HB 361: Elections Provisions Amendments - Utah

Substitute #5 → Enrolled · 7 edits · Mar 24, 2026

MODERATE

This bill significantly reorganizes Utah's election code, clarifying definitions and streamlining procedures for municipal and special district elections. It introduces new protections for voters, such as prohibiting election officials' names from appearing on ballots to prevent perceived endorsements, and updates voter identification requirements on mail-in ballots. The legislation also modernizes ballot handling by requiring specific security warnings on return envelopes and standardizing how election results are reported and published.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of election regulations to include clearer rules for special districts and renumbers several sections to consolidate related provisions under new chapter titles.

REQUIREMENT

Prohibits county clerks and election officers from having their names included on official ballots or return envelopes to prevent the appearance of official endorsement.

Updates voter identification requirements on mail-in ballots, mandating that voters provide the last four digits of their driver's license or SSN to ensure ballot validity.

Requires election officers to include specific warning notices on mail-in ballots regarding identification requirements and future changes to automatic mail-in ballot delivery.

Mandates that county clerks remove deceased voters from the official register within five business days of receiving confirmation.

Changes the retention period for ballots and election materials from 18 months to 22 months.

DEFINITION

Adds new definitions for terms like 'Active voter' and 'Public figure' to clarify eligibility and safety protocols.

TIMELINE

Adjusts deadlines for filing candidacy declarations and publishing election notices to align with specific business days and calendar dates.

Introduced → Substitute #1 · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill significantly rewrites Utah's election code to modernize procedures, clarify definitions, and address conflict of interest concerns. It establishes a new 'Conflict of Interest Election Officer' to handle election disputes involving the governor or lieutenant governor, creating a task force to review election oversight systems. The bill also updates county commission election rules to distinguish between full terms and midterms, expands special district election procedures, and tightens requirements for voter registration updates and ballot security.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of election oversight by creating a new independent officer role and a legislative task force, while modifying the scope of county and special district elections to clarify how vacancies and midterms are handled.

REQUIREMENT

Created a new 'Conflict of Interest Election Officer' position to act as an independent arbiter for election disputes involving the governor or lieutenant governor, replacing the lieutenant governor in those specific scenarios.

Established a new 'Elections Oversight Task Force' composed of legislative and executive officials to review and recommend improvements to the state's election administration system by September 2027.

Updated county commission election rules to clearly define and distinguish between 'open positions' (full terms) and 'midterm vacancies,' ensuring proper ballot designation and candidate filing for both scenarios.

Revised voter registration and removal procedures to require written confirmation of address changes and to allow for the removal of deceased voters from the official register more efficiently.

Enhanced ballot security and mailing procedures by adding warnings about identification requirements and updating instructions for voters regarding mail-in ballots and provisional voting.

DEFINITION

Consolidated and renumbered numerous election-related sections to create a more organized code, clarifying terms like 'election cycle,' 'ballot,' and 'valid voter identification.'

TIMELINE

Adjusted various election deadlines and notice periods, such as changing the timing for early voting notices and clarifying the windows for filing candidacy declarations.

Substitute #4 → Substitute #5 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill streamlines Utah's election code by consolidating scattered provisions into a single, organized title. It standardizes candidate filing deadlines for all political parties, prohibits election officials' names from appearing on ballots or return envelopes starting in 2027, and tightens rules for removing deceased voters from registration rolls. The changes aim to increase transparency, reduce administrative confusion, and modernize election administration procedures.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of the Election Code by recodifying and adding new sections (20A-5a) to centralize election notice requirements and candidate certification processes that were previously dispersed across multiple statutes.

TIMELINE

Standardized candidate filing deadlines to coincide with municipal election periods and apply uniformly to all registered political parties, regardless of their qualified status.

REQUIREMENT

Prohibits the inclusion of county clerk or election officer names on ballots, official endorsements, and return envelopes beginning January 1, 2027, to prevent confusion about official endorsements.

Updated procedures for removing deceased voters from the official register, including specific timelines for confirmation and removal to ensure accuracy.

DEFINITION

Recodified and reorganized definitions and election notice requirements into a new Part 5a to improve clarity and accessibility of the election code.

