This bill amends provisions related to candidate nomination petitions. This bill: - requires a candidate who seeks the nomination for an elective office by gathering signatures of registered voters to submit the signatures to the county clerk of each registered voter's residence; - provides that a county clerk may only certify the signature of a registered voter described above if the registered voter is a resident of the county clerk's county; - for a signature gathering candidate who seeks the nomination for an office in a district where the officeholder is elected by the voters from more than one county, requires the county clerk of each county to which the candidate submits signatures to:count the number of valid signatures submitted by the candidate; andcertify the number of valid signatures to the lieutenant governor; - for an elective office described above, requires the lieutenant governor to:count the total number of valid signatures received from each county clerk; andif the aggregate number of valid signatures is sufficient for the candidate to qualify for placement on the ballot, certify the signatures; - amends the candidate nomination petition forms to specify that only a registered voter residing in the county where a candidate submits signatures for verification should sign the candidate's nomination petition; - for a candidate for elective office seeking the nomination of a qualified political party through signature-gathering, shortens the deadline for the candidate to submit signatures to an election official from 14 to 21 days before the day on which the party holds a convention to nominate a candidate for the same elective office; and - makes technical and conforming changes. Recommended by: Government Operations Interim Committee

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 20A-1-501, 20A-1-1002, 20A-6-301, 20A-6-302, 20A-6-304, 20A-9-403, 20A-9-405, 20A-9-406, 20A-9-408, 20A-9-502, 20A-9-701
Substitute #2: 20A-1-501, 20A-6-301, 20A-6-302, 20A-6-304, 20A-9-403, 20A-9-405, 20A-9-406, 20A-9-408, 20A-9-502, 20A-9-701
Substitute #1: 20A-1-501, 20A-1-1002, 20A-6-301, 20A-6-302, 20A-6-304, 20A-9-403, 20A-9-405, 20A-9-406, 20A-9-408, 20A-9-502, 20A-9-701