20A-7-801 - Statewide Electronic Voter Information Website Program -- Duties of the lieutenant governor -- Content -- Duties of local election officials -- Deadlines -- Frequently asked voter question
20A-7-801. Statewide Electronic Voter Information Website Program -- Duties ofthe lieutenant governor -- Content -- Duties of local election officials -- Deadlines --Frequently asked voter questions -- Other elections.
(1) There is established the Statewide Electronic Voter Information Website Programadministered by the lieutenant governor in cooperation with the county clerks for generalelections and municipal authorities for municipal elections.
(2) In accordance with this section, and as resources become available, the lieutenantgovernor, in cooperation with county clerks, shall develop, establish, and maintain astate-provided Internet website designed to help inform the voters of the state of:
(a) the offices and candidates up for election; and
(b) the content, effect, operation, fiscal impact, and supporting and opposing argumentsof ballot propositions submitted to the voters.
(3) Except as provided under Subsection (6), the website shall include:
(a) all information currently provided in the Utah voter information pamphlet under Title20A, Chapter 7, Voter Information Pamphlet, including a section prepared, analyzed, andsubmitted by the Judicial Council describing the judicial selection and retention process;
(b) all information submitted by election officers under Subsection (4) on local officeraces, local office candidates, and local ballot propositions; and
(c) other information determined appropriate by the lieutenant governor that is currentlybeing provided by law, rule, or ordinance in relation to candidates and ballot questions.
(4) (a) An election official shall submit the following information for each ballot labelunder the election official's direct responsibility under this title:
(i) a list of all candidates for each office;
(ii) if submitted by the candidate to the election official's office on or before August 20 at5 p.m.:
(A) a statement of qualifications, not exceeding 200 words in length, for each candidate;
(B) the following biographical information if desired by the candidate, current:
(I) age;
(II) occupation;
(III) city of residence;
(IV) years of residence in current city; and
(V) email address; and
(C) a single web address where voters may access more information about the candidateand the candidate's views; and
(iii) factual information pertaining to all ballot propositions submitted to the voters,including:
(A) a copy of the number and ballot title of each ballot proposition;
(B) the final vote cast for each ballot proposition, if any, by a legislative body if the votewas required to place the ballot proposition on the ballot;
(C) a complete copy of the text of each ballot proposition, with all new languageunderlined and all deleted language placed within brackets; and
(D) other factual information determined helpful by the election official.
(b) The information under Subsection (4)(a) shall be submitted to the lieutenant governorno later than one business day after the deadline under Subsection (4)(a) for each general electionyear and each municipal election year.
(c) The lieutenant governor shall:
(i) review the information submitted under this section prior to placing it on the websiteto determine compliance under this section;
(ii) refuse to post information submitted under this section on the website if it is not incompliance with the provisions of this section; and
(iii) organize, format, and arrange the information submitted under this section for thewebsite.
(d) The lieutenant governor may refuse to include information the lieutenant governordetermines is not in keeping with:
(i) Utah voter needs;
(ii) public decency; or
(iii) the purposes, organization, or uniformity of the website.
(e) A refusal under Subsection (4)(d) is subject to appeal in accordance with Subsection(5).
(5) (a) A person whose information is refused under Subsection (4), and who isaggrieved by the determination, may appeal by submitting a written notice of appeal to thelieutenant governor within 10 business days after the date of the determination. A notice ofappeal submitted under this Subsection (5)(a) shall contain:
(i) a listing of each objection to the lieutenant governor's determination; and
(ii) the basis for each objection.
(b) The lieutenant governor shall review the notice of appeal and shall issue a writtenresponse within 10 business days after the notice of appeal is submitted.
(c) An appeal of the response of the lieutenant governor shall be made to the districtcourt, which shall review the matter de novo.
(6) (a) The lieutenant governor shall ensure that each voter will be able to convenientlyenter the voter's address information on the website to retrieve information on which offices,candidates, and ballot propositions will be on the voter's ballot at the next general election ormunicipal election.
(b) The information on the website will anticipate and answer frequent voter questionsincluding the following:
(i) what offices are up in the current year for which the voter may cast a vote;
(ii) who is running for what office and who is the incumbent, if any;
(iii) what address each candidate may be reached at and how the candidate may becontacted;
(iv) for partisan races only, what, if any, is each candidate's party affiliation;
(v) what qualifications have been submitted by each candidate;
(vi) where additional information on each candidate may be obtained;
(vii) what ballot propositions will be on the ballot; and
(viii) what judges are up for retention election.
(7) By not later than March 1, 2008, the lieutenant governor shall have the StatewideElectronic Voter Information Website Program ready for use in the next election in accordancewith this section.
(8) As resources are made available and in cooperation with the county clerks, thelieutenant governor may expand the electronic voter information website program to include thesame information as provided under this section for special elections and primary elections.
Enacted by Chapter 83, 2007 General Session