§ UCA § 20A-7-612Misconduct of electors and officers -- Penalty

Effective 3/7/2026

20A-7-612. 
Misconduct of electors and officers -- Penalty.




(1)
It is unlawful for an individual to:


(a)
sign a name other than the individual's own name to any referendum petition;





(b)
knowingly sign the individual's name more than once for the same referendum at one election;





(c)
knowingly indicate that an individual who signed a referendum petition signed the referendum petition on a date other than the date that the individual signed the referendum petition;





(d)
sign a referendum petition knowing that the individual is not a legal voter;





(e)
in connection with circulating a referendum petition, represent that a document is an official government document if the individual knows or has reason to know that the document is not an official government document; or





(f)
knowingly and willfully violate any provision of this part.








(2)
It is unlawful for an individual to sign the verification for a referendum packet, or to electronically sign the verification for a signature under Subsection 20A-21-201(10), knowing that:


(a)
the signature date associated with the individual's signature for the referendum petition is not the date that the individual signed the referendum petition;





(b)
the individual has not witnessed the signatures the individual collects or submits; or





(c)
one or more individuals whose signatures appear in the referendum packet is not registered to vote in Utah.








(3)
It is unlawful for an individual to:


(a)
pay an individual to sign a referendum petition;





(b)
pay an individual, or provide or offer to provide money, prepaid postage, or any other direct financial benefit to an individual, to remove the individual's signature from a referendum petition;





(c)
accept payment to sign a referendum petition; 





(d)
accept payment to have the individual's name removed from a referendum petition;





(e)
make a misrepresentation that is likely to deceive, or misrepresent that the individual is affiliated with or acting on behalf of a governmental entity, while the individual gathers or attempts to gather:


(i)
a signature for a referendum petition; or





(ii)
a statement described in Section 20A-1-1003 requesting removal of a signature from a referendum petition; or








(f)
on behalf of a voter described in Section 20A-7-106, place the initials "AV" or enter any information on a signature sheet or statement described in Section 20A-7-106, if the individual:


(i)
does not obtain the voluntary direction or consent of the voter;





(ii)
believes or has reason to believe that the voter lacks the mental capacity to give the voter's direction or consent;





(iii)
believes or has reason to believe that the voter does not understand the purpose or nature of the action taken by the individual on behalf of the voter;





(iv)
intentionally or knowingly deceives the voter into providing the direction or consent of the voter; or





(v)
intentionally or knowingly enters false information on the signature sheet or statement.











(4)
A violation of this section is a class A misdemeanor.





(5)
The county attorney or municipal attorney shall prosecute any violation of this section.



Amended by Chapter 27, 2026 General Session