SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah is on the brink of eliminating its universal mail-in voting system, as a bill was passed to its Republican governor on the final day of the state’s 2025 legislative session. The proposed legislation, endorsed by the Republican-controlled Legislature, mandates that voters must now actively choose to receive their ballots through the mail, rather than receiving them automatically. In order to return their ballots via mail or drop box, voters will be required to include the last four digits of their driver’s license, state ID, or Social Security number on the return envelope. Additionally, as of 2029, residents voting in person will need to present a valid ID.
Should Gov. Spencer Cox approve the bill, it would bring about significant changes to the voting process in one of only eight states — and the sole state governed by Republicans — that currently conducts all elections by mail without requiring an opt-in from voters. Cox has expressed confidence in the state’s election security, but has hinted at potential modifications to the mail-in voting system in order to expedite the tallying of votes. Presently, ballots postmarked by the day before Election Day can be counted within two weeks following the election. The bill awaiting Cox’s endorsement proposes an earlier deadline, mandating that all ballots be in possession of the county clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day. As of Friday, Cox’s office had not issued a statement.
Supporters and critics of the bill both cited recent legislative audits to bolster their arguments. While audits revealed no widespread fraud in Utah’s elections, they did highlight delays in updating voter rolls with the names of deceased residents. Democrats contended that the proposed changes were unnecessary and would hinder voter participation, whereas many Republicans argued that the issues with the voter rolls necessitated enhanced security measures.
Sen. Mike McKell, a prominent Republican legislator, remarked, “We have a high level of confidence in vote by mail. However, we also harbour security concerns, and this bill seeks to strike a balance between enhancing security and ensuring voting accessibility.” Five Republicans sided with Democrats in opposing the bill, which passed with a margin sufficient to override a potential veto in the House and narrowly missed a veto-proof majority in the Senate. In the event that Cox rejects the bill, Republican proponents would need to secure an additional vote to circumvent his veto.
Democratic Sen. Nate Blouin criticized Republican lawmakers for perpetuating “conspiracy theories” related to election security by pushing through the bill. The debate over mail-in voting has been complex, particularly with former President Donald Trump falsely alleging fraud within the system to justify his loss in the 2020 election. Despite such claims, Trump’s campaign team and the Republican National Committee began encouraging Republicans to vote by mail in the 2024 election to prevent Democrats from gaining an advantage.
The majority of Utah residents currently either mail in their ballots or utilize drop boxes for submission. Initially facing opposition
“It is not a flawless bill, as acknowledged by Hatch, who explained to The Associated Press that the clerks did not endorse it but rather withdrew their opposition. The decision was influenced by promises from sponsors to collaborate on resolving outstanding concerns to safeguard voter interests,” Hatch stated. Additionally, the revised bill passed by the Legislature includes the acceptance of Tribal IDs, addressing worries about potential disenfranchisement of Native American voters in the only state where they were granted ballot access.”
