§ 20A-1-1003 — Signature removal -- Statement required.

(1) A voter who signs a petition may have the voter's signature removed from the petition by submitting to the clerk a statement requesting that the voter's signature be removed.
(2) (2)(a) (2)(a)(i) The statement described in Subsection (1) shall include:
(2)(a)(i)(A) the name or description of the petition from which the voter seeks to remove the voter's signature;
(2)(a)(i)(B) the name of the voter;
(2)(a)(i)(C) the resident address at which the voter is registered to vote;
(2)(a)(i)(D) except as otherwise provided in Section 20A-7-106, the voter's signature; and
(2)(a)(i)(E) the date of the signature described in Subsection (2)(a)(i)(D).
(2)(a)(ii) To increase the likelihood of the voter's signature being identified and removed, the statement may include the voter's birth date or age.
(2)(b) Except as provided in Subsection 20A-7-216(5)(a), 20A-7-314(5)(a), 20A-7-515(4)(b), or 20A-7-615(4)(b), a voter may not submit a statement described in Subsection (1) by email or other electronic means.
(2)(c) In order for the signature to be removed, the clerk must receive the statement described in Subsection (1) no later than the deadline described in the provision of law governing the petition.
(2)(d) A voter may only remove a signature from a petition in accordance with this section and the provision of law governing the petition.
(2)(e) A clerk shall analyze a signature, for purposes of removing a signature from a petition, in accordance with Subsection (3).
(3) Except to the extent otherwise required under Section 20A-7-106, the clerk shall use the following procedures to determine whether to remove an individual's signature from a petition after receiving a timely, valid statement requesting removal of the signature:
(3)(a) if the signer's name and address shown on the statement and the petition exactly match a name and address shown on the official register and the individual's signature on the statement is reasonably consistent with the individual's signature on the statewide voter registration database, the clerk shall remove the signature from the petition;
(3)(b) if there is no exact match of an address and a name, the clerk shall remove the signature from the petition if:
(3)(b)(i) the address on the statement and the address provided by the individual with the individual's petition signature match the address of an individual on the official register with a substantially similar name; and
(3)(b)(ii) the individual's signature on the statement is reasonably consistent with the signature on the statewide voter registration database of the individual described in Subsection (3)(b)(i); and
(3)(c) if there is no match of an address and a substantially similar name, the clerk shall remove the signature from the petition if:
(3)(c)(i) the birth date or age on the statement and the birth date or age provided by the individual with the individual's petition signature match the birth date or age of an individual on the official register with a substantially similar name; and
(3)(c)(ii) the individual's signature on the statement is reasonably consistent with the signature on the statewide voter registration database of the individual described in Subsection (3)(b)(i).
(4) If a signature does not qualify for removal under Subsection (3)(a), (b), or (c), or, if applicable, Section 20A-7-106, the clerk may not remove the signature from the petition.

Legislative History

Amended by Chapter 442, 2024 General Session