1. (1) As used in this section, "hospitalized voter" means a registered voter who:

   1. (a) is:

      1. (i) hospitalized;
      2. (ii) confined in hospice care, a treatment facility, or a long-term care institutionfacility; or
      3. (iii) due to age or illness, is restricted in the ability to travel from the voter's permanent or temporary residence; and
   2. (b) is able to vote a manual ballot.
2. (2) A hospitalized voter who has not received a ballot by mail, or does not have possession of a ballot sent to the voter by mail may, in accordance with this section, obtain a manual ballot to use as an emergency ballot and vote at any time after the election officer mails manual ballots to the majority of voters and before the close of polls on election day.

3. (3) An individual may obtain an emergency ballot application, a manual ballot, and a return envelope from the election officer on behalf of a hospitalized voter by:

   1. (a) requesting a ballot and application in person at the election officer's office during business hours;
   2. (b) presenting valid voter identification for the individual requesting the ballot on the hospitalized voter's behalf; and

   3. (c) signing a statement, created by the lieutenant governor, where the individual, under penalty of perjury:

      1. (i) identifies the individual;
      2. (ii) identifies the hospitalized voter and explains the reason the hospitalized voter qualifies as an exempt voter; and

      3. (iii) states that the individual:

         1. (A) is obtaining the ballot at the request of the hospitalized voter;
         2. (B) will not request, persuade, or otherwise induce the voter to vote for or vote against any particular candidate or issue;
         3. (C) will not release any information regarding the voter's votes; and
         4. (D) will not alter the voter's votes.

4. (4) To vote, a hospitalized voter described in Subsection (2) shall:

   1. (a) complete the emergency ballot application and enclose the application in the return envelope;
   2. (b) complete, and sign the affidavit on, the return envelope;
   3. (c) mark the voter's votes on the manual ballot;

   4. (d) if the voter did not provide the last four digits of the voter's Utah driver license, Utah state identification card, or social security number:

      1. (i) include in the return envelope a photocopy of a type of identification described in Subsection 20A-3a-204(2)(c)(ii); or
      2. (ii) if the voter does not have a type of identification described in Subsection 20A-3a-204(2)(c)(ii), include in the return envelope another type of valid voter identification;
   5. (e) place the manual ballot into the envelope; and
   6. (f) seal the envelope unless a different method is authorized under Section 20A-1-308.
5. (5) For a ballot described in Subsection (4) to be counted, the emergency voter application and the sealed manual ballot envelope must be returned to the election officer's office in accordance with the requirements of this chapter.
6. (6) An election officer shall design an emergency ballot application and ensure that the application includes the check box and statement described in Subsection 20A-3a-401(7)(d)(v).

7. (7) Beginning on January 1, 2029, a hospitalized voter who receives a ballot by mail may, if the voter is unable to provide the digits described in Subsection 20A-3a-401(4)(b)(i), return the ballot by mail by including in the return envelope:

   1. (a) a photocopy of a type of identification described in Subsection 20A-3a-204(2)(c)(ii); or

   2. (b) if the voter does not have a type of identification described in Subsection 20A-3a-204(2)(c)(ii):

      1. (i) a photocopy of another type of valid voter identification; and
      2. (ii) a document showing that the voter is a hospitalized voter.

Amended by Chapter 381, 2025 General Session