Signature-gathering process to seek the nomination of a qualified political party.
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(1) This section describes the requirements for a member of a qualified political party who is seeking the nomination of the qualified political party for an elective office through the signature-gathering process described in this section.
(2) Notwithstanding Subsection 20A-9-201(7)(a), the form of the declaration of candidacy for a member of a qualified political party who is nominated by, or who is seeking the nomination of, the qualified political party under this section shall be substantially as described in Section 20A-9-408.5.
(3) Notwithstanding Subsection 20A-9-202(1)(a), and except as provided in Subsection 20A-9-202(4), a member of a qualified political party who, under this section, is seeking the nomination of the qualified political party for an elective office that is to be filled at the next general election shall:
(a) within the period beginning on January 1 before the next regular general election and ending at 5 p.m. 52 days after the day on which the Legislature's general session begins, as provided in Section 36-3-201, and before gathering signatures under this section, file with the filing officer on a form approved by the lieutenant governor a notice of intent to gather signatures for candidacy that includes:
(i) the name of the member who will attempt to become a candidate for a registered political party under this section;
(ii) the name of the registered political party for which the member is seeking nomination;
(iii) the office for which the member is seeking to become a candidate;
(iv) the address and telephone number of the member; and
(v) other information required by the lieutenant governor;
(b) except as provided in Subsection 20A-9-202(1)(c), file a declaration of candidacy, in person, with the filing officer:
(i) on or after 48 days after the day on which the Legislature's general session begins, as provided in Section 36-3-201; and
(ii) before 5 p.m. 52 days after the day on which the Legislature's general session begins, as provided in Section 36-3-201; and
(c) pay the filing fee.
(4) Notwithstanding Subsection 20A-9-202(2)(a), a member of a qualified political party who, under this section, is seeking the nomination of the qualified political party for the office of district attorney within a multicounty prosecution district that is to be filled at the next general election shall:
(a) on or after January 1 before the next regular general election, and before gathering signatures under this section, file with the filing officer on a form approved by the lieutenant governor a notice of intent to gather signatures for candidacy that includes:
(i) the name of the member who will attempt to become a candidate for a registered political party under this section;
(ii) the name of the registered political party for which the member is seeking nomination;
(iii) the office for which the member is seeking to become a candidate;
(iv) the address and telephone number of the member; and
(v) other information required by the lieutenant governor;
(b) except as provided in Subsection 20A-9-202(1)(c), file a declaration of candidacy, in person, with the filing officer:
(i) on or after 48 days after the day on which the Legislature's general session begins, as provided in Section 36-3-201; and
(ii) before 5 p.m. 52 days after the day on which the Legislature's general session begins, as provided in Section 36-3-201; and
(c) pay the filing fee.
(5) Notwithstanding Subsection 20A-9-202(3)(a)(iii), a lieutenant governor candidate who files as the joint-ticket running mate of an individual who is nominated by a qualified political party, under this section, for the office of governor shall, before the deadline described in Subsection 20A-9-202(1)(b), file a declaration of candidacy and submit a letter from the candidate for governor that names the lieutenant governor candidate as a joint-ticket running mate.
(6) The lieutenant governor shall ensure that the certification described in Subsection 20A-9-701(1) also includes the name of each candidate nominated by a qualified political party under this section.
(7) Notwithstanding Subsection 20A-9-701(2), the ballot shall, for each candidate who is nominated by a qualified political party under this section, designate the qualified political party that nominated the candidate.
(8) A member of a qualified political party may seek the nomination of the qualified political party for an elective office by:
(a) complying with the requirements described in this section; and
(b) collecting signatures, on a form approved by the lieutenant governor, during the period beginning on January 1 of an even-numbered year and ending at 5 p.m. 14 days before the day on which the qualified political party's convention for the office is held, in the following amounts:
(i) for a statewide race, 28,000 signatures of registered voters in the state who are permitted by the qualified political party to vote for the qualified political party's candidates in a primary election;
(ii) for a congressional district race, 7,000 signatures of registered voters who are residents of the congressional district and are permitted by the qualified political party to vote for the qualified political party's candidates in a primary election;
(iii) for a state Senate district race, 2,000 signatures of registered voters who are residents of the state Senate district and are permitted by the qualified political party to vote for the qualified political party's candidates in a primary election;
(iv) for a state House district race, 1,000 signatures of registered voters who are residents of the state House district and are permitted by the qualified political party to vote for the qualified political party's candidates in a primary election;
(v) for a State Board of Education race, the lesser of:
(A) 2,000 signatures of registered voters who are residents of the State Board of Education district and are permitted by the qualified political party to vote for the qualified political party's candidates in a primary election; or
(B) 3% of the registered voters of the qualified political party who are residents of the applicable State Board of Education district; and
(vi) for a county office race, signatures of 3% of the registered voters who are residents of the area permitted to vote for the county office and are permitted by the qualified political party to vote for the qualified political party's candidates in a primary election.
(9)
(a) In order for a member of the qualified political party to qualify as a candidate for the qualified political party's nomination for an elective office under this section, the member shall:
(i) collect the signatures on a form approved by the lieutenant governor, using the same circulation and verification requirements described in Sections 20A-7-204 and 20A-7-205; and
(ii) submit the signatures to the election officer before 5 p.m. no later than 14 days before the day on which the qualified political party holds the party's convention to select candidates, for the elective office, for the qualified political party's nomination.
(b) An individual may not gather signatures under this section until after the individual files a notice of intent to gather signatures for candidacy described in this section.
(c) An individual who files a notice of intent to gather signatures for candidacy, described in Subsection (3)(a) or (4)(a), is, beginning on the day on which the individual files the notice of intent to gather signatures for candidacy:
(i) required to comply with the reporting requirements that a candidate for office is required to comply with; and
(ii) subject to the same enforcement provisions, and civil and criminal penalties, that apply to a candidate for office in relation to the reporting requirements described in Subsection (9)(c)(i).
(d) Upon timely receipt of the signatures described in Subsections (8) and (9)(a), the election officer shall, no later than the earlier of 14 days after the day on which the election officer receives the signatures, or one day before the day on which the qualified political party holds the convention to select a nominee for the elective office to which the signature packets relate:
(i) check the name of each individual who completes the verification for a signature packet to determine whether each individual is a resident of Utah and is at least 18 years old;
(ii) submit the name of each individual described in Subsection (9)(d)(i) who is not a Utah resident or who is not at least 18 years old to the attorney general and the county attorney;
(iii) determine whether each signer is a registered voter who is qualified to sign the petition, using the same method, described in Section 20A-7-206.3, used to verify a signature on a petition; and
(iv) certify whether each name is that of a registered voter who is qualified to sign the signature packet.
(e) Upon timely receipt of the signatures described in Subsections (8) and (9)(a), the election officer shall, no later than one day before the day on which the qualified political party holds the convention to select a nominee for the elective office to which the signature packets relate, notify the qualified political party and the lieutenant governor of the name of each member of the qualified political party who qualifies as a nominee of the qualified political party, under this section, for the elective office to which the convention relates.
(f) Upon receipt of a notice of intent to gather signatures for candidacy described in this section, the lieutenant governor shall post the notice of intent to gather signatures for candidacy on the lieutenant governor's website in the same location that the lieutenant governor posts a declaration of candidacy.