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Signature requirements for ballot measures in Utah
This page details signature requirements for statewide ballot measures in Utah.
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| Laws • History |
| List of measures |
Utah ballot measures come in several different varieties:
- legislatively referred state statute - Appears on a state's ballot as a ballot measure because the state legislature in that state voted to put it before the voters.
- initiated state statute - Earns a spot on the ballot when sponsors collect signatures according to the laws governing the initiative process in Utah.
- legislatively referred constitutional amendment - A constitutional amendment that appears on a state's ballot as a ballot measure because the state legislature in that state voted to put it before the voters.
- veto referendum - When citizens of Utah disagree with a statute or legislative bill enacted by the state legislature, they can collect signatures to force the issue to a vote. If enough signatures are collected, the bill is placed on the statewide ballot.
Signature requirements
The number of required signatures is tied to the number of active voters as of January 1 following the most recent regular general election. For directly initiated statutes and veto referendums, proponents must gather signatures equal to 8 percent of the total number of active voters. For indirectly initiated statutes, proponents must get 4 percent of this number to qualify the initiative to go before the legislature, and an additional 4 percent to qualify for the ballot if the legislature does not approve the initiative.
For ballot initiatives, each requirement must be met within at least 26 of the state's 29 Senate districts. For veto referendums, the requirement must be met within at least 15 of the state's 29 Senate districts.
Before 2019, the basis for signature requirements was the number of votes cast in Utah for the office of president in the most recent presidential election. Before 2011, the basis for signature requirements was the gubernatorial election turnout rather than the presidential election turnout.
The chart below shows election years and the signature requirement for initiatives designed to appear on the ballot in that year, with presidential election years bolded.
| Year | Direct statute | Indirect statute Round 1 | Indirect statute Round 2 | Veto referendum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 140,748 | 70,374 | 70,374 | 140,748 |
| 2024 | 134,298 | 67,149 | 67,149 | 134,298 |
| 2022 | 137,929 | 68,960 | 68,960 | 137,929 |
| 2020[1] | 115,869 | 57,935 | 57,935 | 115,869 |
| 2018 | 113,143 | 56,572 | 56,572 | 113,143 |
| 2016 | 101,744 | 50,872 | 50,872 | 101,744 |
| 2014 | 101,744 | 50,872 | 50,872 | 101,744 |
| 2012 | 97,119 | 48,559 | 48,559 | 97,119 |
See law: Utah Code, Title 20A, Chapter 7, Section 201, Section 208 & Section 301
Change in number of required signatures
The chart below shows the changes in number of required signatures for ballot measures in Utah following each presidential election since 2012 and after each even-year election according to the changed rules for signature requirements passed in 2019.
Basis of calculation
Post-2019
In 2019, the legislature passed and the governor signed a bill making active voters as of January 1 (following the last regular general election) the basis of signature requirements. The active voter count in Utah is shown below for each year listed:[2]
| Year | Active voters |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,013,029 [3] |
| 2024 | 1,943,655 [4] |
| 2023 | 1,659,017[5] |
| 2021 | 1,681,850[6] |
| 2019 | 1,448,523 |
Pre-2019
Prior to 2019, the signature requirement for initiatives and veto referendums in Utah were based on votes cast for president in the state. The following numbers of votes were cast for presidential candidates in Utah in each year listed:
| Year | Votes cast for president |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 1,131,430 |
| 2012 | 1,017,440 |
| 2008 | 971,185 |
Geographic distribution
- See also: Distribution requirement
In Utah, ballot measures are subject to a distribution requirement. For directly initiated state statutes, signatures must be collected from each of at least 26 of the 29 Utah State Senate districts equal to 8 percent of active voters in the state as of January 1 of the year following the last regular general election.
For indirect initiatives, signatures must be collected from each of at least 26 of the 29 Utah State Senate districts equal to 4 percent of the active voter count. If a second round of signatures is collected, the signatures as a whole, equaling 8 percent of active voters, are subject to the requirement for direct initiatives.
For referendum petitions, signatures must be collected from each of at least 15 of the 29 Senate districts in Utah equal to 8 percent of active voters.
