Utah first in nation to jettison universal mail-in balloting

• Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed a law that phases out the state’s universal mail-in voting system, requiring voters to opt in for mail ballots starting in 2029. This marks the first time a state has reversed such a policy.
• The law changes ballot deadlines, allowing only those received by 8 p.m. on Election Day to be counted, ending the previous system that permitted postmarked ballots to be counted for up to two weeks after Election Day.
• Critics warn the changes will make voting more difficult, while Cox argues the move will restore trust in the electoral process.

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Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed a bill Thursday, March 27, that will phase out the state’s universal mail-in voting system. Currently, all registered voters automatically receive ballots in the mail. Under the new law, beginning in 2029, registered voters will have to opt in to receive a mail ballot rather than receiving one automatically.

The bill also changes the deadline for when ballots must be received. Only ballots arriving before 8 p.m. on Election Day will be counted. Previously, ballots postmarked the day before the election could still be counted if they arrived up to two weeks afterward.

A nationwide push from Republicans to tighten voter laws

This move is part of a broader effort by Republicans to tighten voter laws nationwide, which they say is to make elections more secure.

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After Utah’s Republican-led legislature passed the measure, Cox defended the bill.

“I’m very supportive of it. I think it’s a brilliant bill. Lots of people wrongly believe that we have mass fraud in our elections, and it’s just not true, but we need to restore trust to them as well,” Cox said.

Voting rights advocacy groups oppose measure

However, Democrats and voting rights advocacy groups argue that these restrictions will make it harder for people to vote.

One advocacy group criticized the new law.

“Universal mail voting was enormously popular in Utah because it gave voters more freedom and flexibility to vote,” Chris Diaz, director of legislative tracking at the Voting Rights Lab, said. “Utah is now the first and only state to roll back a universal mail voting system. Voters, especially those in rural areas, will bear the brunt of this restrictive move.”

Utah was one of eight states with a universal mail ballot system and the only Republican-led state with such a policy.

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Federal election changes and legal challenges

On Wednesday, March 26, the Trump administration signed an executive order requiring voters to prove their citizenship when registering for federal elections. The order also mandates that all ballots must be received by Election Day—mirroring Utah’s new law.

However, legal challenges against Trump’s Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections executive order are expected, potentially setting up another legal showdown over one of Trump’s executive actions.