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2006 Utah Voter Information
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Who is eligible to vote?
- You must be registered in order to vote. (Utah Code § 20A-2-102)
- You can register to vote in Utah if you are a citizen of the United States; have resided in Utah at least 30 days immediately prior to the election; are at least 18-years-old on or before the election; and are not a convicted felon currently incarcerated for a felony. (Utah Code § 20A-2-101)
- If you are a convicted felon, your right to register to vote and vote in an election is restored when you are sentenced to probation by the sentencing judge; are granted parole by the Board of Pardons; or have successfully completed the term of incarceration to which you were sentenced. (Utah Code § 20A-2-101.5)
When do I register to vote?
- If you are registering by mail, the deadline for registering to vote is 30 calendar days prior to the election. (Utah Code § 20A-2-202) To vote in the 2006 general election, your voter registration form must be postmarked no later than Tuesday, October 10.
- If you are registering in person at your county’s Office of the County Clerk, you must do so no later than 15 calendar days prior to the election. (Utah Code § 20A-2-201) To vote in the 2006 general election, you must register in person no later than Monday, October 23.
- On Friday, October 20 and Monday, October 23 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., you may register to vote at any satellite registration location in your county. (Utah Code § 20A-2-203) Contact your county clerk for satellite registration locations.
- If you registered in person after October 10 at either the Office of the County Clerk or at a satellite registration location, you will not be eligible to vote early and you must vote on Election Day. (Utah Code § 20A-2-201 and § 20A-2-203)
How do I register to vote?
- You may register to vote by using the mail-in registration form available on the Utah State Elections Office website at http://www.elections.utah.gov/VoterRegistrationForm.pdf. Forms are also available in the white pages of your phone book, and at state offices, such as the Drivers License Division; Division of Workforce Services; Utah State Department of Health, Women, Infant and Children (WIC) Offices; the Division of Services for People with Disabilities; the Department of Rehabilitation; and public colleges and universities.
- You may also contact your county clerk to request a form or to register in person. You can find the contact information for your county clerk at http://www.elections.utah.gov/countyclerks.html, or you can look it up in the government section of your phone book.
- On October 20 and 23 from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., you may register to vote at any satellite registration location in your county. (Utah Code § 20A-2-203) Contact your county clerk for satellite registration locations.
- If you are a first time voter and are registering by mail, you should include with your voter registration form a photocopy of a valid form of photo identification that shows your name, photograph, and current address; or two different forms of identification, such as a current utility bill, government check, or paycheck, that show your name and current address. In addition, on the registration form you must disclose your driver’s license number, state identification number, or the last 4 digits of your social security number. (Utah Code § 20A-2-104)
- If you have moved or changed your name since registering to vote, you must fill out a new voter registration form.
- If you are homeless, you may use the address of the Road Home homeless shelter for your residence. The shelter address is 210 S Rio Grande Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84101.
When do I vote?
- The general election is Tuesday, November 7, 2006.
- The polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. You have the right to cast a vote if you are in line at the time the polls close. (Utah Code § 20A-1-302)
- If you are scheduled to work on Election Day, your employer must allow you to leave your workplace for up to two hours in order to vote. You must ask for this leave before Election Day and your employer may not deduct from your usual salary or wage because of your absence. (Utah Code § 20A-3-103)
- Voters may also vote during the early voting period, which will take place between Tuesday, October 24 and Friday, November 3. (Utah Code § 20A-3-601) Contact your county clerk to find out times and locations for early voting.
Where do I vote?
- After the Office of the County Clerk processes your application for voter registration, they will send you a voter registration card that will tell you where to vote. If you do not receive this card or lose it before Election Day, contact your county clerk to find out where you can vote and to request a replacement card.
- County clerks determine where polling places will be located. In addition to various government buildings, polling places can include private facilities, such as churches and private homes. All polling places must meet the accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
What must I bring with me when I vote?
- If you are voting for the first time in the jurisdiction and you did not provide valid voter identification when you registered to vote, you will be required to present proof of identity or proof of residence. (Utah Code § 20A-3-104) If you did not bring proper identification or proof of residency, you will be issued a provisional ballot.
- Election judges can request identification if they do not know you and have reason to doubt your identity. (Utah Code § 20A-3-104) If this is the case and you did not bring identification, you will be issued a provisional ballot.
- If you are voting during the early voting period or are voting in person by absentee ballot, then you must bring valid voter identification. (Utah Code § 20A-3-104)
- Valid voter identification is either a valid form of photo identification that shows your name, photograph, and current address; or two different forms of identification that show your name and current address. (Utah Code § 20A-1-102) Contact the State of Utah Elections Office or your county clerk for a complete list of what qualifies as valid voter identification.
How do I handle the most common problems?
- If a poll worker tells you that you are not on the list of registered voters but you believe that you should be because you submitted a registration form before the deadline, first ask him or her to check the list again. If that fails, show the poll worker your voter registration card or some other form of identification. By law, you will be permitted to vote with a provisional ballot even if the poll worker cannot confirm your registration. (Utah Code § 20A-3-105.5) The provisional ballot will NOT count unless it is later determined that you are eligible to vote and that you voted the provisional ballot in the correct precinct. (Utah Code § 20A-4-107)
- If you need instructions on how to use the voting equipment in your precinct, ask a poll worker for help. You have the right to receive instructions. (Utah Code § 20A-3-109)
- If you need assistance because you are disabled, unable to read, or speak a language other than English, you may be accompanied into the voting booth by a person of your choice who may assist you in voting (as long as that person is not your employer, an agent of your employer, a representative of your union, or a political candidate). (Utah Code § 20A-3-108)
How can I minimize potential problems on Election Day?
- Call your county clerk to double-check your registration status and polling place at least 15 days before Election Day.
- Bring your voter registration card and a photo ID to the polls. This may not be necessary to vote but can be helpful if anyone challenges your eligibility.
- Vote early in the day.
- Read all instructions carefully.
- Take your time in the voting booth. You have up to ten minutes to cast your ballot. (Utah Code § 20A-3-105)
- If you are scheduled to work on Election Day, ask for time off to vote in advance.
- Become as familiar as possible with the new electronic voting equipment that will be used statewide for the first time this November. The Salt Lake County Clerk’s Office has good information about the equipment online at http://www.clerk.slco.org/elections/html/votingequip_inst.htm. The State of Utah also has an online demonstration of the electronic voting equipment at http://www.leaveyourprint.com. Also, you can contact your county’s Office of the County Clerk to find out if they will let you try one of the new electronic voting machines before Election Day.
Useful phone numbers
- Utah State Elections Division: (801) 538-1041 or (800) 995-VOTE
- U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Voting Section: (800) 253-3931
- ACLU of Utah: (801) 521-9862 ext 104
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