Voter FAQs

  • To register to vote in Utah, you must:

    • Be a citizen of the United States

    • Reside in Utah for at least 30 days immediately before the next election

    • Be at least 18 years old on or before the next election

    • Teens who are 16 or 17 years of age, may preregister to vote.

    • A 17-year-old can vote in a primary election if they will be 18 years old by that year's General Election

  • You only need to reside in Utah for at least 30 days immediately before the next election.  If you register via Same Day Registration at an early voting location or Election Day Vote Center you will have to provide proof of residency in addition to valid identification.

  • If you were previously registered to vote in Utah, you can update your ballot mailing address as follows:

    • If changing county, reregister to vote online or via paper form by visiting vote.utah.gov. Your form must be received by your county clerk no later than 11 days before the election. If your current address does not match the address on your Driver License, update your UT Driver License address online first at www.dld.utah.gov. 

    • Update your ballot mailing address at your county clerk’s office. You must do this at least 11 days before the election. Find your county clerk’s office.

    • If registered currently in SL County and moving within the county, fill out  online form.

    • If you have been previously registered to vote but did not update your address before Election Day, you may vote a provisional ballot at an early vote location or Vote Center on Election Day. You will need to bring valid identification and proof of residency to vote provisionally. Once your information has been verified by Election Staff, your voter registration will be updated

  • In Utah, you can register and vote unless you are currently serving a jail or prison sentence. Your voting rights are automatically restored when you are granted parole, on probation for a misdemeanor or a felony, are a pretrial detainee awaiting trial are currently in jail serving a sentence for a misdemeanor not related to election law or successfully complete your term of incarceration for a felony or misdemeanor conviction. For more information, see the ACLU of Utah guide to voting rights of currently/formerly incarcerated.

    If you have a valid Utah Driver’s License or ID reflecting your current address, visit the Utah online voter registration site to register. If your driver’s license address is not current, first update your address online with the Utah Driver License Division.  Otherwise complete a paper form and mail, email a scanned copy or drop it by your county clerk’s office. Find your county clerk’s office and email address.  

  • f you’re unhoused, you don’t need a home to register to vote, but you do have to identify a place of residence (which can be the cross streets where you hang out, a park, a shelter, or any other place where you usually stay). However, you also must identify a mailing address. Your voter registration notice will be returned and you will not receive your ballot unless there is a physical address where mail can be received. You may want to use the address of a local advocacy organization, shelter, or outreach center, or a P.O. Box, friend’s home or anywhere else willing to accept mail on your behalf.

  • You can register to vote at whatever address you regard as your principal place of residence. This can be your school address or your home address. Keep in mind: You can live in more than one place, but you are only allowed to vote in one.  For more information visit the  Voting as a College Student guide.

    If you are a resident of Utah and attending school away from home, you can request a mail ballot to be sent to your current address. Visit this page for more information about requesting a mail ballot.

    If you are from out of state, but attending college in Utah and meet the 30-day residency requirement (prior to the election) to vote in Utah and have a current Utah Driver’s License or ID, you can register to vote at vote.utah.gov.  If your driver’s license address is not current, update you address online with the Utah Driver License Division.  Use the physical address where you reside, which can be a dorm, student housing or an  off campus address.

    If you do not not have a Utah Driver’s License or ID, but have your Social Security number (last 4 digits), download a paper registration form to complete by visiting Utah.vote.gov  and mail or deliver the completed form to the appropriate county clerk by the registration deadline (11 days prior to the election).

    If you miss the registration deadline, you can register to vote same day at an Early Voting or Election Day Vote Center. You are required to show identification and proof of residency to register and vote on the same day. See Voter ID Requirements. A poll worker will assist you in registering to vote and casting a provisional ballot on an electronic voting machine.

  • If you are not already register to vote, you may register same day at an Early Voting or Election Day Vote Center. You are required to show TWO acceptable forms of ID: one that verifies identity AND one for proof of residence. See Voter ID Requirements  A poll worker will assist you in registering to vote and casting a provisional ballot on an electronic voting machine.

    If you are already registered to vote and have received your ballot in the mail, you can drop your completed ballot off on Election Day between 7 AM and 8 PM at any Vote Center in your County of residence. There is no need to wait in line.

  • If you are an active military member, a spouse or dependent of an active military member, or an individual living outside of the United States, you are eligible to vote by absentee ballot under The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens and Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) and Utah law. You can find an application to vote by visiting the Federal Voting Assistance Program website or downloading the PDF linked below. Complete, sign and submit the application to Election office by mail, fax or email. You have several options to receive and send your ballot. Visit this page for more information.

  • If you’re active-duty military or a military spouse claiming residency in another state, you have two options for voting:

    1. Apply for an absentee ballot from your current state of residence; or

    2. Change your state of residence to Utah and vote locally.

    To apply for an absentee ballot please review your state’s Voting Assistance Guide at www.fvap.gov/guide for the application process and mail-in deadlines.

    For guidance on registering and voting in Utah, please visit voter.utah.gov. Additional voting resources can be found at www.hill.af.mil/Voting. You may also contact your Unit Voting Assistance Officer or call the Installation Voting Assistance Office at 801-777-4681 for more information.

