16-244. Representation on ballot
A. To be eligible to participate in the presidential preference election, a
political party shall be either of the following:
1. A political party that is entitled to continued representation on the state
ballot pursuant to section 16-804.
2. A new political party that has become eligible for recognition and that will be
represented by an official party ballot pursuant to section 16-801. A petition for
recognition of a new political party shall be filed with the secretary of state not less
than seventy-five nor more than one hundred five days prior to the presidential
preference election. A petition for recognition shall be submitted for signature
verification to a county recorder no later than one hundred fifteen days prior to the
presidential preference election. The county recorder shall verify and count all
signatures of qualified electors within thirty days after submission. A political party
that is eligible for the presidential preference election ballot shall be represented on
the subsequent primary and general election ballots in the year of the presidential
election.
B. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 16-804, subsection A, the secretary of
state shall determine the political parties entitled to continued representation on the
state ballot pursuant to section 16-804, subsection B if, on October 1 of the year
immediately preceding the presidential preference election, that party has registered
voters equal to at least two-thirds of one per cent of the total number of registered
voters in this state. Each county recorder shall furnish the secretary of state with the
number of registered voters as prescribed by section 16-168, subsection G, paragraph 2,
subdivision (d).
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