Judicial Election Amendments

HB 451 changes Utah's judicial retention election rules by requiring justices and judges to receive at least 67% of "yes" votes to remain in office, instead of a simple majority. This affects all judges and justices facing retention elections, including Supreme Court justices, appellate judges, and district court judges. The bill modifies the vote threshold in Section 20A-12-201 of Utah Code, clarifies ballot language, and maintains existing filing requirements ($50 for most judges, $25 for justice court judges). The change takes effect May 7, 2025, and applies to all future retention elections.