  • 16 & 17 year olds are eligible to preregister to vote if they meet all registration requirements. If you have a Utah Driver’s Licence or ID that reflects your current address, you can register online at vote.utah.gov.  If you do not have a Utah DL or ID, you can complete a paper registration form, listing the last 4 digits of your Social Security number and provide to your county clerk prior to the registration deadline (11 days prior to Election Day).  

    The county clerk will retain the voter registration form of an individual who meets the qualifications for preregistration and inform the individual that their voter registration form has been accepted as an application for preregistration. They will then receive a notice prior to the election once they turn 18 years old.  Also, an individual who is 17 years of age may vote in a regular primary election, a municipal primary election, or a presidential primary election, if the individual will be 18 years of age on or before the day of the general election that immediately follows the regular primary election, municipal primary election, or presidential primary election.

  • You do not have to select a political party affiliation when you register to vote. If you do not wish to affiliate with a political party, just select "unaffiliated" on your voter registration form.

    Political parties in Utah may choose to close their primary elections and only allow those voters affiliated with their party to vote in their primary election. Currently the Republican party maintains a closed primary system while the Democratic party conducts open primaries. If you want to vote in the primary election of a party that has chosen to close their primary to voters who are not affiliated with their party, you would need to affiliate with that political party. Note: Letters are mailed to unaffiliated voters allowing them to affiliate and participate in closed primary elections. Political parties allow "unaffiliated” voters to affiliate in-person and participate in their closed primary elections.

    Party affiliation only pertains to partisan primary races held in even-numbered years. It doesn’t apply to non-partisan primary races nor the November General Election.

  • CURRENT STATUS (Through 2028)

    ID to Register: 

    • Voters can still use their Utah DL/ID or the last 4 digits of Social Security Number (SSN).  Note Utah DL/ID must reflect the voter’s current address in the system. Address can be updating online at the Utah Driver License Division.

    Same-Day Registration & Provisional Ballots:

    Revised Utah Voter Registration Form will be available online in late July 2025. Will include:

    • Indication of Voter’s choice to receive Vote by Mail ballot or vote in person instead (opt in for VBM starting 2029).

    • Consent for voter to receive text updates with their ballot status and other communication from their County Clerk.

    Updating Registration:

    • Existing voters can re-register using the new form (online or print) to opt in early and continue receiving vote-by-mail ballots through 2029 and possibly into the initial opt-in period.

    • If a registrant uses SSN and later gets a Utah DL/ID, they must update their registration. If a Utah DL/ID is provided, however, the County Clerk system will automatically pull their SSN.

    Voting by Mail:

    • Starting with the General Election in 2025, the Ballot Return Envelope must include the voter’s last 4 digits of Utah DL/ID or SSN

    • If this info is missing, signature comparison will still be used to verify identity through 2028. After 2029, signature match/verification will no longer be used by County Clerks.

    • New Deadline: ballots must be received by 8 PM on Election Day to be counted. If mailed, a postmark the day before Election Day will no longer be accepted

    CHANGES BEGINNING JAN 1, 2029

    Vote-by-Mail Is No Longer Automatic

    • To receive a mail ballot, voters must opt in every 8 years via:

      • Registration form

      • Online

      • In person when voting

      • While applying for a Utah DL or ID

    • Voter must have a valid Utah DL or ID to vote by mail and continue noting the last 4 digits of the number on their ballot return envelope.

    • Signature comparison may not be used by the County Clerk to verify the voter’s identity.

    If person is registered to vote and does not have a Utah DL or ID?

    • Voters must vote in person, unless exempt, and provide proof of identity and residency. See acceptable forms of identification. 

    • If registering to vote for the first time and voting by mail, voter must include a copy of acceptable ID in their ballot return envelope. Ballot insert will be provided by the County Clerk to prompt the voter to include this information.

    Same Day Registration & Provisional Ballot

    • Voters not already registered who wish to vote with a provisional ballot will need to show TWO acceptable forms of ID: one that verifies identity AND one for proof of residence.  See acceptable forms of identification. 

  • Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) or “Instant Run-Off Voting” is a type of ranked preferential voting. According to Ballotpedia:

    A ranked-choice voting system is an electoral system in which voters rank candidates by preference on their ballots. If a candidate wins a majority of first-preference votes, he or she is declared the winner. If no candidate wins a majority of first-preference votes, the candidate with the fewest first-preference votes is eliminated. First-preference votes cast for the failed candidate are eliminated, lifting the second-preference choices indicated on those ballots. A new tally is conducted to determine whether any candidate has won a majority of the adjusted votes. The process is repeated until a candidate wins an outright majority.

    The Utah State Legislature made use of RCV possible for non-partisan municipal elections in Utah with the passage of HB 35, the Municipal Alternative Voting Methods Pilot Project in 2018, allowing municipal legislative bodies (councils/mayors) to make the determination whether to hold. A bill to extend the pilot program was not adopted during the 2025 legislative session. The pilot project is now set to repeal effective January 1, 2026. 

    Several municipal legislative bodies (councils/mayors) in Salt Lake County (Midvale, Millcreek, Salt Lake City and Midvale) have opted to continue to hold ranked choice elections for 2025. Visit the Salt Lake County Elections Division RCV overview for detailed information on completion of an RCV ballot, ranking of multiple candidates, and other aspects of this electoral system.