Utah Code
Utah Code § 20A-7-201 (2026)
Statewide initiatives -- Signature requirements -- Submission to the Legislature or to a vote of the people
✓ current as of May 2026
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A person seeking to have an initiative submitted to the Legislature for approval or rejection shall, after filing an initiative application, obtain:
legal signatures equal to 4% of the number of active voters in the state on January 1 immediately following the last regular general election; and
from at least 26 Utah State Senate districts, legal signatures equal to 4% of the number of active voters in that district on January 1 immediately following the last regular general election.
If, at any time not less than 10 calendar days before the beginning of the next annual general session of the Legislature, the lieutenant governor declares that an initiative petition designated under Subsection 20A-7-202(2)(d)(i) for submission to the Legislature is signed by a sufficient number of voters to meet the requirements of Subsection (1)(a), the lieutenant governor shall deliver a copy of the initiative petition, the text of the proposed law, and the cover sheet described in Subsection (1)(c) to the president of the Senate, the speaker of the House, and the director of the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel.
The lieutenant governor shall prepare a cover sheet for a petition declared sufficient under Subsection (1)(b) that contains:
the number of active voters in the state on January 1 immediately following the last regular general election;
the number of active voters in each Utah State Senate district on January 1 immediately following the last regular general election;
the total number of certified signatures obtained for the initiative petition; and
the total number of certified signatures obtained from each Utah State Senate district for the initiative petition.
A person seeking to have an initiative submitted to a vote of the people for approval or rejection shall, after filing an initiative application, obtain:
legal signatures equal to 8% of the number of active voters in the state on January 1 immediately following the last regular general election; and
from at least 26 Utah State Senate districts, legal signatures equal to 8% of the number of active voters in that district on January 1 immediately following the last regular general election.
If an initiative petition meets the requirements of this part and the lieutenant governor declares that the initiative petition is signed by a sufficient number of voters to meet the requirements of Subsection (2)(a), the lieutenant governor shall submit the proposed law to a vote of the people at the next regular general election:
immediately after the application is filed under Section 20A-7-202; and
specified on the petition under Section 20A-7-203.
The lieutenant governor shall provide the following information to any interested person:
the number of active voters in the state on January 1 immediately following the last regular general election; and
for each Utah State Senate district, the number of active voters in that district on January 1 immediately following the last regular general election.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 10
cases (3 in the last 5 years), 2000–2024 · leading case: Gallivan v. Walker, 2002 UT 89 (Utah 2002).
Gallivan v. Walker, 2002 UT 89 (Utah 2002). “II, §§ 1A & 1G (requiring signatures of 6 percent of registered voters voting in last gubernatorial election and signatures of one-half of those, or 3 percent, from each of 44 of 88 counties to place an initiative on the ballot); Utah Code Ann. § 20A-7-201 (Supp.2001) (requiring…”
Utah Safe to Learn-Safe to Worship Coalition, Inc. v. State, 2004 UT 32 (Utah 2004). “Utah Code Ann. § 20A-7-201, amendment notes.”
Count My Vote v. Cox, 2019 UT 60 (Utah 2019). “By statute, a statewide initiative can qualify for placement on the ballot only if its proponents satisfy the terms and conditions set forth in Utah Code section 20A-7-201 et seq.2 The applicable terms and conditions include the following:…”
Nat'l Right to Work Legal Def. & Educ. Found., Inc. v. Herbert, 581 F. Supp. 2d 1132 (D. Utah 2008). “Utah Code Ann. § 20A-7-201(2): (20)(a) A person seeking to have an initiative submitted to a vote of the people for approval or rejection shall obtain: (i) legal signatures equal to 10% of the cumulative total of all votes cast for all candidates for governor at the last regular…”
League of Women Voters v. Utah State Legislature, 2024 UT 21 (Utah 2024). “See UTAH CODE § 20A-7-201(1)(a). ¶25 The official name of the initiative was “The Utah Independent Redistricting Commission and Standards Act.”
Stavros v. Off. of Legislative Rsch. & Gen. Couns., 2000 UT 63 (Utah 2000). “The Initiative A Petitioners and the Initiative B Petitioners both collected the necessary signatures, see Utah Code Ann. § 20A-7-201 (1999), and submitted the initiative petitions to the lieutenant governor for placement on the general election ballot.”
Gallivan v. Walker, 2002 UT 73 (Utah 2002). “¶ 1 Petitioners seek an extraordinary writ from this court pursuant to section 20A-7-207(4) of the Utah Code containing the following relief: (1) a declaration that Utah's multi-county requirement, contained in section 20A-7-201(1)(a)(ii) of the Utah Code is unconstitutional;…”
League of Women Voters v. Utah State Legislature, 2024 UT 40 (Utah 2024). “But we fail to see how such legislative freedom strengthens the initiative process, which begins when the people file an initiative application, see UTAH CODE § 20A-7-201(1)(a), and ends when a proposed initiative becomes law, see id.”
Maxfield v. Cox (D. Utah 2021). “18 Utah Code Ann. § 20A-7-201(1)(a)(ii). 19 Complaint, Exhibit 2, docket no.”
