If you’re homeless in Utah, you can still vote. Here’s how

A voter drops off their ballot at the Salt Lake County Government Center in Salt Lake City as votes are cast in Utah’s primary election on Tuesday, June 25, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)

Those living in homeless shelters or on the streets are likely more focused on surviving day to day than participating in elections — but county clerks and election advocates want Utah’s homeless to know they have the right to vote and are urging them to exercise it. 

Thanks to SB17 passed by the Utah Legislature in 2023, Utahns don’t need a home to cast a vote. In fact, Utahns experiencing homelessness can list a “nontraditional location” — such as a park address or even a place without a structure — as their principal place of residence. They can also use an address for a homeless shelter as a place to receive mail. 

There are, however, several requirements homeless Utahns still need to adhere to in order to legally register to vote. The law requires Utah residents to:

Be a U.S. citizen.
Be at least 18 years of age.
Live in the state for at least 30 days before the election.
Not be currently incarcerated for a felony conviction.
Bring required identification documents such as a Utah-issued ID, driver’s license or other forms of government issued IDs. 
If you don’t have a Utah ID, you can provide the last four digits of your social security number when registering to vote. However, when voting, you’ll need to show two acceptable forms of ID (one that verifies your identity and one for proof of residence, like a bill, a bank statement or a document issued by a city or state agency). 
If you’re already registered to vote, you must have at least one primary form of ID that’s not expired, with your name and your photograph. Or you can provide two forms of ID that, when combined, prove your name and current residence. 

Time is running out to meet the mail-in and online voter registration deadline coming up on Friday, Oct. 25. But people who are unsheltered still have options to register and cast their vote in person leading up to Election Day on Nov. 5. 

Helen Moser, director of voter services for the League of Women Voters of Utah — an organization with a mission of protecting and expanding voting rights — said people experiencing homelessness do face extra challenges when it comes to voting. But she urged them to still do everything they can to exercise their right to vote, as a population that is directly impacted by policy decisions, particularly when it comes to housing and homelessness. 

“This is such a consequential election this year, and (Utah’s unsheltered population) is an important constituent, particularly in local elections where decisions are made that impact their ability to feel safe on the street or have access to resources or to potentially get into housing,” Moser said. “Their voice — more than ever — really matters right now.” 

If you’re homeless, here’s what you need to know about how to cast your vote: 

How to vote if you’re homeless

Moser acknowledged that being homeless comes with challenges that can make it hard to vote, like maybe not having IDs on hand or lacking a permanent address where mail that can prove residency can be sent. But she said there are still ways that people experiencing homelessness can make their votes count.

While the deadline to register to vote online and receive a ballot in the mail is Friday, Moser said Utah’s homeless residents can still vote by going in person to county clerks’ offices and asking for help. Early voting started this week.  

“There is no shame in going into an in-person voting center and saying, ‘I’m here, as a citizen, to take responsibility and make sure my voice is heard this election, but I am unhoused,’” Moser said. “(Election workers) will be trained to help them. So don’t fear the stigma or the additional hurdles. It’s well worth their effort to make their voice heard.” 

Salt Lake County Clerk Lannie Chapman said if a person experiencing homelessness wants to vote in person, they can register to vote on the same day. However, they’ll have to bring not only a government-issued ID, but also a document that can prove their residency. That could include a bank statement, a bill, or perhaps documents issued by a state agency that shows they’ve been living in Utah for at least 30 days before the election. 

“For our housing insecure population, it’s a lot simpler for them to register prior to Election Day,” Chapman acknowledged. However, if they can bring the needed documents for same-day registration, it’s still possible for them to cast their vote. 

Chapman said it’s helpful for Utah’s homeless residents to pick a homeless shelter or resource center that is most easily accessible for them and to list that as their mailing address so they receive documents that can prove their residency, as well as future by-mail ballots. 

“The Road Home is really good with that, (along with) Volunteers of America in Salt Lake County,” Chapman said. She added there are more than 20 locations in the county that will accept mail on behalf of voters without a home address. 

Moser urged Utahns experiencing homelessness to try to make sure to keep their voter registration and mailing address updated in Utah’s database whenever they may find themselves in a more permanent location so they can more easily receive future by-mail ballots and remain an active voter rather than be purged from Utah’s election roles. 

Moser also noted that if they have access to a computer at a public library or a homeless resource center, they can visit vote.utah.gov and type in the address of the closest shelter, and that’s how they can look up ID and proof of residency requirements as well as information about races that would be in that shelter’s precinct.

People experiencing homelessness who vote “should be applauded for the extra effort they may have to undertake to make sure their voice is heard,” Moser said. “It’s a noble thing, and we’re absolutely thrilled when anyone turns out to vote in these elections.”