POLITICS & ELECTIONS

How to vote in Utah’s Nov. 5 election

Oct 23, 2024, 6:25 PM | Updated: Nov 5, 2024, 6:41 am

FILE - "I voted" stickers are seen in the Polk County Election Office during early voting, Wednesda...

FILE - "I voted" stickers are seen in the Polk County Election Office during early voting, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)

(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)

SALT LAKE CITY — Tuesday, Nov. 5 is Election Day. KSL TV has been talking to Utahns to find out what they are about in our Roads To Understanding series.

But Nov. 5 isn’t the only important deadline in the election cycle. The state suggests voting early in person now or voting early by mail to avoid lines on Election Day. Mailed ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 4. You can also drop the mail-in ballot at a county ballot drop box before 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Read on to find out how to participate in the several options Utah offers and even how to volunteer as a poll worker.

Vote.gov is a good starting point. It will know you are in Utah or you can select Utah as your state or territory to begin. A guide to voting near the top of the page also provides information about non-typical circumstances like voting for college students, new U.S. citizens, for those unhoused, or if a person has a disability.

You can also head directly to vote.utah.gov/

Vote by mail

If you are an active registered voter, your ballot will be mailed between Oct. 15 and Oct. 29. If you did not receive your ballot, immediately contact your county clerk. You can find the clerk by typing in your street address, city and zip code here right here. This will provide you with more information. Or you can click here. for a list of Utah’s county clerks with contact information and a link to each of the county websites.

Mailed ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 4, but can also be dropped at county drop boxes.

Votesearch.utah.gov also displays ballot drop box locations for ballots in the county where you live after you enter your address.

Vote early in person

The same process of entering your address will also provide you a location to vote early in person — there are six locations in Salt Lake County, for example — and additional places where you can vote on Election Day.

The page displays the nearest Election Day voting location by your address and other possible locations in your county where you can vote. Valid identification is required. (See the end of this story for details on what is considered valid identification.)

Vote on Election Day

Entering your address here will show you the closest in-person location where you can vote on Election Day and other locations in the county where you can vote. Voters can register on Election Day by showing up in person and showing authorized identification. Details about valid IDs are at the end of this story.

What to Expect:

Election Day voting locations are designed to assist voters who need to replace their ballots, voters who did not receive a mail ballot, or voters who need to use a voting machine that offers accessible features such as an audio ballot. If you received a mail ballot, you are encouraged to skip the lines on Election Day by postmarking your ballot by November 4, 2024 or depositing it in a county ballot drop box before 8:00 pm on Election Day.

All employers in Utah are required by law to allot two hours of paid time off for each voter on Election Day to cast their vote, as long as employees request the time in advance.

Registering to vote

UPDATE: The deadline to register to vote by mail or online has now passed.

To register in person, you can visit an early voting location or an Election Day location. You will need to present two forms of identification at the voting location to register.

(See the end of this story for details on what is considered valid identification.)

To find an early voting location please click here to visit the “How can I vote?” page at Vote.Utah.gov. Typing in your address on that page will display early voting locations in your county.

A notice warns users that registering or preregistering to vote is punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine up to $2,500.

How to check your voter registration

You can confirm your voter registration status on Utah’s election website. There you can check if you are already registered with your state ID and birthdate, check your status.

Sign up to track your ballot

Entering your address here also allows you to sign up to track your ballot. Status updates can be sent to your phone or an email.

Utah also provides information about how the state ensures Utah’s elections are safe and secure. There is information available about safeguards for voter registration, voting equipment, ballot processing, voter responsibility and electronic registration information center — called ERIC — safeguards.

Vote.gov also has information about how votes are safe and hopes you can keep them safe.

Other resources include information from the FBI, its public corruption unit, and what it calls its important but limited role in ensuring fair and free elections. On election night, KSLTV.com will update results as they are received and highlight the top races.

Poll worker resources for voters

Poll workers are essential to a successful election. Each state has different information to help with polls on Election Day. In Utah, each county recruits poll workers. At https://www.eac.gov/help-america-vote people can apply for volunteer positions.

Valid forms of ID

In order to vote in Utah, valid identification is required. Any one of these five forms of identification include:

  • A currently valid Utah driver license;
  • A currently valid ID card issued by the state or a branch, department, or agency of the United States;
  • A currently valid Utah permit to carry a concealed weapon;
  • A currently valid United States passport; or
  • A valid tribal ID card, whether or not the card includes a photograph of the voter.

Or a person can show TWO of the following forms of identification that bear the name of the voter and provide evidence the voter lives in the voting precinct may include:

  • A current utility bill or copy thereof dated within 90 days before the election;
  • A bank or other financial account statement, or legible copy thereof;
  • A certified birth certificate;
  • A valid Social Security card;
  • A check issued by the state or federal government or legible copy thereof;
  • A paycheck from the voter’s employer, or legible copy thereof
  • A currently valid Utah hunting or fishing license;
  • A currently valid U.S. military ID card;
  • Certified naturalization documents (NOT a green card);
  • A certified copy of court records showing the voter’s adoption or name change;
  • A Bureau of Indian Affairs card;
  • A tribal treaty card;
  • A valid Medicaid or Medicare or Electronic Benefits Transfer card;
  • A currently valid ID card issued by a local government within the state;
  • A currently valid ID card issued by an employer;
  • A currently valid ID card issued by a college, university, technical school or professional school within the state; or
  • A current Utah vehicle registration.

Voters who need further assistance should contact their county clerk.


Contributing: Mary Culbertson, KSL TV

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How to vote in Utah’s Nov. 5 election