Tue. Nov 5th, 2024

Election worker Tim Schorzman operates a ballot processing machine 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)

Election Day is finally here. If you haven’t already cast your ballot, there’s still time — but you only have until polls close at 8 p.m. tonight. 

The nation will be watching with bated breath for the outcome of the bitter, deadlocked presidential race between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. But even late into the evening (or even further into the week) we may not have a clear picture of a victor, since election officials have warned results could take days to finalize.

In the solidly red state of Utah, no upsets or tight races are expected for high-profile congressional and statewide races, since those are often decided during the June primary when Utah Republicans select their party nominees. 

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However, it’s possible results for Utah’s state and local races may also face delays. 

Utah’s top election official, Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson warned Monday that if the state sees long lines at even just a handful of polling places, that could delay the posting of all election night results. Polls close at 8 p.m., but election night results won’t be posted until the last voter in every line has cast their ballot, Henderson’s office said in a news release. 

“County clerks have been instructed not to publish results until every Utahn waiting in line when the polls close has had a chance to vote.” Henderson said. “We will keep everyone updated if there are any delays and ask for patience as our county officials administer the election.”

Henderson also urged voters to return their ballots as soon as possible if they haven’t already. The vast majority of voters in Utah, which holds an automatic, statewide by-mail election, have voted by mail, but some voters wait until Election Day to cast their votes in person at polling places. 

“The sooner you vote, the more robust our initial results will be,” Henderson said. 

She also issued a reminder that Utah law sets a specific deadline for by-mail ballots: They must be postmarked no later than Monday, so if you haven’t already mailed your ballot as of Tuesday morning, don’t. Instead, drop it off at a designated ballot drop box or hand it to a poll worker at a polling place. 

Utahns can find nearby drop box locations by inputting their address on the state’s election website. The page will also include instructions on the closest polling locations that will be open on Election Day, for voters who prefer to vote in person. 

Utah also allows same-day voter registration, so if you’re not registered to vote currently it’s not too late to participate in this election — as long as you show up to a polling place before 8 p.m. You’ll need to show identification and documents to prove your residency (visit the state’s election website for more information on what types of documents you’ll need), and you’ll cast a provisional ballot, which county clerks will include in results after they’ve verified the corresponding voters’ identities. 

State races to watch

Utah voters — more than half of which are Republicans, with roughly 938,000 active registered voters affiliated with the GOP compared to about 249,000 Democrats — are expected to hand the state to Trump.

They’ll also decide whether Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson will win another four years in the Governor’s Office, who will replace retiring Sen. Mitt Romney in the U.S. Senate for the next six years, and who will represent the state in the U.S. House for the next two years. 

The state’s most high-profile races to watch tonight include races for: 

  • 1st Congressional District: Republican incumbent Rep. Blake Moore is being challenged by Democrat Bill Campbell and Libertarian Daniel Cottam. 
  • 2nd Congressional District: Republican incumbent Rep. Celeste Maloy is being challenged by Democrat Nathanial Woodward, Constitution candidate Cassie Eeasley, and unaffiliated candidate Tyler Murset. 
  • 3rd Congressional District: Republican Sen. Mike Kennedy and Democrat Glenn Wright are competing to take the place of outgoing Rep. John Curtis, R-Utah, who is running for U.S. Senate. 
  • 4th Congressional District: Incumbent Republican Rep. Burgess Owens is being challenged by Democrat Katrina Fallick-Wang, United Utah candidate Vaughn Cook, and unaffiliated candidate Evan Bullard. 
  • U.S. Senate: Republican Rep. John Curtis is competing against Democrat Caroline Gleich, Independent American Carlton Bowen, and write-in candidate Laird Hamblin. 
  • Governor: Republican incumbent Cox is being challenged by Democratic Rep. Brian King, Libertarian Robert Latham, Independent American Tommy Williams, unaffiliated candidate Tom Tomeny, and write-in candidates Phil Lyman and Charlie Tautuaa.
  • Attorney General: Republican Derek Brown is competing against Democrat Rudy Bautista, Libertarian W. Andrew McCullough, United Utah candidate Michelle Quist, and unaffiliated candidate Austin Hepworth. 
  • Auditor: Republican Tina Cannon is competing against Democrat Catherine Voutaz and Constitution candidate Jeffrey Ostler. 
  • Treasurer: Republican incumbent Marlo Oaks is being challenged by Democrat Neil Hansen and Utah Forward candidate Miles Pomeroy. 

If there are any surprises tonight, it’s possible we could see thin margins or upsets in some legislative races, with all 75 seats in the Utah House and 15 in the Senate up for reelection. 

More independents than ever are running in Utah. Could they actually cause a shakeup?

Although the Utah Legislature has long been controlled by a Republican supermajority, a never-before-seen wave of independent candidates are targeting a handful of legislative districts they see as competitive based off of independent candidate Evan McMullin’s run against Sen. Mike Lee in 2022. 

Thirteen candidates are on the ballot as independents — as in, not affiliated with any party. And that doesn’t even count candidates who have aligned with new alternatives like the United Utah Party or the Utah Forward Party. Read Utah News Dispatch’s coverage about what races independent candidates are targeting. 

Finally, check out Utah News Dispatch’s 2024 voter guide to read statements from statewide candidates as you make final-hour decisions before you cast your vote. 

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