House passes substitute to add primary for state school board races and change voter-roll removal practice

The Utah House passed third-substitute HB 110 on Feb. 22, a procedural election-law bill that makes two primary changes to voter-roll handling and to the process for state school board elections.

Representative Hall, sponsor, said the bill would direct county clerks to place a voter on an inactive list (following procedures in 28-2-306) instead of automatically removing the voter from the rolls when a voter-identification card is returned undeliverable and there is no further contact information. "It makes more sense to just place this voter on the inactive list," Hall said.

Hall also told the House that the bill adds a primary for state school board elections as a fallback if the Legislature cannot agree on another selection method this session. Because a federal court struck down the previous nominating method, the sponsor said the change would create a primary to avoid a crowded general-election ballot and a plurality winner with a small share of votes. Hall emphasized this bill does not advocate for one selection method over another but simply provides a primary mechanism if needed.

Lawmakers asked procedural questions about how nonpartisan primaries would be handled and whether the primary would appear on partisan ballots; Hall said county clerks could administer a nonpartisan ballot in the primary and that if the Legislature wanted the change to apply to the upcoming election cycle it would require a two-thirds vote for immediate effect. The House approved the substituted bill and the clerk recorded: "Third substitute house bill 110 having received 65 yes votes, 8 no votes, passes this body, and will be transmitted to the Senate for its consideration."