The Path of Your Ballot

Vote by mail - the path of your ballot. 

You may track your ballot's progress on the State of Utah's elections site.

1. Per state law, your ballot packet will be mailed 21 days before the election. 

2. Your Ballot Packet includes

• An inner return envelope with the signature affidavit
• Instruction sheet with a  removable commemorative sticker
• Security sleeve

3. The U.S. Postal Service delivers the ballot packet to voters. 

4. The voter makes their selections and places the ballot in the return envelope - following the instructions in #5 below.

5. 3-Step Ballot Return process

1. Insert ballot into the security sleeve, and then into the return envelope. 
2. Sign the voter affidavit on the return envelope.
3. Seal the envelope. 

6. Voter Returns Their Ballot

• Through the USPS mail (first-class return postage paid)
• At any of the 21 drive-up ballot drop boxes. (Collected daily)
• At any voting center, including early voting locations.

7. Upon its return, the ballot is processed.

The barcode on the envelope is scanned, creating a return log and vote history for the voter. This ensures that only one ballot is accepted for each voter. 

8. The voter's signature is verified.

The privacy tab on the ballot return envelope is removed, revealing the voter’s signature.  The signature is compared to that on the voter’s record to verify that the voter signed the affidavit.  The ballot remains sealed inside the envelope during this process.

After the signature is verified, the security sleeve containing the ballot is removed and separated from the return envelope, making the ballot anonymous.

9. The ballot is prepared for counting.

The ballot is removed from the security sleeve and prepared for counting.   Ballots are carefully logged in and tracked during the tabulation process.  Ballots are tabulated as they arrive in the Election Management Center, but results cannot be seen until the polls close and the Election Night Report is released.