1     
ABSENTEE BALLOT AMENDMENTS

2     
2016 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Margaret Dayton

5     
House Sponsor: Jack R. Draxler

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     Committee Note:
9          The Government Operations Interim Committee recommended this bill.
10     General Description:
11          This bill amends provisions relating to absentee ballots.
12     Highlighted Provisions:
13          This bill:
14          ▸     changes the date by which an election officer is required to mail absentee ballots.
15     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
16          None
17     Other Special Clauses:
18          None
19     Utah Code Sections Affected:
20     AMENDS:
21          20A-3-305, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2012, Chapter 309
22     

23     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
24          Section 1. Section 20A-3-305 is amended to read:
25          20A-3-305. Mailing of ballot to voter -- Enclose self-addressed envelope --
26     Affidavit.
27          (1) (a) Upon timely receipt of an absentee voter application properly filled out and

28     signed less than 30 days before the election, the election officer shall either:
29          (i) give the applicant an official absentee ballot and envelope to vote in the office; or
30          (ii) mail an official absentee ballot, postage paid, to the absentee voter and enclose an
31     envelope printed as required in Subsection (2).
32          (b) [Twenty-eight] No later than 21 days before election day, the election officer shall
33     mail an official absentee ballot, postage paid, to all absentee voters, other than to a
34     uniformed-service voter or an overseas voter, who have submitted a properly filled out and
35     signed absentee voter application before the day on which the ballots are mailed and enclose an
36     envelope printed as required by Subsection (2).
37          (2) The election officer shall ensure that:
38          (a) the name, official title, and post office address of the election officer is printed on
39     the front of the envelope; and
40          (b) a printed affidavit in substantially the following form is printed on the back of the
41     envelope:
42     "County of ____     State of ____
43          I, ____, solemnly swear that: I am a qualified resident voter of the ____ voting precinct
44     in ____ County, Utah and that I am entitled to vote in that voting precinct at the next election.
45     I am not a convicted felon currently incarcerated for commission of a felony.
46     
______________________________

47     
Signature of Absentee Voter"

48          (3) If the election officer determines that the absentee voter is required to show valid
49     voter identification, the election officer shall:
50          (a) issue the voter a provisional ballot in accordance with Section 20A-3-105.5;
51          (b) instruct the voter to include a copy of the voter's valid voter identification with the
52     return ballot;
53          (c) provide the voter clear instructions on how to vote a provisional ballot; and
54          (d) comply with the requirements of Subsection (2).






Legislative Review Note
Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel