Utah Code 20A-3a-501. Prohibited conduct at polling place — Other prohibited activities
Current as of: 2024 | Check for updates
|
Other versions
(1) As used in this section:
For details, see Utah Code § 76-3-204
Attorney's Note
Under the Utah Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| class A misdemeanor | up to 364 days | up to $2,500 |
Terms Used In Utah Code 20A-3a-501
- Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
- Ballot: means the storage medium, including a paper, mechanical, or electronic storage medium, that records an individual voter's vote. See Utah Code 20A-1-102
- Election: means a regular general election, a municipal general election, a statewide special election, a local special election, a regular primary election, a municipal primary election, and a special district election. See Utah Code 20A-1-102
- Election official: means any election officer, election judge, or poll worker. See Utah Code 20A-1-102
- Manual ballot: means a paper document produced by an election officer on which an individual records an individual's vote by directly placing a mark on the paper document using a pen or other marking instrument. See Utah Code 20A-1-102
- Municipality: means a city or town. See Utah Code 20A-1-102
- Polling place: means a building where voting is conducted. See Utah Code 20A-1-102
- Special district: means a local government entity under Title 17B, Limited Purpose Local Government Entities - Special Districts, and includes a special service district under Title 17D, Chapter 1, Special Service District Act. See Utah Code 20A-1-102
- Voter: means an individual who:(79)(a) meets the requirements for voting in an election;(79)(b) meets the requirements of election registration;(79)(c) is registered to vote; and(79)(d) is listed in the official register book. See Utah Code 20A-1-102(1)(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(1)(b) “polling place” means the physical place where ballots are cast and includes the physical place where a ballot drop box is located.
(2)
(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:
(2)(a)(i) do any electioneering;
(2)(a)(ii) circulate cards or handbills of any kind;
(2)(a)(iii) solicit signatures to any kind of petition; or
(2)(a)(iv) engage in any practice that interferes with the freedom of voters to vote or disrupts the administration of the polling place.
(2)(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)
(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.
(3)(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)
(5)(a) An individual may not knowingly possess or control another individual’s voted manual ballot, unless:
(5)(a)(i) the individual is an election official or postal worker acting in the capacity of an election official or postal worker;
(5)(a)(ii) the individual possesses or controls the voted ballot in accordance with Section 20A-3a-301, relating to emergency ballots;
(5)(a)(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;
(5)(a)(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
(5)(a)(v) the individual resides in the same household as the voter.
(5)(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.