The Safest Method of Voting

---

Dear Voter and Constituent,

There are advantages and disadvantages to each method of voting allowed in Utah. The State Legislature, not the County Clerks, determines what methods of voting are legal in Utah. However, the County Clerk should inform voters of the pros and cons of each type of voting so voters can make an informed decision regarding the method they want to use to cast their vote.

By law, there are currently four ways that you can submit a ballot to the Clerk’s office:

(1) in-person voting;
(2) submit a mail ballot at an in-person voting location;
(3) submit a mail ballot into a dropbox; and
(4) submit a mail ballot through the U.S. Postal Service.

In person voting

• This has been shown to be the most secure form of voting because it is easy to verify each voter's identity and will be handled by the fewest number of people.
• Because in-person voting is electronic, your vote will not need to be adjudicated or duplicated.
• It is easier for the Clerk's office to help people who are having trouble with their ballots.

Submit a mail ballot at an in-person voting location

• You are using a process to submit your ballot that is completely controlled by the Clerk's office.
• The Clerk's office can put in place procedures to ensure that your ballot makes it to the Clerk's office without being damaged or lost.
• If you have a question about your ballot, you can ask a poll worker for help.

Submit a mail ballot into a drop box

• You are using a process to submit your ballot that is completely controlled by the Clerk's office.
• Currently, the Clerk does not have the necessary chain of custody in place to ensure that ballots dropped into a drop box will make it to the Clerk's office without being lost or damaged.

Submit a mail ballot through the U.S. Postal Service

• The positive of submitting your ballot through the U.S. Postal Service is that you do not have to leave your home to submit your ballot.
• However, if you submit your ballot via the U.S. Postal Service, the distance traveled and the number of individuals handling your ballot is greatly increased.
• The Clerk does not control the Postal Service and cannot guarantee that your ballot will get to his or her office on time.
• According to multiple sources, the lost or delayed rate for the US Postal Service is between 1% and 3%. Although these numbers seem small, several races in Salt Lake County have been won or lost by less than 1 to 3%. For example, Ben McAdams defeated incumbent Representative Mia Love in 2018 by only 697 votes, just 0.257%. Then in 2020, Burgess Owens defeated Representative Ben McAdams by 1% (47.7% to 46.7%).