Utahns for Ethical Gov't v. Clerks of All Counties in the State, 291 P.3d 235 (Utah 2012). “" UTax Cope § 20A-7-201(2)(a) (2010). That burden, in turn, clearly-if implicitly-entails proof that the signatures in question indicate support by the signer of a specific initiative's inclusion on a particular ballot "for approval or rejection" by the voters.”
— Utah Code § 20A-7-201(1)(a) — 2 cases
League of Women Voters v. Utah State Legislature, 2024 UT 21 (Utah 2024). “See UTAH CODE § 20A-7-201(1)(a). ¶25 The official name of the initiative was “The Utah Independent Redistricting Commission and Standards Act.”
League of Women Voters v. Utah State Legislature, 2024 UT 40 (Utah 2024). “But we fail to see how such legislative freedom strengthens the initiative process, which begins when the people file an initiative application, see UTAH CODE § 20A-7-201(1)(a), and ends when a proposed initiative becomes law, see id.”
— Utah Code § 20A-7-201(1)(a)(ii) — 2 cases
Gallivan v. Walker, 2002 UT 73 (Utah 2002). “¶ 1 Petitioners seek an extraordinary writ from this court pursuant to section 20A-7-207(4) of the Utah Code containing the following relief: (1) a declaration that Utah's multi-county requirement, contained in section 20A-7-201(1)(a)(ii) of the Utah Code is unconstitutional;…”
Maxfield v. Cox (D. Utah 2021). “18 Utah Code Ann. § 20A-7-201(1)(a)(ii). 19 Complaint, Exhibit 2, docket no.”
— Utah Code § 20A-7-201(2) — 2 cases
Gallivan v. Walker, 2002 UT 89 (Utah 2002). “II, §§ 1A & 1G (requiring signatures of 6 percent of registered voters voting in last gubernatorial election and signatures of one-half of those, or 3 percent, from each of 44 of 88 counties to place an initiative on the ballot); Utah Code Ann. § 20A-7-201 (Supp.2001) (requiring…”
Nat'l Right to Work Legal Def. & Educ. Found., Inc. v. Herbert, 581 F. Supp. 2d 1132 (D. Utah 2008). “Utah Code Ann. § 20A-7-201(2): (20)(a) A person seeking to have an initiative submitted to a vote of the people for approval or rejection shall obtain: (i) legal signatures equal to 10% of the cumulative total of all votes cast for all candidates for governor at the last regular…”
— Utah Code § 20A-7-201(2)(a) — 4 cases
Gallivan v. Walker, 2002 UT 89 (Utah 2002). “II, §§ 1A & 1G (requiring signatures of 6 percent of registered voters voting in last gubernatorial election and signatures of one-half of those, or 3 percent, from each of 44 of 88 counties to place an initiative on the ballot); Utah Code Ann. § 20A-7-201 (Supp.2001) (requiring…”
Utah Safe to Learn-Safe to Worship Coalition, Inc. v. State, 2004 UT 32 (Utah 2004). “Utah Code Ann. § 20A-7-201, amendment notes.”
Count My Vote v. Cox, 2019 UT 60 (Utah 2019). “By statute, a statewide initiative can qualify for placement on the ballot only if its proponents satisfy the terms and conditions set forth in Utah Code section 20A-7-201 et seq.2 The applicable terms and conditions include the following:…”
Utahns for Ethical Gov't v. Clerks of All Counties in the State, 291 P.3d 235 (Utah 2012). “" UTax Cope § 20A-7-201(2)(a) (2010). That burden, in turn, clearly-if implicitly-entails proof that the signatures in question indicate support by the signer of a specific initiative's inclusion on a particular ballot "for approval or rejection" by the voters.”
— Utah Code § 20A-7-201(2)(a)(i) — 1 case
Gallivan v. Walker, 2002 UT 89 (Utah 2002). “II, §§ 1A & 1G (requiring signatures of 6 percent of registered voters voting in last gubernatorial election and signatures of one-half of those, or 3 percent, from each of 44 of 88 counties to place an initiative on the ballot); Utah Code Ann. § 20A-7-201 (Supp.2001) (requiring…”
— Utah Code § 20A-7-201(2)(a)(ii) — 2 cases
Gallivan v. Walker, 2002 UT 89 (Utah 2002). “II, §§ 1A & 1G (requiring signatures of 6 percent of registered voters voting in last gubernatorial election and signatures of one-half of those, or 3 percent, from each of 44 of 88 counties to place an initiative on the ballot); Utah Code Ann. § 20A-7-201 (Supp.2001) (requiring…”
Utah Safe to Learn-Safe to Worship Coalition, Inc. v. State, 2004 UT 32 (Utah 2004). “Utah Code Ann. § 20A-7-201, amendment notes.”
— Utah Code § 20A-7-201(2)(b) — 1 case
Utah Safe to Learn-Safe to Worship Coalition, Inc. v. State, 2004 UT 32 (Utah 2004). “Utah Code Ann. § 20A-7-201, amendment notes.”
— Utah Code § 20A-7-201(a)(ii) — 1 case
Gallivan v. Walker, 2002 UT 89 (Utah 2002). “II, §§ 1A & 1G (requiring signatures of 6 percent of registered voters voting in last gubernatorial election and signatures of one-half of those, or 3 percent, from each of 44 of 88 counties to place an initiative on the ballot); Utah Code Ann. § 20A-7-201 (Supp.2001) (requiring…”
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