          (B) as of the date of the election, shall have been a resident of the county in which the
             87      person seeks office for at least one year.
             88          (v) Before accepting a declaration of candidacy for the office of governor, lieutenant
             89      governor, state auditor, state treasurer, attorney general, state legislator, or State Board of
             90      Education member, the filing officer shall ensure:
             91          (A) that the person filing the declaration of candidacy also files the financial disclosure
             92      required by Section 20A-11-1603 ; and
             93          (B) if the filing officer is not the lieutenant governor, that the financial disclosure is
             94      provided to the lieutenant governor according to the procedures and requirements of Section
             95      20A-11-1603 .
             96          (b) If the prospective candidate states that the qualification requirements for the office
             97      are not met, the filing officer may not accept the prospective candidate's declaration of
             98      candidacy.
             99          (c) If the candidate meets the requirements of Subsection (3)(a) and states that the
             100      requirements of candidacy are met, the filing officer shall:
             101          (i) inform the candidate that:
             102          (A) the candidate's name will appear on the ballot as it is written on the declaration of
             103      candidacy;
             104          (B) the candidate may be required to comply with state or local campaign finance
             105      disclosure laws; and
             106          (C) the candidate is required to file a financial statement before the candidate's political
             107      convention under:
             108          (I) Section 20A-11-204 for a candidate for constitutional office;
             109          (II) Section 20A-11-303 for a candidate for the Legislature; or
             110          (III) local campaign finance disclosure laws, if applicable;
             111          (ii) except for a presidential candidate, provide the candidate with a copy of the current
             112      campaign financial disclosure laws for the office the candidate is seeking and inform the
             113      candidate that failure to comply will result in disqualification as a candidate and removal of the


             114      candidate's name from the ballot;
             115          (iii) provide the candidate with a copy of Section 20A-7-801 regarding the Statewide
             116      Electronic Voter Information Website Program and inform the candidate of the submission
             117      deadline under Subsection 20A-7-801 (4)(a);
             118          (iv) provide the candidate with a copy of the pledge of fair campaign practices
             119      described under Section 20A-9-206 and inform the candidate that:
             120          (A) signing the pledge is voluntary; and
             121          (B) signed pledges shall be filed with the filing officer;
             122          (v) accept the candidate's declaration of candidacy; and
             123          (vi) if the candidate has filed for a partisan office, provide a certified copy of the
             124      declaration of candidacy to the chair of the county or state political party of which the
             125      candidate is a member.
             126          (d) If the candidate elects to sign the pledge of fair campaign practices, the filing
             127      officer shall:
             128          (i) accept the candidate's pledge; and
             129          (ii) if the candidate has filed for a partisan office, provide a certified copy of the
             130      candidate's pledge to the chair of the county or state political party of which the candidate is a
             131      member.
             132          (4) Except for presidential candidates, the form of the declaration of candidacy shall be
             133      substantially as follows:
             134          "State of Utah, County of ____
             135              I, ______________, declare my intention of becoming a candidate for the office
             136      of ____ as a candidate for the ____ party. I do solemnly swear that: I will meet the
             137      qualifications to hold the office, both legally and constitutionally, if selected; I reside at
             138      _____________ in the City or Town of ____, Utah, Zip Code ____ Phone No. ____; I
             139      will not knowingly violate any law governing campaigns and elections; I will file all
             140      campaign financial disclosure reports as required by law; and I understand that failure
             141      to do so will result in my disqualification as a candidate for this office and removal of


             142      my name from the ballot. The mailing address that I designate for receiving official election
             143      notices is ___________________________.
             144      ____________________________________________________________________
             145          Subscribed and sworn before me this __________(month\day\year).
             146     
Notary Public (or other officer qualified to administer oath.)"

