Bill > HB0193

This bill amends Utah's election laws to modify the signature-gathering process for candidates seeking nomination from a political party. The key changes include significantly reducing the number of signatures required for candidates to qualify for a primary election ballot across various political offices. For example, candidates for governor, U.S. senator, or attorney general would now need 1,000 signatures instead of the previous higher thresholds, while state legislative candidates would need between 100-200 signatures depending on the specific office. The bill also standardizes the signature collection process, specifying that signatures must be gathered within a defined time period before a party's convention and must be from registered voters who are permitted to vote in that party's primary. Additionally, the bill allows candidates to electronically collect signatures and provides a process for voters to remove their signatures from a candidate's petition. The changes aim to potentially make it easier for candidates to qualify for primary ballots while maintaining some baseline requirements to demonstrate community support. The bill is set to take effect on January 1, 2026, giving political parties and election officials time to prepare for the new signature-gathering rules.

https://le.utah.gov/~2025/bills/static/HB0193.html