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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Utah has two statewide citizen-petition routes: an initiative proposes a new statutory law, while a referendum asks voters to approve or reject a law the Legislature has already passed. Both require verified signatures and a statewide vote, but their eligibility rules and geographic signature tests differ. For the 2026 cycle, the published thresholds are percentages of active voters—not fixed statewide headcounts.
Which Utah petition route do you need?
Use an initiative to propose a new law. Use a referendum to challenge an existing law passed by the Legislature. The statewide initiative process is for statutory laws; it is not the route for amending Utah’s Constitution.
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| Statewide route | What voters decide | 2026 signature threshold | What follows a sufficient petition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initiative for the ballot | Whether to enact a proposed statutory law | 8% of active voters statewide, plus district thresholds in at least 26 of Utah’s 29 Senate districts | The proposition is placed on the relevant general-election ballot. |
| Initiative to the Legislature | Whether the Legislature should consider a proposed statutory law | 4% of active voters statewide, plus district thresholds in at least 26 of 29 Senate districts | The proposal goes to the Legislature for consideration. |
| Referendum | Whether to approve or reject an eligible law already passed by the Legislature | 8% of active voters statewide, plus district thresholds in at least 15 of 29 Senate districts | The law is submitted to voters for approval or rejection. |
The Utah Lieutenant Governor’s Office published these percentages for the 2026 cycle using active-voter totals dated January 1, 2025. District thresholds also apply, so meeting the statewide percentage alone is not enough. Exact signature counts change with the applicable voter totals; consult the current official cycle table rather than relying on an old headcount. The published thresholds are scheduled to change on January 1, 2027, and every two years after.
How do I get an initiative on the Utah ballot?
File the application
Initiative sponsors begin by filing an application with the Utah Lieutenant Governor’s Office. The office’s instructions require at least five sponsors who are Utah residents and a copy of the proposed statutory law, including its title, funding description, and text. The Lieutenant Governor reviews the application against statutory criteria, including whether the proposal is legally capable of becoming law and addresses a single subject.
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Choose the ballot or Legislature route
A statewide initiative intended for the ballot has the 8% statewide threshold and district requirements in at least 26 Senate districts. The separate initiative-to-the-Legislature route has a 4% statewide threshold and the same 26-district distribution test. A sufficient petition for the direct route proceeds to the relevant general-election ballot; a sufficient petition for the indirect route goes to the Legislature for consideration.
Circulate and submit petition packets
Once the proposal is cleared to proceed, sponsors circulate petition packets for handwritten signatures from registered voters. The Lieutenant Governor’s official instructions do not permit electronic signatures. Gathered signatures must be submitted to county clerks, who verify them; the Lieutenant Governor then determines whether the petition is sufficient. The number collected is not the same as the number verified and accepted.
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There are multiple filing, circulation, and submission cutoffs. They are cycle-specific, so check the current Utah election calendar and applicable statute before planning a campaign. Do not assume a deadline from an earlier election cycle still applies.
How many signatures do you need for a Utah ballot initiative?
For the 2026 statewide cycle, a direct initiative requires signatures equal to 8% of active voters statewide and district thresholds in at least 26 of Utah’s 29 Senate districts. The initiative-to-the-Legislature route requires 4% statewide and district thresholds in at least 26 districts. Those percentages use active-voter totals dated January 1, 2025, and do not translate into one permanent number of signatures.
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To determine the operational count, use the Lieutenant Governor’s current official threshold table for the relevant cycle. A petition must satisfy both the statewide requirement and the applicable district test, and clerk verification—not a sponsor’s raw collection total—determines which signatures count.
Can Utah voters repeal a law by referendum?
A referendum lets voters approve or reject an eligible law passed by the Legislature. Under the Utah Lieutenant Governor’s Office instructions, a law passed by a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate is not subject to referendum; other laws are generally subject to the process.
Sponsors file a referendum application after the legislative session and submit the law being challenged. They then circulate petition packets and submit signatures for verification. In the 2026 statewide cycle, the threshold is 8% of active voters statewide plus district thresholds in 15 of the 29 Senate districts. The percentage is based on active-voter figures dated January 1, 2025; check the current cycle table for actual counts.
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What happens after signatures are verified?
The petition is declared sufficient or insufficient
County clerks verify submitted signatures, after which the Lieutenant Governor declares the petition sufficient or insufficient. Only a sufficient petition proceeds through the next stage of its route. A direct initiative or sufficient referendum goes to voters; an indirect initiative goes to the Legislature for consideration.
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Voters decide the question
For an initiative, the ballot presents the proposition with FOR and AGAINST choices. For a referendum, voters decide whether to approve or reject the challenged law. A measure passes when it receives a majority of the votes cast on that question—not a majority of all registered or eligible voters.
Results are certified and a proclamation follows
County results are canvassed, and the State Board of Canvassers certifies statewide results. The governor issues a proclamation after certification. The effective date is governed by statute and the measure’s terms; it may vary, including where tax effects or a later effective date specified in the measure are involved. Do not infer a particular effective date without checking the applicable statute and the text of the measure.
Do Utah cities and counties use the same rules?
No. Local initiatives and referenda are governed by separate portions of Utah election law. The applicable signature base and geographic distribution rules depend on the jurisdiction’s active-voter total and classification, and some places also have voter-participation-area requirements. Local election timing and initiative effective-date rules can differ from the statewide process.
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For a city or county measure, contact the relevant clerk and consult the current official threshold table for that jurisdiction. The statewide percentages and Senate-district tests described above should not be applied to a local petition.
Where the official instructions fit
The Utah Lieutenant Governor’s Office is the starting point for current statewide procedures and cycle tables. Its statewide initiative guide cautions: “If any inconsistency exists between this website and statute, the statutory language governs.” Because application requirements, deadlines, and effective-date rules depend on current law and election timing, the applicable Utah Code controls when it conflicts with administrative guidance.
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