election security

The bill requires Utah voters to opt-in to vote by mail and to provide the last four digits of valid identification on their ballot. It’s off to the governor for his signature.

Some county clerks and members of the public question if the bill’s last four digits of a valid ID requirement would improve ballot security.

Covering all 80+ election bills this session would make anyone’s brain melt, so this week on State Street, we’re focusing on one in particular that could impact all 1.7 million registered Utah voters.

Supporters argue that requiring voter ID, rather than signature verification, will strengthen Utah’s election system. Opponents believe changes to the ability to mail a ballot will hinder turnout while disenfranchising voters.

Although some races might be pretty clear soon after the polls close, results in Utah are not official until the statewide canvass on Nov. 25.

Following incidents in Oregon and Washington, some clerks in Utah are taking precautionary measures. State-mandated 24/7 video surveillance and other fraud and ballot destruction safeguards are also in place.

Despite no evidence of widespread voter fraud in Utah or elsewhere, state election officials continue to push back against claims that the state’s process is compromised.

The audit looked at signatures gathered by Gov. Spencer Cox, Congressman John Curtis and Attorney General candidate Derek Brown. All three lost at the party’s nominating convention but eventually won the GOP primary election.

It remains a matter of scale and urban versus rural. Not all of Utah’s 29 counties experience election mistrust to the same degree.

The charges, announced Friday, accuse former Juab County Clerk Alaina Lofgran of allowing 2022 ballots to be shredded despite a law to preserve them for nearly two years, and of mishandling 2020 ballots despite a court order to preserve those records.

Election results were certified across Utah this week and the 2022 midterms are officially over.

Some local political officials want to see more changes to Utah’s election laws. Critics say that could lead down a dangerous path.