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Utah election law currently requires candidates' legal first names and surnames to appear on ballots, with separate, complex processes for requesting middle names, common nicknames, or other name variations. This bill consolidates and streamlines those rules by creating a single, broader category called "variation of a candidate's name," which can include middle names, initials, name suffixes like "Jr." or "Sr.," maiden names, a spouse's surname, a parent's last name, common nickname derivatives, or other nicknames — as long as the candidate is known by that name in their home county. To request a name variation, a candidate submits a written request by the close of the candidacy filing period, and for certain variations like alternative surnames or non-standard nicknames, must also provide a sworn affidavit; non-standard nicknames additionally require affidavits from five non-family county residents and approval by an election officer who confirms the nickname isn't misleading, a slogan, or politically manipulative.