Breaking News:

Is Celeste Maloy a registered voter if she was marked ‘removable’?

Jun 29, 2023, 9:03 PM | Updated: Jul 1, 2023, 12:09 am

Celeste Maloy is the GOP convention nominee for the special election to replace Rep. Chris Stewart,...

Utah Congressional 2nd District candidate Celeste Maloy high-fives a supporter after securing the nomination during the Utah Republican Party’s special election at Delta High School in Delta on June 24, 2023. (Ryan Sun/Deseret News)

(Ryan Sun/Deseret News)

SALT LAKE CITY — Is Celeste Maloy a registered voter even though voter records show she was on the removable list of Utah’s voter rolls when she filed to run for office?

That’s the center of debate ahead of her name being submitted as the party’s convention nominee in the race to replace her boss and current Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, in the special election for the 2nd Congressional District. 

 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

A post shared by KSL NewsRadio (@ksl_newsradio)

 So what’s the answer?

You don’t have to be a registered voter to qualify for the office Maloy is running for.

“There is no requirement for a congressional candidate to be a registered voter,” said Utah Lieutenant Governor Deidre Henderson in a tweet this week.

However, to gain access to the ballot per state law, you can’t file a declaration of candidacy for a registered political party of which you’re not a member.

And so, to have GOP Party membership, you have to “register to vote as a Republican.”

Therefore, simply put, you have to be a registered Republican to run through the convention path.

The fact that Maloy was on the removable list could have some people believing that she’s not a registered Republican and that makes her ineligible by the party for the ballot. 

Maloy was placed on the removable list after being made inactive for moving to Virginia in 2019. She was then subject to being removed as a Utah voter altogether when she didn’t vote in two consecutive elections.

She was made removable on January 3, 2023 but remained on the voter rolls when she updates her registration again on June 15, 2023 to her sister’s house in Iron County.

The arguments about whether Celeste Maloy is a registered voter

Those who would say she is registered argue that you’re registered because you still exist in Utah’s voter rolls.

County clerks can find your voter file, as evidenced in the Maloy case when she went to update her voter record on June 15, 2023, in Iron County. The clerk found her voter history dating back to 2000 and records show it was the same voter ID number.

But those who might argue otherwise, say if you’re on the removable list in Utah, you have to re-register.

That’s because state law requires clerks to prepare an “eligible register” of voters before each election. This register is every voter entitled to participate in the election. You don’t get on that list if you’re in the removable group.

But just because you’re not on the list to vote doesn’t mean you can’t. You’d just do it provisionally, filling out that ballot that also acts as a registration form.

The argument is, simply being on the voter rolls doesn’t make you registered.  Just because the Iron County clerk had Maloy’s information doesn’t mean she made this eligible voter list. 

If this is the case, when Maloy had to update her registration on June 15, three days after she filed, she was “re-registering.” If she had been already registered, then the Lt. Gov.’s office wouldn’t have needed her to do anything.

The Lt. Gov. did not respond to request for comment for this story.

But Maloy’s voter file existed in the state’s voter rolls, so the flip side would be that she wasn’t re-registering, she was updating her activity status by changing her address to her sister’s house in Iron County.

The need to vote provisionally

There’s also the argument that if you aren’t registered you can’t vote. A provisional ballot does act as a registration form, but that doesn’t mean you are registering by filing one out.

A voter can fill out a registration form just to change their party. It doesn’t mean they’re not a registered voter.

At the same time, a provisional ballot is used to register someone who isn’t registered.

Several reasons exist in state law for a voter to use a provisional ballot to take action while still being registered.

Those include moving counties, not having a valid state ID, your address on file needing to be updated, if you were trying to vote in a different county than you’re registered in, or if you’re a same-day voter.

In these cases, on Election Day you would cast a vote provisionally while your registration status is updated. The voter record still exists, and in these cases, the state would be updating an existing registration. 

