Utah midterm turnout nears 23% as ballots are processed
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios
More than 400,000 Utahns have already voted in the midterm elections, according to the University of Florida Election Lab's tracker.
Why it matters: Early turnout is offering a first glimpse of voter engagement as Utahns prepare to vote in newly drawn congressional districts.
By the numbers: Statewide voter turnout was at nearly 23% as of Friday, according to figures released by Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson.
- Rich County had the highest voter turnout in the state at 43.6%, while Tooele County had the lowest at 16%.
- Voter turnout in the state during the 2022 midterms was 46.8%.
The big picture: Utah's marquee race this midterm is the contest for the state's 1st Congressional District, which could shatter the state's all-GOP delegation.
- All four of Utah's congressional districts were redrawn last year following a contentious legal battle between the state and anti-gerrymandering advocates over district boundaries.
- The outcome led to the creation of a blue-leaning district that encompasses most of Salt Lake County.
- Former Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams, Republican Riley Owen, Libertarian Jesse West, unaffiliated candidate Elias Montgomery and write-in candidate Babak "Bobby" Darvish are vying for the seat.
The intrigue: Unaffiliated voters are Utah's largest voter registration group behind Republicans, accounting for 28.7% of active registered voters, according to state election data.
- That's an increase of almost 29,000 unaffiliated voters since January. Meanwhile, Democrats have gained 16,282 voters since the start of the year, while Republicans have lost 9,362 voters.
- "It's certainly not a good statistic for Republicans given that they kind of dominate voter registration in the state," Michael Barber, a political science professor at Brigham Young University, told KUER.
Zoom in: About 30% of eligible voters in the county had cast a ballot as of Thursday, Salt Lake County Clerk Lannie Chapman tells Axios.
- The most common question Chapman has received from voters is when to return their ballots.
- A recent change in state law says ballots must be in the clerk's possession by 8pm on Election Day.
- Chapman recommends voters who have filled out their mail ballots start using any of the county's 29 drop boxes, which are open 24/7.