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Utah Statutes § 20A-3a-501 Prohibited conduct at polling place - Other prohibited activities

⤴ Up to Part 5: Voting Offenses

Statute Text

(1) As used in this section:
(a) "electioneering" includes any oral, printed, or written attempt to persuade persons to refrain from voting or to vote for or vote against any candidate or issue; and
(b) "polling place" means the physical place where ballots are cast and includes the physical place where a ballot drop box is located.
(2)
(a) An individual may not, within a polling place or in any public area within 150 feet of the building where a polling place is located:
(i) do any electioneering;
(ii) circulate cards or handbills of any kind;
(iii) solicit signatures to any kind of petition; or
(iv) engage in any practice that interferes with the freedom of voters to vote or disrupts the administration of the polling place.
(b) A county, municipality, school district, or special district may not prohibit electioneering that occurs more than 150 feet from the building where a polling place is located, but may regulate the place and manner of that electioneering to protect the public safety.
(3)
(a) An individual may not obstruct the doors or entries to a building in which a polling place is located or prevent free access to and from any polling place.
(b) A sheriff, deputy sheriff, or municipal law enforcement officer shall prevent the obstruction of the entrance to a polling place and may arrest an individual creating an obstruction.
(4) An individual may not solicit any voter to show the voter's ballot.
(5)
(a) An individual may not knowingly possess or control another individual's voted manual ballot, unless:
(i) the individual is an election official or postal worker acting in the capacity of an election official or postal worker;
(ii) the individual possesses or controls the voted ballot in accordance with Section 20A-3a-301 , relating to emergency ballots;
(iii) the possession or control is authorized in order to deliver a military-overseas ballot in accordance with Chapter 16, Uniform Military and Overseas Voters Act;
(iv) subject to Section 20A-3a-208 , the individual is authorized by a voter to possess or control the voter's voted ballot if the voter needs assistance delivering the ballot due to the voter's age, illness, or disability; or
(v) the individual resides in the same household as the voter.
(b) A violation of Subsection (5)(a) does not invalidate the ballot.
(6) An individual who violates any provision of this section is, in addition to the penalties described in Subsections 20A-1-609 (2) and (3) , guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
(7) A political subdivision may not prohibit political signs that are located more than 150 feet away from a polling place, but may regulate their placement to protect public safety.

History

Amended by Chapter 15 , 2023 General Session , § 229 , eff. 2/27/2023 .

Amended by Chapter 17 , 2020SP6 General Session , § 2 , eff. 8/31/2020 .

Amended by Chapter 31 , 2020 General Session , § 47 , eff. 5/12/2020 .

Renumbered from § 20A-3-501 by Chapter 31 , 2020 General Session , § 47 , eff. 5/12/2020 .

Amended by Chapter 75 , 2007 General Session Amended by Chapter 329 , 2007 General Session .

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