How to track Utah primary election ballots
Aug 15, 2023, 6:30 AM | Updated: Aug 28, 2023, 8:49 am
For Utahns who have a primary election to vote on, ballots are being sent out starting Tuesday. A voter holds a mail-in ballot in Provo on Friday, Nov. 4, 2022.
Live at 10:05 a.m. Lt. Gov. Henderson joins Dave & Dujanovic to discuss what you need to know for the September 5 primary election.
SALT LAKE CITY — For Utahns who have a primary election to vote on, ballots are being sent out starting Tuesday. Once they mail them, voters have two ways to track their ballots.
The first is a state-approved service called Ballot Trax.
By signing up, you can get a text, email, or call — or all three — anytime your ballot moves.
“Every time the status of your ballot changes,” said Weber County Clerk Ricky Hatch. “So when we mail it to you, [then] when we receive it back from the voter, and when we actually count the ballot.”
Hatch said this is a free, optional service and is a great way for voters to be able to have some control over the security of their ballot.
“It just gives the voter confidence that their ballot has been received and is being processed,” said Hatch. “But also if it isn’t [the voter can follow up].”
Informed Delivery for primary election ballots
The other service is through the United States Post Office, called Informed Delivery. They’ll send you a picture of all the mail you’re set to get that day.
“That’s a good way to make sure, yes, I know it’s coming,” said Hatch. “And if I don’t [get my ballot that day] that’s when I start calling people to see why I haven’t received it.”
Ever wonder how your by mail ballot gets from the post office to the elections office? Election workers go to the source and pick up the mail daily from the post office. #gotothesource #weberelections #utpol #safeandsecure #utahvotesbymail pic.twitter.com/C7prifOukS
— Weber Co Elections (@WeberElections) August 14, 2023
Hatch said both options give the power to voters.
“The postal service, they have their own policies and procedures and controls to help ensure that a ballot gets there, but the Ballot Trax option gives voters a chance to double check and reconfirm,” Hatch said.
He argues these are two, independent checks to give voters assurance. And if they still have concerns, dropboxes are always available. In Utah, those are monitored 24/7 by cameras, and counties have logs so they can know there’s been no tampering.