TECHNICAL

Made technical and conforming changes to align various election statutes with current practices and remove inconsistent provisions.

Substitute #3 → Substitute #4 · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill reorganizes Utah's election code to clarify procedures for candidate filings, ballot notices, and voter registration. It standardizes declaration of candidacy periods across all political parties, removes election officers' names from ballots and return envelopes starting in 2027, and updates rules for filling vacancies and managing deceased voters' records.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of election administration by applying uniform declaration of candidacy deadlines to all registered political parties, regardless of their qualification status, and extends certain notice requirements to special districts.

TIMELINE

Standardized declaration of candidacy periods for all registered political parties to coincide with municipal and regular election timelines, removing distinctions based on party qualification status.

REQUIREMENT

Prohibits the inclusion of county clerk or election officer names on ballots and return envelopes beginning January 1, 2027, except when the officer is running as a candidate.

Revised procedures for removing deceased voters from the official register to ensure timely updates using Social Security Administration data.

Modified requirements for special district elections to align candidate filing and ballot notice procedures with municipal and general election standards.

DEFINITION

Updated definitions of 'election,' 'ballot,' and 'election material' to clarify what constitutes official election documentation and results.

TECHNICAL

Renumbered and consolidated various election code sections to improve organization and consistency throughout the statute.

Substitute #2 → Substitute #3 · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill streamlines Utah's election code by consolidating scattered provisions into a new, organized structure. It standardizes candidate filing deadlines across all political parties, prohibits election officials' names from appearing on ballots or return envelopes to prevent perceived bias, and updates voter registration rules to remove names of deceased individuals more efficiently. The bill also clarifies definitions, adjusts deadlines to occur on business days rather than specific calendar dates, and grants the Office of the Lieutenant Governor authority to regulate the state seal.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope by reorganizing the Election Code into a more logical framework and adding specific prohibitions on election official endorsements that were previously absent or inconsistent.

TIMELINE

Changed various election deadlines from specific calendar dates to 'business days' to ensure procedures occur on regular workdays.

REQUIREMENT

Prohibited the inclusion of a county clerk's or election officer's name on ballots, official endorsements, or return envelopes to prevent the appearance of bias, with exceptions only when they are running as candidates.

Standardized declaration of candidacy periods for all registered political parties to be the same, regardless of their qualification status.

Modified the process for removing deceased voters from the official register by allowing removal within five business days of confirmation from the Office of Vital Records or Social Security Administration.

Updated voter identification requirements for mail-in ballots, including warnings about providing the last four digits of a driver's license or social security number to prevent ballot rejection.

Adjusted the timing for early voting notices and ballot mailing deadlines to provide clearer, more consistent timelines for voters and election officials.

DEFINITION

Added new definitions for terms such as 'active voter,' 'inactive voter,' 'valid voter identification,' and 'public figure' to clarify election procedures.

Substitute #1 → Substitute #2 · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill reorganizes Utah's election code to standardize candidate filing deadlines across all political parties and election types, ensuring uniformity regardless of party status. It also clarifies rules for county commissions, special districts, and voter registration updates while prohibiting election officials' names from appearing on ballots or return envelopes to prevent perceived bias. The changes aim to streamline election administration, improve transparency, and ensure consistent application of election laws statewide.

Scope change

The bill expands consistency in election procedures by applying uniform declaration of candidacy periods to all registered political parties, including those not yet qualified, and clarifies rules for special districts and county commissions.

TIMELINE

Standardized declaration of candidacy periods for all registered political parties to coincide with municipal and regular election filing deadlines, regardless of whether the party is qualified.

REQUIREMENT

Prohibited the inclusion of county clerk or election officer names on ballots, official endorsements, or return envelopes to prevent the appearance of bias.

Modified procedures for removing deceased voters from registration lists and clarified notice requirements for election cancellations.

Updated rules for special district elections to align filing deadlines and ballot procedures with general election standards.

DEFINITION

Updated definitions to clarify terms such as 'active voter,' 'business day,' and 'election material' for better administrative clarity.

TECHNICAL

Recodified and renumbered various sections of the election code to consolidate related provisions and improve organization.

Elections Provisions Amendments

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