Utah’s mail-in voting system has been in operation since 2012 and has become the default voting method for all registered voters in the state. Though Utah’s voting system was created by its largely conservative leadership, the issue of mail-in voting has become a widely publicized issue within the Trump administration—always an interesting paradox when a conservative local government finds itself at odds with a conservative presidential administration.
In light of the mail-in voting controversy, Utah’s Legislature has approved a few changes to the system. For this year’s elections, ballots will require the last four digits of the voter’s state-issued ID in addition to the voter’s signature. This is a preamble to additional changes that will take effect starting in 2029, which will solely use state issued IDs to verify voter identity and only allow mail-in voting if registered voters with valid IDs opt in.
As that’s a few years in the future, how are Utah’s county clerk offices working to make sure this year’s mail-in voting is safe and free of fraud?
Multiple layers of security
For starters, the fact that Utah’s mail-in system automatically sends secure ballots to registered voters is a deterrent. In other states, requesting an absentee or mail-in ballot offers a small window of time for a voter to request a ballot in someone else’s name or commit some other type of voter fraud—that window doesn’t really exist in Utah.
Each ballot return envelope has a unique ballot ID that is generated before each election, which means no two ballots ever have the same ballot ID. This ballot ID is scanned before each ballot is counted to make sure there are no inconsistencies. If there is a barcode mismatch or physical anomalies, the ballot isn’t counted.
When voters mail their ballots, they need to provide a signature that is verified alongside the signature on file for each registered voter. This year, that verification process will be bolstered by the addition of state issued ID numbers.
Ballots are then counted by an Agilis machine, which accurately checks the ballot ID against the voter database to make sure there are no duplicates. These machines also verify the ballot signatures against the registered voter’s signature.
Post-collection security
Every phase of the collection and counting process has its own set of security precautions to ensure accuracy and create accountability. In-person drop boxes are monitored by 24/7 video surveillance to make sure no one tampers with them. Even before ballots go out, they are printed with wireless-free technology that keeps them protected from electronic tampering.
Once ballots have been collected and validated via the existing security protocols, election officials conduct an audit of vote counts and signature verifications, a process that happens in full view of the public. Voters themselves can use Utah’s ballot tracker for an additional level of transparency. The ballot tracker provides voters with a complete status of their ballot’s journey through the system.
While the changes coming to Utah’s mail-in voting system in 2029 are proposed to make our election process more secure, voters this year can still rest easy. Our county clerk offices have spent nearly fifteen years making our mail-in voting process transparent and effective for those casting their votes this November.
