Here's where Utah's universal by-mail elections stand
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
Utah's midterm elections will take place by mail as usual, now that the U.S. Supreme Court has rejected President Trump's last-minute effort to restrict mail ballots.
Why it matters: Voting by mail is wildly popular in Utah, but a series of legal challenges and state policy debates have repeatedly put its future into question.
- That uncertainty may have left voters unclear as to whether and for how long they have the option to mail in their ballots in November or in future elections.
To clear things up — and help you prepare to vote in coming years — here's a rundown of what to do and what to expect in Salt Lake County.
Ballots for the Nov. 3 election will be mailed to active, registered voters on Oct. 13.
- Register, update your registration or confirm your registration status at the state's voting portal.
- The county clerk must receive your registration by 5pm on Oct. 23. You can also register on election day and cast a provisional ballot in person.
How to return your ballot: Mail it back, place it in a drop box, or bring it to a polling place on election day.
- Under a 2025 law, mailed-in ballots are counted only if the clerk receives them by 8pm on election day — even if they're postmarked earlier than that.
In person: Early voting begins Oct. 20 at the Salt Lake County government center and is available Oct. 27-30 at seven other locations. You can vote on election day at one of 39 polling places.
- You need a valid ID to vote in person.
What's new: A state law this year requires proof of U.S. citizenship at registration to vote in state and local elections. Election officials were required to contact registered voters by July if they needed further confirmation of citizenship.
- Another law made almost all registered voters' information public, including name, address, age range, party and whether they voted in past elections.
What's next: Utah's universal mail-in elections end in 2029.
- At that point, voters will have to sign up to vote by mail, rather than automatically receiving a ballot.