With Election Day less than a month away and ballots set to begin mailing October 13th, Utah county clerks are coming together around a shared set of principles designed to give voters a clear and transparent view of how Utah elections work — and the safeguards around them.
The Utah Voting Principles outline 20 standards organized around four central commitments: Voting is Simple. Voting is Secure. Voting is Accurate. Voting is Important.
The principles are intended to answer some of the most fundamental questions voters have about elections: How do I cast my ballot? How do election officials know only eligible voters are voting? How are the ballots protected? How do we know the results are accurate?
“Utahns deserve to understand how their elections work — not just when and where to vote, but what happens to their ballot after they cast it,” said Bryson Behm, Cache County Clerk. “These principles make that process more transparent. They show voters the safeguards, checks and procedures we use at every step to make sure every eligible voter can participate, every valid ballot is counted, and the results accurately reflect the will of Utah voters.”
The Utah Voting Principles include:
● Voting is Simple. Utah voters have multiple ways to register, learn about what is on their ballot and cast their vote. Registered voters can receive a ballot by mail, return it by mail or secure drop box, or vote in person. Voters can also sign up to track the status of their ballot throughout the process.
● Voting is Secure. Election officials verify voter identity and eligibility, regularly review voter rolls and verify returned ballots before they are counted. Ballots are separated from identifying information to preserve voter privacy, and voting and tabulation equipment is isolated from the internet.
● Voting is Accurate. Voting equipment is certified and tested before elections, ballots are tracked through the counting process, ballot totals are regularly reconciled, and counties conduct post-election audits comparing randomly selected paper ballots with machine-counted results before final certification.
● Voting is Important. Voting gives Utahns a voice in choosing their representatives, holding leaders accountable and shaping the future of their communities.
“As county clerks, one of our most important responsibilities is making sure voters can have confidence in the elections we administer,” said Bryson Behm, Cache County Clerk. “That confidence starts with transparency. These principles put the work of election administration in clear view so Utahns can understand both the options available to them as voters and the safeguards in place before, during and after Election Day.”
Throughout October, Utah’s county clerks will highlight the four commitments and the 12 principles behind them, giving Utahns a closer look at how elections are administered in their communities.
Voters can find election information, check their registration, learn about candidates and issues, track their ballot and find their county election officials at vote.utah.gov, the state’s official voter-information site.
