Participatory Democracy & Voting Rights

The ACLU of Utah strongly urges Governor Cox to veto House Bill 209, Voting Amendments.

We're proud of the extension of our settlement agreement with San Juan County, Utah, initially reached following a lawsuit filed in 2016. This settlement protects the rights of Navajo voters by requiring the County to provide in-person voting and accessible election information in Navajo (Diné

Utah has long been a leader in safe, reliable elections that are free from fraud and unnecessary barriers. HB300 threatens that reality by adding burdensome voting requirements.

This bill is another attempt to end the overwhelmingly popular vote by mail system in Utah It revives many unpopular elements stripped out of HB300, a 2025 bill which amended voting laws. HB479 would require a voter to return their mail ballot in person with a valid ID, either to a polling location or a drop box staffed by two poll workers. This would fundamentally alter the vote by mail system used by over 95% of Utahns and essentially require in-person voting.

This bill builds on HB300, which made significant changes to election adminsitration to roll back vote-by-mail and was passed during the 2025 legislative session. HB311 would allow poll workers to do signature verification even if the voter supplied the last 4 digits of their valid ID or SSN, if the poll worker has any reason to believe that the signature on the ballot return envelope is not the voter's signature. The bill also further limits the forms of ID that Utahns can use to register to vote, eliminating utility bills and bank statements as an option to prove residency.

Like the proposed SAVE Act in the U.S. Congress, HB209 would require individuals to provide proof of citizenship to be able to vote in state elections. Under the bill, proof of citizenship would include state ID that verifies your citizenship (this would likely not include your driver's license), your birth certificate, passport, naturalization documents, or tribal identification card or certificate of degree of Indian blood. If enacted, this requirement will likely be burdensome to women or other voters who have undergone a name change.