20A-13 - Elections to Federal Offices
Title 20A > 20A-13
Sections (11)
Selection of U.S. Congressional Representatives
20A-13-101.1 - Definitions.
As used in this part: 20A-13-101.1(1) “Census block” means any one of the 71,207 individual geographic areas into which the Bureau of the Census of the United States Department of Commerce has divided the state of Utah, to each of which the Bureau of the Census has attached a discrete population tabulation from the 2020 decennial census. 20A-13-101.1(2) “Congressional block equivalency file” means the electronic file that:assigns each of Utah’s 71,207 census blocks to a particular Congressional district; andis designated as:except as provided in Subsection (2)(b)(ii), HB2004_BEF.txt; andSB1012_BEF.txt only during a period in which:a court enjoins the electronic file described in Subsection (2)(b)(i); andTitle 20A, Chapter 19, Utah Independent Redistricting Commission and Standards Act, is in effect. 20A-13-101.1(3) “Congressional shapefile” means the electronic shapefile that:is the resulting projection of the Congressional block equivalency file; andstores the boundary of each of the four United States Congressional district boundaries for Utah. 20A-13-101.1(4) “Shapefile” means the digital vector storage format for storing geometric location and associated attribute information.
20A-13-101.5 - Representatives to the United States Congress — Four representative districts — When elected — District boundaries.
20A-13-101.5(1) The state of Utah is divided into four districts for the election of representatives to the Congress of the United States, with one member to be elected from each Congressional district.At the general election to be held in 2022, and biennially thereafter, one representative from each Congressional district shall be elected to serve in the Congress of the United States. 20A-13-101.5(2) The Legislature adopts the official census population figures and maps of the Bureau of the Census of the United States Department of Commerce developed in connection with the taking of the 2020 national decennial census as the official data for establishing Congressional district boundaries. 20A-13-101.5(3) Except as provided in Subsection (3)(b), the Legislature enacts the district numbers and boundaries of the Congressional districts designated in the Congressional block equivalency file and resulting Congressional shapefile that is the electronic component of Laws of Utah 2021, Second Special Session, Chapter 2:for purposes of nominating and electing members of the United States Congress beginning January 1, 2022; andfor all other purposes beginning January 3, 2023.Only during a period described in Subsection 20A-13-101.1(2)(b)(ii), the Legislature enacts the district numbers and boundaries of the Congressional districts designated in the Congressional block equivalency file and resulting Congressional shapefile that is the electronic component of this bill:for purposes of nominating and electing members of the United States Congress beginning January 1, 2026; andfor all other purposes beginning January 3, 2027.The Legislature shall ensure that the Congressional shapefile, and Congressional boundaries generated from the Congressional shapefile, are accessible on the Utah Legislature’s website.
20A-13-102 - Congressional districts — Filing — Legal boundaries.
20A-13-102(1) The Legislature shall file a copy of the Congressional block equivalency file enacted by the Legislature and the resulting Congressional shapefile with the lieutenant governor’s office.The legal boundaries of Utah’s Congressional districts are contained in the Congressional shapefile on file with the lieutenant governor’s office. 20A-13-102(2) The lieutenant governor shall:verify the Congressional block equivalency file that the Legislature files under Subsection (1) using:for the block equivalency file described in Subsection 20A-13-101.5(3)(a), block equivalency file security code “4cb8a686520fdb1c2385e0a9812ff403” and the corresponding Congressional shapefile; andfor the block equivalency file described in Subsection 20A-13-101.5(3)(b), block equivalency file security code “00c65d65ecbe52d5d4b89f5daa3449a2” and the corresponding Congressional shapefile;generate maps of each Congressional district from the Congressional shapefile; andensure that the district maps are available for viewing on the lieutenant governor’s website.If there is any inconsistency between the district maps and the Congressional shapefile resulting from the Congressional block equivalency file, the block equivalency file is controlling.
20A-13-102.2 - County clerk, Utah Geospatial Resource Center, and lieutenant governor responsibilities — Maps and voting precinct boundaries.
