UtahUtah requires training and completed forms for petition signature collectors
Utah requires petition signature collectors to finish online training and complete a collector form, with packet rejection when that form is incomplete.
What it does
Petition signature collectors must complete online training before collecting signatures. Clerks must reject packets with incomplete collector forms or a statement that training was not completed.
Organizers can use shorter paper packets that link to the full law through QR codes instead of attaching it. Shorter initiative packets must also explain the proposal in plain language.
Starting January 1, 2027, officials email eligible initiative signers when registration records have valid addresses. Starting July 1, clerks send signature-status emails and consented texts when contact information is available.
Paid collectors for petitions proposing laws or sending laws to voters must receive hourly pay. Regular-primary nomination petition collectors may receive hourly pay or pay per valid signature.
County clerks keep statewide paper petition packets and report signature-checking results. People cannot hide signing dates or other verification information, and signatures dated past the submission deadline cannot count.
Argument forSignature-status notices could help voters learn whether their petition signatures counted without having to search for the results themselves.
Argument againstRejecting a whole packet for an incomplete collector form could prevent otherwise valid voter signatures from counting toward a petition.
More detail
Signature collectors must complete online training and fill out the required collector form. These rules cover the listed election and local government petitions, including ballot measures, candidate nominations, and political party registration. Clerks must reject a packet if any part of the collector form is incomplete or the collector checks that training was not completed. Electronic collectors must submit the form within one business day after collecting a signature. Officials cannot certify signatures without timely collector verification. These requirements took effect May 6, 2026. Collectors must finish training before collecting any signatures.
Organizers may use traditional paper packets, shorter packets with QR codes, or both. These choices cover statewide and local paper petitions to propose laws or ask voters to approve or reject existing laws. Each shorter packet's signature sheets must have a QR code linking to the full law on the responsible election office's website. Shorter initiative packets need a plain-language description of no more than 50 words on each signature sheet. The petition itself also needs this description unless it proposes a tax increase. Applications must name a person to communicate and act for the organizers. These packet rules took effect May 6, 2026.
Election officials will email eligible initiative signers and send petition signature-status notices on separate schedules in 2027. Initiative emails link to the proposal, its estimated financial effects, and signature-removal information. Status notices cover the listed petition types and report whether a signature is valid or invalid. Emails require an email address in the signer's voter registration record; initiative information emails require a valid address. Text notices require a mobile number in that record and consent to official texts on the voter registration form. On January 1, 2027, organizers' information-email and recipient-report duties end, along with the rule invalidating signatures for failure to meet those duties. Initiative information emails begin January 1, 2027. Signature-status notices begin July 1, 2027. Each is due within two business days after the relevant signature decision.
People paying initiative or referendum signature collectors must base payment on an hourly rate. The hourly-only rule covers paid collection for statewide and local petitions proposing laws or asking voters to approve or reject existing laws. Regular-primary nomination petition collectors may be paid hourly or per valid signature. The collector form states that payment for other covered petition collection must be hourly or per valid signature. These payment rules took effect May 6, 2026.
County clerks keep verified statewide paper packets and report signature-checking results to the lieutenant governor. Packet retention and reports cover statewide paper petitions proposing laws or challenging existing laws. The signature safeguards also cover local paper petitions of these types. Reports include packet and signature totals, valid and invalid signature counts, and reasons signatures were rejected. People cannot alter signature sheets to hide signing dates or other information used to check signatures. Clerks cannot certify signatures dated later than the applicable packet-submission deadline. These rules took effect May 6, 2026. Clerks report within seven calendar days after their final posting and preserve verified packets for at least 22 months.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 23Governor Spencer Cox SignedBecame Law
- Mar 12House/ to GovernorTo Governor
- Mar 12House/ received enrolled bill from PrintingMinor
- Mar 11House/ enrolled bill to Printing
- Mar 11Enrolled Bill Returned to House or SenateMinor
- Mar 6Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
- Mar 6Bill Received from House for EnrollingMinor
- Mar 6House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrollingMajor
- Mar 6House/ received from SenateMinor
- Mar 5Senate/ to House
- Vote recorded House/ concurs with Senate amendment. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 5Senate/ signed by President/ returned to HouseMajor
- Mar 5Senate/ received from HouseMinor
- Mar 5House/ to Senate
- Mar 5House/ concurs with Senate amendmentMajor
- Mar 5House/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
- Mar 5House/ received from SenateMinor
- Mar 5Senate/ to House with amendments
- Mar 5Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspensionPassed Senate
- Mar 5Senate/ Rules to 2nd Reading Calendar
- Mar 5Senate/ 3nd Reading Calendar to Rules [Senate Rules Committee]
- Feb 26Senate/ placed on 3rd Reading Calendar table
- Vote recorded Senate/ passed 2nd reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 26Senate/ 3rd readingMinor
- Feb 26Senate/ passed 2nd readingMinor
- Feb 26Senate/ uncircled
- Feb 26Senate/ circled
- Feb 26Senate/ 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspensionMinor
- Feb 23Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Feb 23Senate/ comm rpt/ substituted [Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee]
- Feb 23Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation [Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee]Minor
- Feb 23Senate Comm - Substitute Recommendation [Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee]Major
- Feb 19LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0032S03
- Feb 19LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0032S03
- Feb 17Senate/ to standing committee [Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee]Minor
- Feb 17LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0032S03
- Feb 17LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0032S03
- Feb 17Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Feb 14LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0032S02
- Feb 12Senate/ received from HouseMinor
- Vote recorded House/ passed 3rd reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 12House/ to Senate
- Feb 12House/ passed 3rd readingPassed House
- Feb 12House/ substitute adoption failedMajor
- Feb 12House/ 3rd readingMinor
- Feb 12LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0032S02
- Feb 12LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0032S02
- Feb 5LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0032S01
- Feb 5LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0032S01
- Feb 4House/ 2nd readingMinor
- Feb 4House/ comm rpt/ substituted [House Government Operations Committee]
- Feb 3House Comm - Favorable Recommendation [House Government Operations Committee]Minor
- Feb 3House Comm - Substitute Recommendation [House Government Operations Committee]Major
- Feb 2LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0032S01
- Feb 2LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0032S01
- Jan 21House/ to standing committee [House Government Operations Committee]Minor
- Jan 20House/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Jan 20House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal AnalystMinor
- Jan 17LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0032
- Jan 16LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0032
- Jan 14House/ received bill from Legislative ResearchMinor
- Jan 14LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0032
- Jan 13LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0032
- 2025
- Dec 5LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0032
- Dec 5LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0032
- Dec 5Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Dec 5Bill Numbered but not DistributedIntroduced
Civil Rights & Voting