Legislation

Like the proposed SAVE Act in the U.S. Congress, HB209 will require individuals to provide proof of citizenship to be able to vote in state elections. Under the bill, proof of citizenship would include a state ID that verifies your citizenship (such as your driver’s license if you provided proof of citizenship in your application), your birth certificate, passport, naturalization documents, or tribal identification card or Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood. This requirement will likely be burdensome to women or other voters who have undergone a name change, who will now need to provide even more documentation, such as a marriage certificate.    

HB479 was another attempt to gradually end Utah’s overwhelmingly popular vote-by-mail system. It revived many of the unpopular elements stripped out of HB300, the bill amending voting laws passed in 2025. HB479 would have required a voter to opt in every 8 years to return their ballot by mail, otherwise requiring them to return their mail ballot in person with a valid ID to either a polling location or a drop box staffed by two poll workers. This would have essentially required in-person voting for many Utahns.