POLITICS & ELECTIONS

State leaders address election problems

Nov 6, 2024, 1:26 PM | Updated: 1:38 pm

SALT LAKE CITY After a long Election Day, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson spoke with the media Wednesday morning about concerns in the election process that certain counties faced. 

Across the state, there was steady voter turnout. Some polling locations navigated long lines for voters to cast their ballots. 

In Utah County, voters also saw long lines. 

In the mix, though, the lieutenant governor said there were extra hiccups due to unpreparedness.  

“They had some challenges. Challenges that could have been mitigated. There was some lack of planning on the part of the clerk that I think you know caused some problems that were unnecessary,” Henderson said.  

Some of those problems included the printers. 

Of the 13 voting locations in Utah County, roughly six of those were having printer problems. 

Running out of paper

By midmorning Tuesday, Henderson said she was told the Utah County Clerk had 10,000 ballots they could use and burned through about half.  

Henderson confirmed a state plane was sent to Arizona to pick up paper in case Utah County ran out. 

The paper was ultimately not needed. 

It is unclear how the $4,000 for the plane expense will be paid. 

Meanwhile, thousands of emergency ballots had to be printed and then election workers were sent to deliver those ballots. 

“Ultimately, each county clerk is responsible for figuring out what voting should look like in their counties,” Henderson said. 

Utah County Clerk Aaron Davidson responded to the mishaps Tuesday night. 

“I take full responsibility for not spending a lot of money for preparing for something that we didn’t know it was going to be this big,” he said. “I wasn’t prepared but we were prepared based on the information that we had.” 

White powder

In Salt Lake County, Henderson said one incident at the voting polls popped up where quite a “sufficient amount” of white powder was put into an envelope. 

That powder turned out not to be malicious. 

The incident is under investigation. 

KSL 5 TV Live

Politics & Elections

Lara Trump, seen here in West Palm Beach on November 6, said on December 8 that she is stepping dow...

Colin McCullough, CNN

Lara Trump to step down from RNC amid speculation over Florida Senate seat

Lara Trump said Sunday that she is stepping down as co-chair of the Republican National Committee.

19 hours ago

President-elect Donald Trump takes the stage before he speaks at the FOX Nation Patriot Awards, Thu...

Bill Barrow and Will Weissert, Associated Press

Trump says he can’t guarantee tariffs won’t raise US prices and won’t rule out revenge prosecutions

Donald Trump said he can't guarantee that his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won't raise prices for American consumers and he suggested once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned.

2 days ago

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 06: Alina Habba, Attorney for Republican presidential nominee, forme...

Associated Press

Trump taps his attorney Alina Habba to serve as counselor to the president

President-elect Donald Trump has announced that he is appointing one of his defense attorneys in the New York hush money case as counselor to the president.

2 days ago

President Joe Biden speaks about the sudden collapse of the Syrian government under Bashar Assad fr...

WILL WEISSERT

Biden says Assad’s fall in Syria is a ‘fundamental act of justice,’ but ‘a moment of risk’

President Joe Biden said Sunday that the sudden collapse of the Syrian government under Bashar Assad is a “fundamental act of justice."

2 days ago

An opposition fighter steps on a broken bust of the late Syrian President Hafez Assad in Damascus, ...

ABDULRAHMAN SHAHEEN and ABBY SEWELL

Jubilation and gunfire as Syrians celebrate the end of the Assad family’s rule

Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire on Sunday after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital.

2 days ago

A tractor travels down Hunt Road in front of a "Let's Stop Lava Ridge" sign near the Minidoka Natio...

Associated Press

Feds approve scaled-down Idaho wind farm near historic Japanese American incarceration site

The federal government has approved a scaled-down wind farm in Idaho despite local opposition.

4 days ago

Sponsored Articles

2 computer techs in a computer shop holding up a computer server with the "hang loose" sign...

PC Laptops

Choosing the Right Computer: A Comprehensive Guide

With these tips, choosing the right computer that fits your needs and your budget will be easier than ever.

crowds of people in a German style Christmas market...

This Is The Place Heritage Park

Celebrate Christkindlmarket at This Is The Place Heritage Park!

The Christkindlmarket is an annual holiday celebration influenced by German traditions and generous giving.

Image of pretty woman walking in snowy mountains. Portrait of female wearing warm winter earmuff, r...

Lighting Design

Brighten your mood this winter with these lighting tricks

Read our lighting tips on how to brighten your mood in the winter if you are experiencing seasonal affective disorder.

A kitchen with a washer and dryer and a refrigerator...

Appliance Man

Appliance Man: A Trusted Name in Utah’s Home Appliance Industry

Despite many recent closures of local appliance stores, Appliance Man remains Utah's trusted home appliance business and is here to stay.

abstract vector digital social network technology background...

Les Olson

Protecting yourself against social engineering attacks

Learn more about the common types of social engineering to protect your online or offline assets from an attack.

family having fun at home...

Lighting Design

Discover the impact of lighting on your mood

From color temperature to lighting saturation, we tackle how different lighting design setups can impact your day-to-day mood.

State leaders address election problems