Utah Code

Utah Code § 20A-1-501 (2026)

Candidate vacancies -- Procedure for filling

✓ current as of May 2026

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As used in this section, "central committee" means:

the state central committee of a political party, for a candidate for:

United States senator, United States representative, governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, state treasurer, or state auditor; or

state legislator if the legislative district encompasses all or a portion of more than one county; or

the county central committee of a political party, for a party candidate seeking an office, other than an office described in Subsection (1)(a), elected at an election held in an even-numbered year.

Except as provided in Subsection (6), the central committee may certify the name of another candidate to the appropriate election officer if:

for a registered political party that will have a candidate on a ballot in a primary election:

after the close of the period for filing a declaration of candidacy and continuing through the day before the day on which the lieutenant governor provides the list described in Section 20A-5a-205, only one or two candidates from that party have filed a declaration of candidacy for that office and one or both dies, resigns as a candidate, or is disqualified as a candidate; and

the central committee provides written certification of the replacement candidate to the appropriate election officer before the day on which the lieutenant governor provides the list described in Section 20A-5a-205;

for a registered political party that does not have a candidate on the ballot in a primary, but will have a candidate on the ballot for a regular general election:

after the close of the period for filing a declaration of candidacy and continuing through the day before the day on which the lieutenant governor makes the certification described in Section 20A-5-409, the party's candidate dies, resigns as a candidate, or is disqualified as a candidate; and

the central committee provides written certification of the replacement candidate to the appropriate election officer before the day on which the lieutenant governor makes the certification described in Section 20A-5-409; or

for a registered political party with a candidate certified as winning a primary election:

If no more than two candidates from a political party have filed a declaration of candidacy for an office elected at a regular general election and one resigns to become the party candidate for another position, the central committee of that political party may certify the name of another candidate to the appropriate election officer.

Each replacement candidate shall file a declaration of candidacy as required by Chapter 9, Part 2, Candidate Qualifications and Declarations of Candidacy.

The name of a candidate who is certified under Subsection (2)(a) after the deadline described in Subsection (2)(a)(ii) may not appear on the primary election ballot.

The name of a candidate who is certified under Subsection (2)(b) after the deadline described in Subsection (2)(b)(ii) may not appear on the general election ballot.

The name of a candidate who is certified under Subsection (2)(c) after the deadline described in Subsection (2)(c)(ii) may not appear on the general election ballot.

A political party may not replace a candidate who is disqualified for failure to timely file a campaign disclosure financial report under Chapter 11, Campaign and Financial Reporting Requirements, or Section 17-70-403.

This section does not apply to a candidate vacancy for a nonpartisan office.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 3 cases, 2005–2020 · leading case: Cox v. Laycock, 2015 UT 20 (Utah 2015).

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Cox v. Laycock, 2015 UT 20 (Utah 2015). · cites it 47× “Utah Code section 20A-1-501 supplies procedures for filling candidate vacancies in various situations, and we ordered that the Republican candidate be filled according to the procedures in subsection (1)(c)(iii).”

Adams v. Swensen, 2005 UT 8 (Utah 2005). · cites it 32× “Utah Code Ann. § 20A-1-501 (2003). Among this provision's approved reasons for designating a substitute candidate is the one on which Mayor Workman and the Republican Party relied, the resignation of a candidate "because of becoming physically or mentally disabled as certified…”

Angela Craig v. Steve Simon, 978 F.3d 1043 (8th Cir. 2020). “§ 2-13 - 204; Utah Code Ann. § 20A-1-501(1); Vt. Stat. Ann.”

— Utah Code § 20A-1-501(1) — 2 cases

Cox v. Laycock, 2015 UT 20 (Utah 2015). “Utah Code section 20A-1-501 supplies procedures for filling candidate vacancies in various situations, and we ordered that the Republican candidate be filled according to the procedures in subsection (1)(c)(iii).”

Angela Craig v. Steve Simon, 978 F.3d 1043 (8th Cir. 2020). “§ 2-13 - 204; Utah Code Ann. § 20A-1-501(1); Vt. Stat. Ann.”

— Utah Code § 20A-1-501(1)(a) — 2 cases

Adams v. Swensen, 2005 UT 8 (Utah 2005). “Utah Code Ann. § 20A-1-501 (2003). Among this provision's approved reasons for designating a substitute candidate is the one on which Mayor Workman and the Republican Party relied, the resignation of a candidate "because of becoming physically or mentally disabled as certified…”

— Utah Code § 20A-1-501(1)(b)(ii) — 1 case

— Utah Code § 20A-1-501(1)(b)(iv) — 1 case

— Utah Code § 20A-1-501(1)(c)(iii) — 1 case

— Utah Code § 20A-1-501(b) — 1 case

— Utah Code § 20A-1-501(c) — 1 case

— Utah Code § 20A-1-501(c)(iii) — 1 case

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