Election results in Utah will be held until last voter in line has cast their ballot
Nov 4, 2024, 1:22 PM | Updated: Nov 5, 2024, 8:35 am
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s top elections official is warning that lines could impact when election results get released on Tuesday.
On Monday, Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson said she instructed country clerks not to publish election results “until every Utahn waiting in line when the polls close has had a chance to vote.”
“I just wanted to set the expectation for everybody,” Henderson said in an interview with KSL TV.
Election results, both national and local, will be displayed as they come in on KSLTV.com.
Henderson said the warning was issued more to temper expectations than it was a particular concern that lines would be long.
“People are understandably excited about the election. Maybe a little bit anxious about it, really wanting to see those results. And I just wanted to make sure people understood that there’s a possibility that those results will have to be suppressed for just a little while after the polls close,” she said.
However, lines at polling centers are more possible, she said, in counties where ballot returns have been lower.
According to her office’s data, Sanpete and Utah Counties have the lowest voter turnout thus far.
“You never know where the lines are going to show up freely or when. So it could be anywhere in the state,” Henderson said.
But, she urged that returning ballots is going to be the key to more comprehensive election-night results.
“The more ballots that are cast by the end of the day today, the better our results are going to be tomorrow when the polls close,” she said.
Henderson also urged anyone who has not submitted their ballots to postmark them by Monday and encouraged dropping them off at a drop box before 8 p.m. on Election Day. If your ballot isn’t postmarked correctly, it will not be counted.
County clerks also stress that Utah allows same-day registration — meaning if you’re not a registered voter you must do that in person at a polling location and you can vote at the same time. Just make sure you bring a proper ID.
Meanwhile, former Utah County Clerk Josh Daniels offered some insight in an X comment on in-person voting bottlenecks on Election Day.
“Typically, the bottlenecks for in-person voting tend to be those who show up near polls closing who are not yet registered and have to vote provisionally and submit proof of residency. This tends to be voting locations near colleges. Keep an eye on Logan, Provo, SLC for lines,” he wrote.
RELATED: How to vote in Utah’s Nov. 5 election.
The official Vote Utah website provides information on where to find an in-person polling location or a secure ballot drop box.
Election results will be posted and updated on the election results website.
Vote watch
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Voting Info
The deadline to register to vote by mail or online had passed by Monday, meaning unregistered voters would have to visit an early voting location or an Election Day location.
According to the state, you will need to present two forms of identification to the poll workers.
If you are unsure of your voter registration status, you can visit the Utah election website.
