Voting deadlines to remember ahead of Utah’s Election Day
Nov 14, 2023, 3:30 PM | Updated: 4:43 pm
FILE: A voter walks into the Whitmore Library in Cottonwood Heights on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. (Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
(Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY— Election Day is a week away in Utah, and voters are encouraged to start sending in their ballots if they haven’t already.
Election Day typically falls on Nov. 7, but lawmakers pushed it back to accommodate the campaigns of those running to replace outgoing Rep. Chris Stewart. Stewart resigned in September due to his wife’s health.
Following Stewart’s notice of resignation, Utah lawmakers held a special session and passed the new election schedule, including the new Nov. 21 Election Day.
There are a few deadlines you need to know to make sure you don’t miss the chance to have your voice heard.
Utah voting deadline
Voters must submit ballots by 8 p.m. on Nov. 21.
At 8:01 p.m., election workers will close polls and drop boxes.
However, if you find yourself stuck in line at a polling location at 8 p.m. poll workers will still let you come inside and vote. Most polls open at 7 a.m. on Election Day.
Registering to vote, ahead of Utah voting deadline
If you haven’t registered to vote, you can register at a polling location on Election Day. All you need is a government-issued ID like a driver’s license or passport, and proof of address like a utility bill or a bank statement.
You can also affiliate with a party if you choose to do so, setting you up for the 2024 primary elections.
Mail-in voting
In Utah, all mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Monday, Nov. 20.
This means the ballot must be stamped by the postal service. If you put it in an outgoing mailbox on Monday, it will likely not make it to the post office in time, and therefore, will not be counted.
Davis County Clerk Brian McKenzie told KSL NewsRadio he encourages people to have their ballots in the mail no later than Friday, ensuring the ballots will get into postal service hands in time.
If you can’t mail it out in time, you have two options:
- Take your ballot to the post office by Monday and tell them that you need it postmarked that day.
- Drop your ballot at a drop box.
No matter how you do it, McKenzie urged voters not to neglect voting in municipal elections.
“These ones in particular have the most direct impact on our daily lives.”
Once you send your mail-in ballot, you can use the state’s system to track your ballot virtually.
