SALT LAKE CITY — A potential overhaul of Utah’s election procedures by Republicans could begin with the state’s universal mail-in voting system, as legislators aim to boost both efficiency and public confidence.
The Utah House, controlled by Republicans, approved a bill by a vote of 57-15 that would mandate voters to actively request mail-in ballots, ending the current automatic distribution. Starting next year, voters wishing to submit ballots via mail or drop box will need to include the last four digits of their driver’s license or state-issued ID.
This measure would significantly alter the voting process in Utah, one of only eight states – and the sole one with Republican leadership – that conduct all elections by mail without requiring voters to opt in.
“We are in the same category as Washington, California, Oregon, Nevada, Colorado, Hawaii and Vermont. As a conservative state, that is not a list I am proud to be part of,” stated House Speaker Mike Schultz.
The bill is now under consideration in the Senate, where Republican leaders were involved in shaping the present form of the legislation. Senate President Stuart Adams expressed satisfaction with the outcome.
An earlier draft required voters to appear in person and present identification to return their ballots by mail. Senate leaders indicated they would not support a proposal that made mail-in voting that cumbersome.
“We want voting as easy as possible without cheating, but we also wanted to make sure that we enhanced security,” said Sen. Mike McKell regarding the compromise version passed by the House.
Republicans have presented conflicting messages regarding mail-in voting to their supporters since President Donald Trump falsely alleged widespread fraud in the system to rationalize his 2020 election defeat. Trump persisted in fostering distrust, even as his campaign team and the Republican National Committee started encouraging Republicans to vote by mail in the 2024 election to prevent Democrats from gaining an advantage.
Some Utah Republicans maintain concerns about election security, despite a legislative audit from late last year that found no evidence of widespread fraud in the state’s elections. However, the audit did identify some delays in removing deceased individuals from voter rolls.
House Minority Leader Angela Romero, a Democrat from Salt Lake City, cautioned that the bill would create confusion for voters and could lead to decreased participation. She suggested that elderly, disabled, low-income, and rural voters may find it challenging to navigate the new requirements or obtain the necessary identification.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 36 states request or require voters to present identification. Currently, Utah requires two forms of ID and proof of residency to register to vote but does not mandate photo ID to cast a ballot.
All House Democrats and one Republican, Rep. Jim Dunnigan of Taylorsville, voted against the proposal. They argued that Republican efforts to address a system that is not broken could erode voters’ confidence in state elections.
The majority of Utah residents have traditionally mailed in their ballots or deposited them in drop boxes. Election officials verify signatures on the envelopes against those on file with county clerks.
Republican Gov. Spencer Cox has consistently expressed confidence in the state’s election security but has indicated he might be open to modifying the state’s mail-in voting system to expedite vote counting.
“We have complete integrity in our elections,” the governor stated recently. “I think one of the areas where we start to lose trust is when there isn’t a decision on Election Night.”
The proposal would mandate that all ballots be in the possession of the county clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Currently, ballots postmarked by the day before Election Day can be counted within the subsequent two weeks.
Other significant election changes are under consideration during this legislative session.
Republicans have proposed removing the lieutenant governor from their role as the state’s top elections official, and transferring those responsibilities to an independent elections office, whose director would be appointed by a committee of county clerks. This change would remove Utah from a list of 33 states where voters elect their chief election officer.
Another bill seeks to eliminate same-day voter registration, requiring voters to register a full month before Election Day. Additional proposals would alter signature gathering procedures, increase the threshold for passing certain citizen ballot initiatives, and withdraw Utah from the Electronic Registration Information Center. Under Trump’s urging, many GOP-led states have withdrawn from ERIC, a collaborative system designed to help states maintain accurate voter registration lists.