Signature deadlines
State law establishes a final signature deadline for direct initiated state statutes as either 316 days after the initial initiative application was filed or February 15 of the election year, whichever is earlier. Moreover, signature petition sheet packets for direct initiatives must be submitted to county clerks on a rolling basis no more than 30 days after the first signature is added to the packet.[7]
Signatures for indirect initiatives to be presented to the legislature must be submitted by November 15th before the next general legislative session.
Signatures for veto referendums must be submitted on a 14-day rolling basis and must all be submitted within 40 days of the adjournment of the legislative session at which the targeted bill was passed.
Prior to 2019, signature submission was not required on a rolling basis and the deadline for direct initiative signatures was April 15 instead of February 15.
2026
The deadlines for initiatives targeting the 2026 ballot are as follows:[8]
- 316 calendar days after the day on which the original initiative application was filed; or
- February 15th immediately before the next general election.
Signature petition sheet packets must be submitted to county clerks on a rolling basis within 30 days of the first signature being added to the packet.
The deadline for indirect initiatives was November 15, 2025.
2024
The deadline for submitting signatures for a direct initiative to qualify for the 2024 ballot in Utah was February 15, 2024, or 316 days after the initiative petition was filed with the lieutenant governor, which ever came first. Moreover, signature petition sheet packets must be submitted to county clerks on a rolling basis within 30 days of the first signature being added to the packet.
The deadline for indirect initiatives was November 15, 2023.[9]
2022
The deadline for submitting signatures for a direct initiative to qualify for the 2022 ballot in Utah was February 15, 2022, or 316 days after the initiative petition was filed with the lieutenant governor, which ever came first. Moreover, signature petition sheet packets must be submitted to county clerks on a rolling basis within 30 days of the first signature being added to the packet.
The deadline for indirect initiatives was November 15, 2021.[9]
2020
The deadline for submitting signatures for a direct initiative to qualify for the 2020 ballot in Utah was February 15, 2020, or 316 days after the initiative petition was filed with the lieutenant governor, which ever came first. Moreover, signature petition sheet packets must be submitted to county clerks on a rolling basis within 30 days of the first signature being added to the packet.
The deadline for indirect initiatives was November 15, 2019.[9]
2018
The deadline for submitting signatures for a direct initiative to qualify for the 2018 ballot in Utah was April 16, 2018, or 316 days after the initiative petition was filed with the lieutenant governor, which ever came first.[9]
2016
The deadline for submitting signatures for a direct initiative to qualify for the 2016 ballot in Utah was April 15, 2016, or 316 days after the initiative petition was filed with the lieutenant governor, which ever came first.[9]
2014
The deadline for submitting signatures for a direct initiative to qualify for the 2014 ballot in Utah was April 15, 2014.[9]
2012
The deadline for submitting signatures for a direct initiative to qualify for the 2012 ballot in Utah was April 15, 2012.[9]
2010
The deadline for submitting signatures for a direct initiative to qualify it for the November 2, 2010 ballot in Utah was April 15, 2010.[9]
See also
- Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Utah
- Laws governing the initiative process in Utah
- List of Utah ballot measures
- States where signature requirements are based on votes cast for governor
External links
- Utah Initiatives Currently in Circulation from the Lieutenant Governor of Utah
- Utah signature requirements
- Circulating an Initiative Petition (dead link) from the Lieutenant Governor of Utah
- NCSL signature chart for 2008
- The Initiatives and Referendums Process in Utah
- Utah signature requirements collated by the Citizens in Charge Foundation
Footnotes
- ↑ The signature requirement for 2020 initiatives changed because the legislature passed and the governor signed a bill changing the basis and percentage used to calculate the requirement.
- ↑ Utah Lt. Governor, "Current Voter Registration Statistics," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Last updated by the Lieutenant Governor's Office on January 27, 2025
- ↑ Last updated by the Lieutenant Governor's Office on January 17, 2024
- ↑ Last updated by the Lieutenant Governor's Office on January 17, 2023
- ↑ Last updated by the Lieutenant Governor's Office on August 9, 2021
- ↑ Utah Elections, "Election resources," accessed February 13, 2019
- ↑ Utah Lieutenant Governor, "Instructions for a statewide initiative," accessed January 27, 2025
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 Utah Legislature, "Utah Code"(Referenced Statute 20A-7-206 (1))