             147          (5) (a) Except for presidential candidates, the fee for filing a declaration of candidacy
             148      is:
             149          (i) $25 for candidates for the local school district board; and
             150          (ii) 1/8 of 1% of the total salary for the full term of office legally paid to the person
             151      holding the office, but not less than $5, for all other federal, state, and county offices.
             152          (b) Except for presidential candidates, the filing officer shall refund the filing fee to
             153      any candidate:
             154          (i) who is disqualified; or
             155          (ii) who the filing officer determines has filed improperly.
             156          (c) (i) The county clerk shall immediately pay to the county treasurer all fees received
             157      from candidates.
             158          (ii) The lieutenant governor shall:
             159          (A) apportion to and pay to the county treasurers of the various counties all fees
             160      received for filing of nomination certificates or acceptances; and
             161          (B) ensure that each county receives that proportion of the total amount paid to the
             162      lieutenant governor from the congressional district that the total vote of that county for all
             163      candidates for representative in Congress bears to the total vote of all counties within the
             164      congressional district for all candidates for representative in Congress.
             165          (d) (i) A person who is unable to pay the filing fee may file a declaration of candidacy
             166      without payment of the filing fee upon a prima facie showing of impecuniosity as evidenced by
             167      an affidavit of impecuniosity filed with the filing officer and, if requested by the filing officer,
             168      a financial statement filed at the time the affidavit is submitted.
             169          (ii) A person who is able to pay the filing fee may not claim impecuniosity.


             170          (iii) (A) False statements made on an affidavit of impecuniosity or a financial
             171      statement filed under this section shall be subject to the criminal penalties provided under
             172      Sections 76-8-503 and 76-8-504 and any other applicable criminal provision.
             173          (B) Conviction of a criminal offense under Subsection (5)(d)(iii)(A) shall be
             174      considered an offense under this title for the purposes of assessing the penalties provided in
             175      Subsection 20A-1-609 (2).
             176          (iv) The filing officer shall ensure that the affidavit of impecuniosity is printed in
             177      substantially the following form:
             178          "Affidavit of Impecuniosity
             179      Individual Name
             180      ____________________________Address_____________________________
             181      Phone Number _________________
             182      I,__________________________(name), do solemnly [swear] [affirm], under penalty of law
             183      for false statements, that, owing to my poverty, I am unable to pay the filing fee required by
             184      law.
             185      Date ______________ Signature________________________________________________
             186      Affiant
             187      Subscribed and sworn to before me on ___________ (month\day\year)
             188     
______________________

             189     
(signature)

             190          Name and Title of Officer Authorized to Administer Oath
______________________"

             191          (v) The filing officer shall provide to a person who requests an affidavit of
             192      impecuniosity a statement printed in substantially the following form, which may be included
             193      on the affidavit of impecuniosity:
             194          "Filing a false statement is a criminal offense. In accordance with Section 20A-1-609 , a
             195      candidate who is found guilty of filing a false statement, in addition to being subject to criminal
             196      penalties, will be removed from the ballot."
             197          (vi) The filing officer may request that a person who makes a claim of impecuniosity


             198      under this Subsection (5)(d) file a financial statement on a form prepared by the election
             199      official.
             200          (6) If there is no legislative appropriation for the Western States Presidential Primary
             201      election, as provided in Part 8, Western States Presidential Primary, a candidate for President
             202      of the United States who is affiliated with a registered political party and chooses to participate
             203      in the regular primary election shall:
             204          (a) file a declaration of candidacy, in person or via a designated agent, with the
             205      lieutenant governor:
             206          (i) on a form developed and provided by the lieutenant governor; and
             207          (ii) on or after the second Friday in March and before 5 p.m. on the third Thursday in
             208      March before the next regular primary election;
             209          (b) identify the registered political party whose nomination the candidate is seeking;
             210          (c) provide a letter from the registered political party certifying that the candidate may
             211      participate as a candidate for that party in that party's presidential primary election; and
             212          (d) pay the filing fee of $500.
             213          (7) Any person who fails to file a declaration of candidacy or certificate of nomination
             214      within the time provided in this chapter is ineligible for nomination to office.
             215          (8) A declaration of candidacy filed under this section may not be amended or
             216      modified after the final date established for filing a declaration of candidacy.


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