Utah Republican and Democratic caucuses are coming up. Here’s how they work

SALT LAKE CITY — The Republican and Democrat parties in Utah are approaching their 2024 caucuses from opposite angles.

Both major parties in Utah will hold a caucus next Tuesday, March 5. That means supporters can show up to their local political precinct to cast a vote, but that’s where the similarities end. Here’s how to cast a vote for your preferred presidential nominee:

Republican party caucuses in Utah

If you’re a registered Republican, you’ll need to attend your area’s caucus event and cast a vote in person. You must find where your local political precinct is located and register by March 5th. You can do that here. Utah’s website for caucus information suggests you show up by 6:30 pm next Tuesday.

State party leaders are calling this a “Presidential Preference Poll,” and said this brings Republican candidates to Utah. 

“And the reason being is in a presidential primary, they look at just spending some dollars to get ads,” said Utah State Republican Party Chair Robert Axson in December. “There’s not much of a conversation or dialogue with our citizens.”

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley arrived in Utah today, but Republican frontrunner Donald Trump has not yet paid a visit to the state.

Democratic party caucuses in Utah

If you’re a registered Democrat, you’ll need to submit your presidential primary ballot by mail.

“So we will be doing it all by mail, and of course there will be sites, too, that they can go to on election day to vote,” said state Democratic Party Chair Diane Lewis in December.

Voters registered with another party or none at all can still vote in the Democratic primary, but they must request a mail-in ballot from the Lt. Governor’s office.

As for the Democrat caucus, any registered voter can attend if they pre-register. However, the only election held at their caucus nights will be for delegates to represent Utah at the Democratic National Convention this August. That’s when the party finalizes its nominee for the Oval Office.

Other Parties

The United Utah Party and Utah Independent American Party are also holding caucus events on Tuesday. The Green Pary and Constitution Party will be holding their own caucus events in April. To find more information on any party’s caucus, check out the Lt. Governor’s caucus website.

Related reading:

• Utah Republican Party opts out of 2024 presidential primary
• Gov. Cox doesn’t think Trump can win in 2024, approves Utah GOP opting out of presidential primary
• University of Utah to host a 2024 presidential debate