Most people want to participate on Election Day, but in some states, there are a few things residents must do to be prepared and ready to vote.
Tuesday is National Voter Registration Day, an effort to educate Americans about what needs to be done as a prerequisite for voting. Summit County Clerk Eve Furse said this helps local election officials and voters alike make sure the election runs smoothly in the long run.
People who have not voted since the last presidential election in 2020 or responded to requests from the Clerk’s Office to verify their status could be marked as inactive, meaning they may not automatically receive a ballot by mail.
Furse said this doesn’t mean someone’s voter registration has expired or that they can’t vote.
“It just means you need to activate your registration. … I’m not going to mail you a ballot because I’m not sure that it’s actually going to get to you if you’re inactive. If you show up to vote in person, that’s all you need to do to reactivate it,” she explained.
Voters are more likely to cast their ballot by mail rather than in person, so residents need to ensure their registration is active. People who vote by mail cannot do so in person.
The Clerk’s Office will start mailing ballots on Oct. 15, which is 10 days before the deadline to register to vote. Ballots will continue to be sent out until around Oct. 28 to guarantee they arrive in time for Election Day.
Furse anticipates there will be around 90% voter turnout on Tuesday, Nov. 5. The vast majority of ballots are submitted by mail and around 5% of votes are cast the day of or in person a few days before.
There are several key local issues on the ballot this year including the races for Summit County Council Seats A and C, the 0.5% emergency services sales tax, the $114 million North Summit School District bond and the proposed constitutional amendments.
Furse said officials will learn next week whether the Utah Supreme Court decides to count the controversial Amendment D in the vote.
Visit vote.utah.gov for more information about voter registration. The Clerk’s Office can be reached by phone at 435-336-3204.