H.B. 410

This document includes House Floor Amendments incorporated into the bill on Mon, Mar 10, 2014 at 11:33 AM by lerror. -->              1     

UTAH PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY ELECTRONIC VOTING

             2     
PILOT PROJECT

             3     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Chief Sponsor: Jon Cox

             6     
Senate Sponsor: Curtis S. Bramble

             7     
             8      LONG TITLE
             9      General Description:
             10          This bill amends provisions of the Election Code relating to the Western States
             11      Presidential Primary.
             12      Highlighted Provisions:
             13          This bill:
             14          .    provides that, if the Legislature funds a Western States Presidential Primary
             15      election, the Legislature may, via the Utah Presidential Primary Pilot Project,
             16      declare H. [ by resolution ] .H that the primary will be held electronically;
             17          .    provides that an electronic election described in the preceding paragraph shall be
             18      held before any other caucus, primary, or other event for selecting a nominee in the
             19      nation;
             20          .    grants rulemaking authority to the director of elections within the lieutenant
             21      governor's office;
             22          .    grants authority to the lieutenant governor to adjust dates and deadlines in order to
             23      conduct an electronic election described in this bill; and
             24          .    makes technical and conforming changes.
             25      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             26          None
             27      Other Special Clauses:


             28          None
             29      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             30      AMENDS:
             31           20A-9-802 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2011, Third Special Session, Chapter 2
             32           20A-9-803 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 317
             33           20A-9-805 , as enacted by Laws of Utah 1999, Chapter 22
             34           20A-9-806 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2006, Chapter 326
             35      ENACTS:
             36           20A-9-802.5 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
             37     
             38      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             39          Section 1. Section 20A-9-802 is amended to read:
             40           20A-9-802. Western States Presidential Primary established -- Other ballot items
             41      prohibited.
             42          [(1) (a) (i) Contingent]
             43          (1) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (1)(b), and contingent upon legislative
             44      appropriation, there is established a Western States Presidential Primary election to be held on
             45      the first Tuesday in February in the year in which a presidential election will be held.
             46          (b) If the Legislature H. appropriates .H funds H. for .H a Western States
             46a      Presidential Primary election and declares,
             47      H. [ by resolution ] in intent language in the appropriation .H , that the Western States
             47a      Presidential Primary election will be held electronically
             48      under Section 20A-9-802 , the Western States Presidential Primary election shall be held on a
             49      date designated by the lieutenant governor that is earlier than the scheduled date for any
             50      meeting, caucus, primary, vote, or other method used in any other state or territory of the
             51      United States that constitutes the first determining stage of selecting a presidential nominee.
             52          [(ii)] (2) A political party may participate in a regular primary election for the office of
             53      President of the United States only if there is no Western States Presidential Primary election in
             54      that year.
             55          [(b)] (3) Except as otherwise specifically provided in this chapter, county clerks shall
             56      administer the Western States Presidential Primary according to the provisions of Title 20A,
             57      Election Code, including:
             58          [(i)] (a) Title 20A, Chapter 1, General Provisions;


             59          [(ii)] (b) Title 20A, Chapter 2, Voter Registration;
             60          [(iii)] (c) Title 20A, Chapter 3, Voting;
             61          [(iv)] (d) Title 20A, Chapter 4, Election Returns and Election Contests;
             62          [(v)] (e) Title 20A, Chapter 5, Election Administration; and
             63          [(vi)] (f) Title 20A, Chapter 6, Ballot Form.
             64          [(c) (i)] (4) (a) The county clerks shall ensure that the ballot voted by the voters at the
             65      Western States Presidential Primary contains only the names of candidates for President of the
             66      United States who have qualified as provided in this part.
             67          [(ii)] (b) The county clerks may not present any other items to the voters to be voted
             68      upon at this election.
             69          [(2)] (5) Registered political parties, and candidates for President of the United States
             70      who are affiliated with a registered political party, may participate in the Western States
             71      Presidential Primary established by this part.
             72          [(3)] (6) As a condition for using the state's election system, each registered political
             73      party wishing to participate in Utah's Western States Presidential Primary shall:
             74          (a) declare their intent to participate in the Western States Presidential Primary;
             75          (b) identify one or more registered political parties whose members may vote for the
             76      registered political party's candidates and whether or not persons identified as unaffiliated with
             77      a political party may vote for the registered political party's candidates; and
             78          (c) except as provided in Subsection (7), certify that information to the lieutenant
             79      governor no later than 5 p.m. on the June 30 of the year before the year in which the
             80      presidential primary will be held.
             81          (7) If the Legislature makes the declaration described in Subsection (1)(b), the
             82      lieutenant governor shall change the deadline described in Subsection (6)(c), as necessary, in
             83      order to comply with the requirements of Subsection (1)(b).
             84          Section 2. Section 20A-9-802.5 is enacted to read:
             85          20A-9-802.5. Utah Presidential Primary Electronic Voting Pilot Project.
             86          (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, if the Legislature makes the
             87      declaration described in Subsection 20A-9-802 (1)(b), the lieutenant governor shall:
             88          (a) ensure that adequate measures are in place to conduct the election in an accurate
             89      and secure manner;