The fact that you can’t vote on a regular ballot is what some believe is evidence that you’re not a registered voter.  

Evidence Maloy a registered voter

State law state identifies when “a voter is to be removed.” And that very language state law uses would seem to signal that she is, indeed registered. 

If Maloy isn’t a voter, how can she be a voter to be removed? And just because you can be removed doesn’t mean you are.

State law also defines a voter. A voter is an individual who “meets the requirements of voting in an election…of registration…is registered to vote…and is listed in the official register book.”

The “register book” is the voter rolls. Maloy was listed in Utah’s voter rolls. 

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

The Living Planet Aquarium announced Saturday morning that their clouded leopard had passed away....

Alton Barnhart

The Living Planet Aquarium leopard died by onset diabetes

The Living Planet Aquarium announced on Saturday that its clouded leopard died of sudden-onset diabetes.

12 minutes ago

FILE - Handcuffs in a jail cell. A Liberty Wells man was arrested for allegedly striking a woman wi...

Alton Barnhart

Liberty Wells man arrested for hitting woman with his car, police say

A Liberty Wells man was arrested on Friday for allegedly hitting a woman with his car after arguing with her over a parking spot.

3 hours ago

Westbound I-80 Green River Tunnel after fire was put out from a crash on Friday....

Kennedy Camarena

Scene being cleared, tunnel structure is holding after Wyoming’s Green River Tunnel crash

Wyoming Department of Transportation says the westbound Green River Tunnel structure is holding after a crash in the tunnel on Friday.

3 hours ago

According to the Utah Department of Transportation, all southbound lanes of Bangerter Highway were ...

Alton Barnhart

Bangerter Highway reopened after weather-related crash, UDOT confirmed

Bangerter Highway closed on Saturday morning due to a weather-related crash over a snowy weekend.

5 hours ago

A long-shot Democratic proposal to raise taxes on those earning $1 million or more was rejected by ...

DANIEL WOODRUFF, KSL TV

Raise taxes on the rich? Utah lawmakers say no

A long-shot Democratic proposal to raise taxes on those earning $1 million or more was rejected by a Utah Senate committee this week.

7 hours ago

This week's freezing temperatures followed by lots of moisture and warmer temperatures could cause ...

Britt Johnson

Recent warmer temperatures could lead to high flooding potential

This week's freezing temperatures followed by lots of moisture and warmer temperatures could cause some flooding.

18 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Filing taxes online using a computer...

The Law Offices of Jordan F. Wilcox

Tax time is approaching. What to do if you have debilitating IRS debt

Is the IRS threatening you with wage garnishment, asset seizure or business closure? Here are some ideas to resolve your tax dilemma.

Full speed through the snow. A man on skis is pulled by his through the snow at full gallop Skijori...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Get ready for an unforgettable skijoring adventure in Bear Lake!

“Skijoring the Bear” takes place this year on February 21-22 in Garden City, Utah.

the bedroom in a geodesic dome shows the night sky...

Clear Sky Resorts Bryce Canyon

Your front row to an extraordinary cosmos show

As America's first glass dome stargazing resort, Clear Sky Resorts Bryce Canyon is one of the world’s most unique and spectacular places to stay.

2 people huddled up in a blanket and warm clothes sipping hot chocolate...

Bear Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau

The best ways to spend your Christmas vacation in Bear Lake

If you're dreaming of a white Christmas this year, Bear Lake should definitely be on your radar. Read this guide for more!

big crowd of people under holiday lights in an outdoor market...

Western Nut

Our favorite family Christmas activities in Utah

We gathered up a list of our favorite activities, movies, and treats to try this holiday season that the whole family can enjoy.

an IT tech looks at a laptop in front of a server network...

Comcast Business

Tips to protect yourself from phishing attacks

Check out this resource from Comcast Business to learn more about phishing attacks and how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of one.

Is Celeste Maloy a registered voter if she was marked ‘removable’?