Opinion ID: 2511880
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: We Must Liberally Construe the Statutory Framework Covering Unaffiliated Candidates to Give Them Every Reasonable Opportunity to Make Their Candidacy Effective

Text: ¶ 11 The legislature has provided us with specific guidance when considering the statutory framework controlling nomination petitions of unaffiliated candidates. The legislature directed that [t]he courts shall construe this part liberally so as to give unaffiliated candidates for public office every reasonable opportunity to make their candidacy effective. Id. § 20A-9-501(3) (2007) (emphasis added). As we stated previously, the legislative purpose underlying a statute influences the plain language employed by the legislature. R & R Indus. Park, 2008 UT 80, ¶ 36, 199 P.3d 917. The language directing courts to liberally construe part 5 of chapter 9 reveals a legislative purpose that favors unaffiliated candidates' access to the ballot. Section 20A-9-501(3) plainly directs us to liberally construe part 5 to give this category of candidate every reasonable opportunity to get on the ballot and campaign for political office. Moreover, the directive to liberally construe the statutory framework appears in only one other place in the Election Code. Part 4 of chapter 9 opens with the mandate that the statutory scheme governing primary elections be construed liberally so as to ensure full opportunity for persons to become candidates. . . . Id. § 20A-9-401(1). This section, like its unaffiliated-candidate counterpart, extends a liberal-construction directive to the statutes governing candidate names appearing on election ballots in general. Compare id. § 20A-9-501 with § 20A-9-401(1). ¶ 12 We find significance in the fact that the legislature assigned a liberal-construction mandate only to the Election Code's provisions governing candidate access to the ballot. The directives found in parts four and five of chapter 9 thus make legislative intent plain and unambiguous: when it comes to potential candidate access to the ballot, regardless of whether they are affiliated with a political party or not, courts must liberally construe the governing statutes to afford them a full and reasonable opportunity to become a candidate. This is not to say that the court can disregard the statutory requirements created by the Election Code. We cannot waive the 1,000-signature requirement. But we also cannot ignore the legislature's unequivocal directive to construe the provisions at stake here liberally to give Mr. Anderson every reasonable opportunity to make his candidacy effective.