With less than seven weeks until Election Day, officials in Utah are readying to mail ballots to voters this October.
Many citizens still have concerns about how the elections will take place, however, so what will voting look like in 2020?
How will Utahns be receiving ballots?
All registered voters will automatically receive a voting ballot in the mail. County clerks will be mailing ballots Oct. 13-27.
Is voting by mail secure?
Yes. Each ballot has a unique barcode that is linked to an individual voter, ensuring that each Utah citizen can only vote once. Completed voting ballots get sent to the Elections Office to be processed and counted.
The ballot remains sealed in its envelope, and only a privacy tab showing the voter’s signature is viewed by election workers.
The signature on the ballot is compared to signatures in the state’s voter database to verify the voter’s identity; if the signatures match, then the tab is removed to make the ballot anonymous, and the ballot is counted with the others. If the signatures do not match, the ballot is rejected, and the voter will be notified of its status.
Approved ballots are opened and run through scanners to be tallied.
How can voters register?
Until 5 p.m. on Oct. 23, voters may register online, by mail, or in person.
- Register online with a valid Utah driver’s license or ID.
- Fill out a registration form and send it to your county clerk via mail or email.
- Register in person at your local county clerk’s office. Make sure to plan ahead — open hours may be different because of COVID-19.
Visit vote.utah.gov or contact local officials to find answers to any other questions about the 2020 ballot.
