Utah Code § 20A-3a-202 — Utah Code / Title 20A / Chapter 20A-3a / § 20A-3a-202
§ 20A-3a-202. Conducting election in person and by mail -- Mailing ballots to voters -- Exceptions.
Status: in_force

(1) (a) Except as otherwise provided for an election conducted entirely by mail under Section 20A-7-609.5, an election officer shall administer an election primarily by mail, in accordance with this section. (b) An individual who did not provide valid voter identification at the time the voter registered to vote shall provide valid voter identification before voting. (2) An election officer who administers an election: (a) shall, in accordance with Subsection (3), no sooner than 21 calendar days before election day and no later than seven calendar days before election day, mail to the applicable voters, in accordance with Subsection 20A-3a-202.5(3), and subject to Subsection 20A-3a-202.5(4): (i) a manual ballot; (ii) a return envelope; (iii) instructions for returning the ballot that include an express notice about any relevant deadlines that the voter must meet in order for the voter's vote to be counted; (iv) information regarding the location and hours of operation of any election day voting center at which the voter may vote or a website address where the voter may view this information; and (v) instructions on how a voter may sign up to receive electronic ballot status notifications via the ballot tracking system described in Section 20A-3a-401.5; (b) may not mail a ballot under this section to: (i) an inactive voter, unless the inactive voter requests a manual ballot; (ii) a voter whom the election officer is prohibited from sending a ballot under Subsection 20A-3a-202.5(4); or (iii) for an election held on or after November 1, 2026, a voter who is only eligible to vote a federal ballot, if the election does not include a race for federal office; (c) shall, on the outside of the envelope in which the election officer mails the ballot, include instructions for returning the ballot if the individual to whom the election officer mails the ballot does not live at the address to which the ballot is sent; (d) shall provide a method of accessible voting to a voter with a disability who is not able to vote by mail; and (e) shall include, on the election officer's website and with each ballot mailed, instructions regarding how a voter described in Subsection (2)(d) may vote. (3) (a) An election officer who mails a manual ballot under Subsection (2) shall mail the manual ballot to the address: (i) provided at the time of registration or updated by the voter after the time of registration; or (ii) if, at or after the time of registration, the voter files an alternate address request form described in Subsection (3)(b), the alternate address indicated on the form. (b) The lieutenant governor shall make available to voters an alternate address request form that permits a voter to request that the election officer mail the voter's ballot to a location other than the voter's residence. (c) A voter shall provide the completed alternate address request form to the election officer no later than 11 calendar days before the day of the election. (d) Beginning on November 5, 2025, through December 31, 2028, an election officer shall include, with each ballot mailed to a voter, a separate paper document containing the following statements:"WARNINGIf you have a valid Utah driver license or a valid Utah state identification card, failure to provide the last four digits of the license or card number may result in your ballot not being counted. You also have the option of providing the last four digits of your social security number as identification. If you do not have any of these identification types, your ballot will still be counted if your signature on the affidavit on this envelope matches your signature on file with the election officer.NOTICEBeginning in 2029, you will not receive a ballot by mail unless you request to receive a ballot by mail. You may request to receive a ballot by mail at [insert a uniform resource locator where the voter can make the request online]. If you are unable to make a request online, contact your county clerk's office at the following number for instructions on how to make the request in person or by mail [insert phone number here]." (e) Beginning on January 1, 2029, an election officer shall include, with each ballot mailed to a voter, a separate paper document containing the following statement:"WARNINGIf you have a valid Utah driver license or a valid Utah state identification card, failure to provide the last four digits of your license or card number will result in your ballot not being counted.If you do not have a license or card described above, you may enter the last four digits of your social security number as identification, or include a photocopy of one of the following in the return envelope: a currently valid identification card that is issued by the state or a branch, department, or agency of the United States; a currently valid Utah permit to carry a concealed weapon; a currently valid United States passport; a currently valid United States military identification card; or a currently valid tribal identification card, Bureau of Indian Affairs card, or tribal treaty card.If you do not have any of the forms of identification listed above, you must vote in person at a polling place, unless you qualify for an exemption from this requirement. You may obtain information regarding an exemption at [insert a uniform resource locator where the voter can view this information] or by calling [insert a phone number that a voter may call to access this information]." (4) The return envelope: (a) shall include: (i) (A) before January 1, 2027, the name, official title, and post office address of the election officer on the front of the envelope; or (B) beginning on January 1, 2027, the official title and post office address of the election officer on the front of the envelope; (ii) subject to Subsection (9), a place for the voter to enter the last four digits of the voter's Utah driver license number, Utah state identification card number, or social security number; (iii) the following statement:"IMPORTANT: See the warning and notice enclosed with your ballot."; (iv) a space where a voter may write an email address and phone number by which the election officer may contact the voter if the voter's ballot is rejected; and (v) a printed affidavit in substantially the following form:"County of ____ State of ____I, ____, solemnly swear that: I am a qualified resident voter of the ____ voting precinct in ____ County, Utah and that I am entitled to vote in this election. I am not a convicted felon currently incarcerated for commission of a felony.______________________________Signature of VoterWARNINGThe above affidavit must be signed by the voter to whom the ballot is addressed. It is a FELONY for any other individual to sign the above affidavit, even if the voter to whom the ballot is addressed gives permission for another to sign the affidavit for the voter."; and (b) beginning on January 1, 2027, may not include the name of the election officer on the envelope. (5) If the election officer determines that the voter has not yet provided valid voter identification with the voter's voter registration, the election officer may: (a) mail a ballot to the voter; (b) instruct the voter to enclose a copy of the voter's valid voter identification in the return envelope; and (c) provide instructions to the voter on how the voter may sign up to receive electronic ballot status notifications via the ballot tracking system described in Section 20A-3a-401.5. (6) An election officer who administers an election shall: (a) (i) before the election, obtain the signatures of each voter qualified to vote in the election; or (ii) obtain the signature of each voter within the voting precinct from the county clerk; and (b) maintain the signatures on file in the election officer's office. (7) Upon receipt of a returned ballot, the election officer shall review and process the ballot under Section 20A-3a-401. (8) A county that administers an election: (a) shall provide at least one election day voting center in accordance with Part 7, Election Day Voting Center, and at least one additional election day voting center for every 5,000 active voters in the county who, under Section 20A-3a-202.5, will not receive a ballot by mail; (b) shall ensure that each election day voting center operated by the county has at least one voting device that is accessible, in accordance with the Help America Vote Act of 2002, Pub. L. No. 107-252, for individuals with disabilities; (c) may reduce the early voting period described in Section 20A-3a-601, if: (i) the county clerk conducts early voting on at least four days; (ii) the early voting days are within the period beginning on the date that is 14 calendar days before the date of the election and ending on the day before the election; and (iii) the county clerk provides notice of the reduced early voting period in accordance with Section 20A-3a-604; and (d) is not required to pay return postage for a return envelope. (9) A return envelope shall be designed in a manner that the information described in Subsections (4)(a)(ii) and (iv), and the voter's signature, is covered from view after the return envelope is sealed. (10) A county clerk shall, at least 90 calendar days before an election administered by the county clerk, contact local post offices to: (a) coordinate the handling of mail-in ballots for the upcoming election; and (b) take measures to ensure that ballots are delivered in an expeditious manner to optimize the timely receipt of ballots.