Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 72 First Substitute (2015GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Knotwell, J.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/23/2015

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Gary R. Herbert

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• makes it a class C misdemeanor to take a photograph of a ballot, other than the voter's own ballot, at a polling place;
• allows an individual to take, share, or publish a photograph of the individual's ballot; and
• makes technical changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

BALLOT PUBLISHING AMENDMENTS
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: John Knotwell
Senate Sponsor: 
Alvin B. Jackson
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill amends provisions of the Election Code relating to taking a photograph of a
ballot.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ makes it a class C misdemeanor to take a photograph of a ballot, other than the
voter's own ballot, at a polling place;
▸ allows an individual to take, share, or publish a photograph of the individual's
ballot; and
▸ makes technical changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
20A-3-504
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 1993, Chapter 38
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
20A-3-504
 is amended to read:
20A-3-504.
Violations -- Penalties.
(1) Except as allowed by 
Subsection (3) or
 Section 
20A-3-108
, [
a person
] 
an individual
is guilty of a class C misdemeanor if 
the individual
:
(a) [
he
] allows [
his
] 
the individual's
 ballot to be seen by [
any other person
] 
another
with [
an
] 
the
 intent to reveal how [
he
] 
the individual
 is about to vote;
(b) [
he
] states falsely that [
he
] 
the individual
 is unable to mark [
his
] 
the individual's
ballot;
(c) [
he
] interferes or attempts to interfere with any [
person
] 
individual
 who is inside the
voting booth or who is marking a ballot; [
or
]
(d) [
he
] induces or attempts to induce any voter who is inside a voting booth or who is
marking a ballot to vote to show how [
he
] 
the voter
 marked [
his
] 
the voter's
 ballot[
.
]
; or
(e) takes a photograph of a ballot, other than the individual's own ballot, at a polling
place.
(2) The election judges and clerks shall report any [
person violating
] 
individual who
violates
 this section to the county attorney or district attorney having state criminal jurisdiction
for prosecution.
(3) Subsection (1) does not prohibit an individual from transferring a photograph of the
individual's own ballot in a manner that allows the photograph to be viewed by the individual
or another.