Bill > SB226

This bill modifies the requirements for submitting petition signature sheets and their accompanying affidavits to county election administrators by establishing specific timelines based on how far in advance signatures are collected before a petition's final filing date. Under the new provisions, signature gatherers must submit signature sheets and affidavits to county election administrators within defined windows depending on when signatures were collected: for signatures collected 287 days or more before the filing deadline, submission must occur 273 days before the deadline; for signatures collected 196 days or more before the deadline, submission must occur 182 days before the deadline; for signatures collected 126 days or more before the deadline, submission must occur 112 days before the deadline; and for signatures collected 98 days or more before the deadline, submission must occur 84 days before the deadline. Once submitted, the election administrator must date-stamp the affidavit, log it, and provide a receipt to the signature gatherer. If signature sheets are not submitted within these specified timelines, the county election administrator is required to reject the filing and cannot process it further. The bill aims to create a more structured and time-sensitive process for handling petition signatures, with clear consequences for missing submission deadlines. The bill becomes effective immediately upon passage and approval.

Government Affairs

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC2577