§ 20A-7-206. Submitting the initiative petition -- Certification of signatures by the county clerks -- Transfer to lieutenant governor.

(1)

(a) In order to qualify an initiative petition for placement on the regular general election ballot, the sponsors shall deliver each signed and verified initiative packet to the county clerk of the county in which the packet was circulated on or before the sooner of:

(i) 316 days after the day on which the application is filed; or

(ii) the April 15 immediately before the next regular general election immediately after the application is filed under Section 20A-7-202.

(b) A sponsor may not submit an initiative packet after the deadline established in this Subsection (1).

(2)

(a) No later than May 1 before the regular general election, the county clerk shall:

(i) check the names of all persons completing the verification for the initiative packet to determine whether those persons are residents of Utah and are at least 18 years old; and

(ii) submit the name of each of those persons who is not a Utah resident or who is not at least 18 years old to the attorney general and county attorney.

(b) The county clerk may not certify a signature under Subsection (3) on an initiative packet that is not verified in accordance with Section 20A-7-205.

(3) No later than May 15 before the regular general election, the county clerk shall:

(a) determine whether each signer is a registered voter according to the requirements of Section 20A-7-206.3;

(b) certify on the petition whether each name is that of a registered voter; and

(c) deliver all of the verified initiative packets to the lieutenant governor.

(4) Upon receipt of an initiative packet under Subsection (3) and any statement submitted under Subsection 20A-7-205(3), the lieutenant governor shall remove from the initiative petition a voter's signature if the voter has requested the removal in accordance with Subsection 20A-7-205(3).

(5) In order to qualify an initiative petition for submission to the Legislature, the sponsors shall deliver each signed and verified initiative packet to the county clerk of the county in which the packet was circulated by the November 15 before the next annual general session of the Legislature immediately after the application is filed under Section 20A-7-202.

(6)

(a) No later than December 1 before the annual general session of the Legislature, the county clerk shall:

(i) check the names of all persons completing the verification for the initiative packet to determine whether those persons are Utah residents and are at least 18 years old; and

(ii) submit the name of each of those persons who is not a Utah resident or who is not at least 18 years old to the attorney general and county attorney.

(b) The county clerk may not certify a signature under Subsection (7) on an initiative packet that is not verified in accordance with Section 20A-7-205.

(7) No later than December 15 before the annual general session of the Legislature, the county clerk shall:

(a) determine whether each signer is a registered voter according to the requirements of Section 20A-7-206.3;

(b) certify on the petition whether each name is that of a registered voter; and

(c) deliver all of the verified initiative packets to the lieutenant governor.

(8) The sponsor or their representatives may not retrieve initiative packets from the county clerks once they have submitted them.

Amended by Chapter 231, 2013 General Session