20A-13-102.2(1) As used in this section:“Geospatial center” means the Utah Geospatial Resource Center.”Redistricting boundary data” means the Congressional shapefile in the possession of the lieutenant governor’s office. 20A-13-102.2(2) Each county clerk shall obtain a copy of the redistricting boundary data for the clerk’s county from the lieutenant governor’s office. 20A-13-102.2(3) A county clerk may create one or more county maps that identify the boundaries of Utah’s Congressional districts as generated from the redistricting boundary data.Before publishing or distributing any map or data created by the county clerk that identifies the boundaries of Utah’s Congressional districts within the county, the county clerk shall submit the county map and data to the lieutenant governor and to the geospatial center for review.Within 30 calendar days after the day on which the geospatial center receives a county map and data from a county clerk, the geospatial center shall:review the county map and data to evaluate if the county map and data accurately reflect the boundaries of Utah’s Congressional districts established by the Legislature in the redistricting boundary data;determine whether the county map and data are correct or incorrect; andcommunicate those findings to the lieutenant governor.The lieutenant governor shall either notify the county clerk that the county map and data are correct or notify the county clerk that the county map and data are incorrect.If the county clerk receives notice from the lieutenant governor that the county map and data submitted are incorrect, the county clerk shall:make the corrections necessary to conform the county map and data to the redistricting boundary data; andresubmit the corrected county map and data to the lieutenant governor and to the geospatial center for a new review under this Subsection (3). 20A-13-102.2(4) Subject to the requirements of this Subsection (4), each county clerk shall establish voting precincts and polling places within each Utah Congressional district according to the procedures and requirements of Section 20A-5-303.Within five business days after approval of voting precincts and polling places by the county legislative body as required by Section 20A-5-303, each county clerk shall submit a voting precinct map identifying the boundaries of each voting precinct within the county to the lieutenant governor and to the geospatial center for review.Within 30 calendar days after the day on which the geospatial center receives a map from a county clerk, the geospatial center shall:review the voting precinct map to evaluate if the voting precinct map accurately reflects the boundaries of Utah’s Congressional districts established by the Legislature in the redistricting boundary data;determine whether the voting precinct map is correct or incorrect; andcommunicate those findings to the lieutenant governor.The lieutenant governor shall either notify the county clerk that the voting precinct map is correct or notify the county clerk that the map is incorrect.If the county clerk receives notice from the lieutenant governor that the voting precinct map is incorrect, the county clerk shall:make the corrections necessary to conform the voting precinct map to the redistricting boundary data; andresubmit the corrected voting precinct map to the lieutenant governor and to the geospatial center for a new review under this Subsection (4).
20A-13-103 - Omissions from maps — How resolved.
20A-13-103(1) If any area of the state is omitted from a Congressional district in the Congressional shapefile in the possession of the lieutenant governor’s office, the county clerk of the affected county, upon discovery of the omission, shall attach the area to the appropriate Congressional district according to the requirements of Subsections (2) and (3). 20A-13-103(2) If the omitted area is surrounded by a single Congressional district, the county clerk shall attach the area to that district. 20A-13-103(3) If the omitted area is contiguous to two or more Congressional districts, the county clerk shall attach the area to the district that has the least population, as determined by the Utah Population Committee. 20A-13-103(4) The county clerk shall certify in writing and file with the lieutenant governor any attachment made under this section.
20A-13-104 - Uncertain boundaries — How resolved.
