§ 20A-6-301. Paper ballots -- Regular general election. (Effective 1/1/2015)

(1) Each election officer shall ensure that:

(a) all paper ballots furnished for use at the regular general election contain:

(i) no captions or other endorsements except as provided in this section;

(ii) no symbols, markings, or other descriptions of a political party or group, except for a registered political party that has chosen to nominate its candidates in accordance with Section 20A-9-403; and

(iii) no indication that a candidate for elective office has been nominated by, or has been endorsed by, or is in any way affiliated with a political party or group, unless the candidate has been nominated by a registered political party in accordance with Subsection 20A-9-202(4) or Subsection 20A-9-403(5).

(b)

(i) the paper ballot contains a ballot stub at least one inch wide, placed across the top of the ballot, and divided from the rest of ballot by a perforated line;

(ii) the ballot number and the words "Poll Worker's Initial ____" are printed on the stub; and

(iii) ballot stubs are numbered consecutively;

(c) immediately below the perforated ballot stub, the following endorsements are printed in 18 point bold type:

(i) "Official Ballot for ____ County, Utah";

(ii) the date of the election; and

(iii) a facsimile of the signature of the county clerk and the words "county clerk";

(d) each ticket is placed in a separate column on the ballot in the order specified under Section 20A-6-305 with the party emblem, followed by the party name, at the head of the column;

(e) the party name or title is printed in capital letters not less than one-fourth of an inch high;

(f) a circle one-half inch in diameter is printed immediately below the party name or title, and the top of the circle is placed not less than two inches below the perforated line;

(g) unaffiliated candidates, candidates not affiliated with a registered political party, and all other candidates for elective office who were not nominated by a registered political party in accordance with Subsection 20A-9-202(4) or Subsection 20A-9-403(5), are listed in one column in the order specified under Section 20A-6-305, without a party circle, with the following instructions printed at the head of the column: "All candidates not affiliated with a political party are listed below. They are to be considered with all offices and candidates listed to the left. Only one vote is allowed for each office.";

(h) the columns containing the lists of candidates, including the party name and device, are separated by heavy parallel lines;

(i) the offices to be filled are plainly printed immediately above the names of the candidates for those offices;

(j) the names of candidates are printed in capital letters, not less than one-eighth nor more than one-fourth of an inch high in heavy-faced type not smaller than 10 point, between lines or rules three-eighths of an inch apart;

(k) a square with sides measuring not less than one-fourth of an inch in length is printed immediately adjacent to the name of each candidate;

(l) for the offices of president and vice president and governor and lieutenant governor, one square with sides measuring not less than one-fourth of an inch in length is printed on the same side as but opposite a double bracket enclosing the names of the two candidates;

(m) in an election in which a voter is authorized to cast a write-in vote and where a write-in candidate is qualified under Section 20A-9-601, immediately adjacent to the unaffiliated ticket on the ballot, the ballot contains a write-in column long enough to contain as many written names of candidates as there are persons to be elected with:

(i) for each office on the ballot, the office to be filled plainly printed immediately above:

(A) a blank, horizontal line to enable the entry of a valid write-in candidate and a square with sides measuring not less than one-fourth of an inch in length printed immediately adjacent to the blank horizontal line; or

(B) for the offices of president and vice president and governor and lieutenant governor, two blank horizontal lines, one placed above the other, to enable the entry of two valid write-in candidates, and one square with sides measuring not less than one-fourth of an inch in length printed on the same side as but opposite a double bracket enclosing the two blank horizontal lines; and

(ii) the words "Write-In Voting Column" printed at the head of the column without a one-half inch circle;

(n) when required, the ballot includes a nonpartisan ticket placed immediately adjacent to the write-in ticket, or, if there is no write-in ticket, immediately adjacent to the unaffiliated ticket, with the word "NONPARTISAN" in reverse type in an 18 point solid rule running vertically the full length of the nonpartisan ballot copy; and

(o) constitutional amendments or other questions submitted to the vote of the people, are printed on the ballot after the list of candidates.

(2) Each election officer shall ensure that:

(a) each person nominated by any registered political party under Subsection 20A-9-202(4) or Subsection 20A-9-403(5), and no other person, is placed on the ballot:

(i) under the registered political party's name and emblem, if any; or

(ii) under the title of the registered political party as designated by them in their certificates of nomination or petition, or, if none is designated, then under some suitable title;

(b) the names of all unaffiliated candidates that qualify as required in Title 20A, Chapter 9, Part 5, Candidates not Affiliated with a Party, are placed on the ballot;

(c) the names of the candidates for president and vice president are used on the ballot instead of the names of the presidential electors; and

(d) the ballots contain no other names.

(3) When the ballot contains a nonpartisan section, the election officer shall ensure that:

(a) the designation of the office to be filled in the election and the number of candidates to be elected are printed in type not smaller than eight point;

(b) the words designating the office are printed flush with the left-hand margin;

(c) the words, "Vote for one" or "Vote for up to _____ (the number of candidates for which the voter may vote)" extend to the extreme right of the column;

(d) the nonpartisan candidates are grouped according to the office for which they are candidates;

(e) the names in each group are placed in the order specified under Section 20A-6-305 with the surnames last; and

(f) each group is preceded by the designation of the office for which the candidates seek election, and the words, "Vote for one" or "Vote for up to _____ (the number of candidates for which the voter may vote)," according to the number to be elected.

(4) Each election officer shall ensure that:

(a) proposed amendments to the Utah Constitution are listed on the ballot in accordance with Section 20A-6-107;

(b) ballot propositions submitted to the voters are listed on the ballot in accordance with Section 20A-6-107; and

(c) bond propositions that have qualified for the ballot are listed on the ballot under the title assigned to each bond proposition under Section 11-14-206.

Amended by Chapter 17, 2014 General Session
Amended by Chapter 169, 2014 General Session