             90          (b) ensure the confidentiality of all votes; and
             91          (c) make changes to deadlines and other requirements of this title to the extent
             92      necessary to fulfill the requirements of this section.
             93          (2) The director of elections, within the lieutenant governor's office, may make rules to
             94      ensure that a Western States Presidential Primary election that is held electronically is
             95      conducted in accordance with the provisions of this section and the other provisions of this
             96      chapter.
             97          Section 3. Section 20A-9-803 is amended to read:
             98           20A-9-803. Declaration of candidacy -- Filing fee -- Form.
             99          (1) Candidates for president of the United States who are affiliated with a registered
             100      political party in Utah that has elected to participate in Utah's Western States Presidential
             101      Primary and who wish to participate in the primary shall:
             102          (a) except as provided in Subsection (4), file a declaration of candidacy, in person or
             103      via a designated agent, with the lieutenant governor between July 1 of the year before the
             104      primary election will be held and 5 p.m. on October 15 of the year before the primary election
             105      will be held;
             106          (b) identify the registered political party whose nomination the candidate is seeking;
             107          (c) provide a letter from the registered political party certifying that the candidate may
             108      participate as a candidate for that party in that party's presidential primary election; and
             109          (d) pay the filing fee of $500.
             110          (2) The lieutenant governor shall develop a declaration of candidacy form for
             111      presidential candidates participating in the primary.
             112          (3) An agent designated to file a declaration of candidacy may not sign the form
             113      described in Subsection (2).
             114          (4) If the Legislature makes the declaration described in Subsection 20A-9-802 (1)(b),
             115      the lieutenant governor shall change the dates and times described in Subsection (1)(a), as
             116      necessary, in order to comply with the requirements of Subsection 20A-9-802 (1)(b).
             117          Section 4. Section 20A-9-805 is amended to read:
             118           20A-9-805. Closed primary -- Determining party affiliation -- Changing party
             119      affiliation.
             120          (1) If a registered political party has restricted voting for its presidential candidates as


             121      authorized by Subsection 20A-9-802 [(3)](6)(b), the lieutenant governor shall direct the county
             122      clerks and other election officials to allow only those voters meeting the registered political
             123      party's criteria to vote for that party's presidential candidates.
             124          (2) (a) For each person who registers to vote on or after May 3, 1999, the county clerk
             125      shall:
             126          (i) record the party affiliation designated by the voter on the voter registration form as
             127      the voter's party affiliation; or
             128          (ii) if no political party affiliation is designated by the voter on the voter registration
             129      form, record the voter's party affiliation as "unaffiliated."
             130          (b) Any registered voter may designate or change the voter's political party affiliation
             131      by complying with the procedures and requirements of Section 20A-2-107 or Section
             132      20A-9-808 .
             133          Section 5. Section 20A-9-806 is amended to read:
             134           20A-9-806. Ballots.
             135          (1) The lieutenant governor, together with county clerks, suppliers of election
             136      materials, and representatives of registered political parties, shall, except to the extent that the
             137      following action is not necessary due to the Legislature making the declaration described in
             138      Subsection 20A-9-802 (1)(b):
             139          (a) develop paper ballots, ballot labels, ballot sheets, electronic ballots, and provisional
             140      ballot envelopes to be used in Utah's Western States Presidential Primary;
             141          (b) ensure that the paper ballots, ballot labels, ballot sheets, electronic ballots, and
             142      provisional ballot envelopes comply generally with the requirements of Title 20A, Chapter 6,
             143      Part 1, General Requirements for All Ballots; and
             144          (c) provide voting booths, election records and supplies, and ballot boxes for each
             145      voting precinct as required by Section 20A-5-403 .
             146          (2) (a) Notwithstanding the requirements of Subsections (1)(b) and (c), Title 20A,
             147      Chapter 6, Part 1, General Requirements for All Ballots, and Section 20A-5-403 , the lieutenant
             148      governor, together with county clerks, suppliers of election materials, and representatives of
             149      registered political parties shall ensure that the paper ballots, ballot labels, ballot sheets,
             150      electronic ballots, provisional ballot envelopes, and voting booths, election records and
             151      supplies, and ballot boxes:


             152          (i) facilitate the distribution, voting, and tallying of ballots in a closed primary;
             153          (ii) simplify the task of poll workers, particularly in determining a voter's party
             154      affiliation;
             155          (iii) minimize the possibility of spoiled ballots due to voter confusion; and
             156          (iv) protect against fraud.
             157          (b) To accomplish the requirements of this Subsection (2), the lieutenant governor,
             158      county clerks, suppliers of election materials, and representatives of registered political parties
             159      shall:
             160          (i) mark, prepunch, or otherwise identify ballot sheets as being for a particular
             161      registered political party; and
             162          (ii) instruct persons counting the ballots to count only those votes for candidates from
             163      the registered political party whose ballot the voter received.
             164          (c) To accomplish the requirements of this Subsection (2), the lieutenant governor,
             165      county clerks, suppliers of election materials, and representatives of registered political parties
             166      may:
             167          (i) notwithstanding the requirements of Sections 20A-6-101 and 20A-6-102 , use
             168      different colored ballot sheets for each registered political party;
             169          (ii) place ballot labels or ballots for each registered political party in different voting
             170      booths and direct voters to the particular voting booth for the political party whose ballot they
             171      are voting; or
             172          (iii) consider other means of accomplishing the objectives outlined in Subsection
             173      (2)(a).




Legislative Review Note
    as of 2-25-14 11:55 AM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


[Bill Documents][Bills Directory]