20A-13-104(1) As used in this section, “affected party” means:a representative whose Congressional district boundary is uncertain because the boundary in the Congressional shapefile used to establish the district boundary has been removed, modified, or is unable to be identified or who is uncertain about whether the representative or another individual resides in a particular Congressional district;a candidate for Congressional representative whose Congressional district boundary is uncertain because the boundary in the Congressional shapefile used to establish the district boundary has been removed, modified, or is unable to be identified or who is uncertain about whether the candidate or another individual resides in a particular Congressional district; oran individual who is uncertain about which Congressional district contains the individual’s residence because the boundary in the Congressional shapefile used to establish the district boundary has been removed, modified, or is unable to be identified. 20A-13-104(2) An affected party may file a written request petitioning the lieutenant governor to determine:the precise location of the Congressional district boundary;the number of the Congressional district in which an individual resides; orboth Subsections (2)(a)(i) and (ii).In order to make the determination required by Subsection (2)(a), the lieutenant governor shall review:the Congressional block equivalency file and the resulting Congressional shapefile; andany other relevant data such as aerial photographs, aerial maps, or other data about the area.Within five days after the day on which the lieutenant governor receives the request, the lieutenant governor shall:complete the review described in Subsection (2)(b); andmake a determination.When the lieutenant governor determines the location of the Congressional district boundary, the lieutenant governor shall:prepare a certification identifying the appropriate boundary and attaching a map, if necessary; andsend a copy of the certification to:the affected party;the county clerk of the affected county; andthe Utah Geospatial Resource Center created under Section 63A-16-505.If the lieutenant governor determines the number of the Congressional district in which a particular individual resides, the lieutenant governor shall send a letter identifying that district by number to:the individual;the affected party who filed the petition, if different than the individual whose Congressional district number was identified; andthe county clerk of the affected county.
Selection of U.S. Senators
20A-13-201 - Senators — When elected.
At the general election in November, 1932, and at each general election immediately preceding the expiration of the term of office of a United States senator from Utah, there shall be elected one United States senator to serve for a period of six years.
Presidential Electors
20A-13-301 - Presidential elections — Effect of vote.
20A-13-301(1) Each registered political party shall choose individuals to act as presidential electors and to fill vacancies in the office of presidential electors for their party’s candidates for president and vice president of the United States according to the procedures established in their bylaws.Each registered political party shall certify to the lieutenant governor the names and addresses of the individuals selected by the political party as the party’s presidential electors before 5 p.m. no later than August 31.An unaffiliated candidate or write-in candidate for the office of president of the United States shall, no later than 5 p.m. on the first business day that is at least 10 calendar days after the day on which the candidate files a declaration of candidacy, certify to the lieutenant governor the names and addresses of each individual selected by the candidate as a presidential elector for the candidate and each individual selected by the candidate to fill a vacancy in the office of presidential elector for the candidate. 20A-13-301(2) The highest number of votes cast for candidates for president and vice president of the United States elects the presidential electors for:except as provided in Subsection (2)(b), the political party of those candidates; orif the candidates receiving the highest number of votes are unaffiliated candidates or write-in candidates, the presidential electors selected for those candidates under Subsection (1)(c).
20A-13-302 - Certificate of election.
20A-13-302(1) The lieutenant governor shall transmit certificates of election to each of the electors selected under Section 20A-13-301:
if the candidates for president and vice president of the United States who receive the highest number of votes in the state are unaffiliated candidates or write-in candidates, by the candidate for president; or if the candidates for president and vice president of the United States who receive the highest number of votes in the state are the nominees of a registered political party, by the registered political party. 20A-13-302(2) Presidential electors may not receive compensation for their services.
20A-13-303 - Filling vacancies.
If there is a vacancy in the office of presidential elector because of death, refusal to act, failure to attend, ineligibility, or any other cause, the individual or political party represented by the elector who caused the vacancy shall immediately fill the vacancy.
20A-13-304 - Meeting to ballot — Casting ballot for individual not nominated by elector’s candidate or party.
20A-13-304(1) The electors shall meet at the office of the lieutenant governor at the state capitol at noon of the first Wednesday of the January after their election, or at noon of any other day designated by the Congress of the United States of America. 20A-13-304(2) After convening, the electors shall perform their duties in conformity with the United States Constitution and laws. 20A-13-304(3) Any elector who casts an electoral ballot for an individual not nominated by the individual, or by the party of which the elector is an elector, except in the cases of death or felony conviction of a candidate, is considered to have resigned from the office of elector, the elector’s vote may not be recorded, and the remaining electors shall appoint another individual to fill the vacancy.