Voting and Ballots

Utah Code tit. 20A, ch. 20A-16, pt. 20A-16-P4

in effect

Utah Code § 20A-16-401 Methods of applying for military-overseas ballots.

20A-16-401. Methods of applying for military-overseas ballots. (1) A covered voter who is registered to vote in the state may apply for a military-overseas ballot: (a) via the federal postcard application; (b) via the federal postcard application's electronic equivalent; or (c) by otherwise making a request in writing. (2) A covered voter who is not registered to vote in this state may use a federal postcard application or the federal postcard application's electronic equivalent to apply simultaneously to register to vote under Section 20A-16-302 and for a military-overseas ballot. (3) (a) The lieutenant governor shall ensure that the electronic transmission system described in Subsection 20A-16-201(3) is capable of accepting the submission of both a federal postcard application and any other approved electronic military-overseas ballot application sent to the appropriate election official. (b) The voter may use the electronic transmission system or any other approved method to apply for a military-overseas ballot. (4) A covered voter may use the declaration accompanying a federal write-in absentee ballot as an application for a military-overseas ballot simultaneously with the submission of the federal write-in absentee ballot, if the declaration is received by the appropriate election official before the day of the election. (5) To receive the benefits of this chapter, a covered voter shall inform the appropriate election official that the voter is a covered voter by: (a) the use of a federal postcard application or federal write-in absentee ballot; (b) the use of an overseas address on an approved voter registration application or ballot application; or (c) the inclusion on an approved voter registration application or ballot application of other information sufficient to identify the voter as a covered voter. (6) This chapter does not preclude a covered voter from voting via a manual ballot by mail. Amended by Chapter 215, 2023 General Session

Utah Code § 20A-16-402 Timeliness and scope of application for military-overseas ballot.

20A-16-402. Timeliness and scope of application for military-overseas ballot. (1) An application for a military-overseas ballot is timely if received before the day of the election. (2) An application for a military-overseas ballot for a regular primary election or municipal primary election, whether or not timely, is effective as an application for a military-overseas ballot for the regular general election or municipal general election. Amended by Chapter 215, 2023 General Session

Utah Code § 20A-16-403 Transmission of unvoted ballots.

20A-16-403. Transmission of unvoted ballots. (1) For an election for which the state has not received a waiver pursuant to the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act, 52 U.S.C. Sec. 20302(g)(2), not later than 45 calendar days before the day of the election or, notwithstanding Section 20A-1-104, if the 45th calendar day before the day of the election is a weekend or holiday, not later than the business day preceding the 45th calendar day before the day of the election, the election official in each jurisdiction charged with distributing a ballot and balloting materials shall transmit a ballot and balloting materials to all covered voters who by that date submit a valid military-overseas ballot application. (2) (a) A covered voter who requests that a ballot and balloting materials be sent to the voter by electronic transmission may choose: (i) facsimile transmission; (ii) email delivery; or (iii) if offered by the voter's jurisdiction, Internet delivery. (b) The election official in each jurisdiction charged with distributing a ballot and balloting materials shall transmit the ballot and balloting materials to the voter using the means of transmission chosen by the voter. (3) If a ballot application from a covered voter arrives after the jurisdiction begins transmitting ballots and balloting materials to voters, the official charged with distributing a ballot and balloting materials shall transmit the ballot and balloting materials to the voter no later than two business days after the day on which the application arrives. Amended by Chapter 448, 2025 General Session

Utah Code § 20A-16-404 Timely casting of ballot.

20A-16-404. Timely casting of ballot. Except as provided by Section 20A-1-308, to be valid, a military-overseas ballot shall be: (1) received by the appropriate election officer not later than the close of the polls; or (2) submitted for mailing, electronic transmission, or other authorized means of delivery not later than 12:01 a.m., at the place where the voter completes the ballot, on the date of the election. Amended by Chapter 219, 2013 General Session

Utah Code § 20A-16-405 Federal write-in absentee ballot.

20A-16-405. Federal write-in absentee ballot. A covered voter may use a federal write-in absentee ballot to vote for all applicable offices and ballot propositions in an election. Amended by Chapter 215, 2023 General Session

Utah Code § 20A-16-408 Receipt of voted ballot.

20A-16-408. Receipt of voted ballot. (1) Except as provided by Section 20A-1-308, a valid military-overseas ballot cast in accordance with Section 20A-16-404 shall be counted if the military-overseas ballot is delivered by the end of business on the business day before the latest deadline for completing the canvass to the address that the appropriate state or local election office has specified. (2) If, at the time of completing a military-overseas ballot and balloting materials, the voter has declared under penalty of perjury as provided in Title 76, Chapter 8, Part 5, Falsification in Official Matters, that the ballot was timely submitted, the ballot may not be rejected on the basis that it has a late postmark, an unreadable postmark, or no postmark. Amended by Chapter 219, 2013 General Session

Utah Code § 20A-16-409 Declaration.

20A-16-409. Declaration. A military-overseas ballot shall include or be accompanied by: (1) a declaration signed by a covered voter that a material misstatement of fact in completing the ballot may be grounds for a conviction of perjury under the laws of the United States or Title 76, Chapter 8, Part 5, Falsification in Official Matters; and (2) the following statement if the military-overseas ballot is electronically transmitted: "I understand that by electronically transmitting my voted ballot I am voluntarily waiving my right to a secret ballot. Signature of voter ________________ Date _______". Enacted by Chapter 327, 2011 General Session

Utah Code § 20A-16-410 Confirmation of receipt of application and voted ballot.

20A-16-410. Confirmation of receipt of application and voted ballot. The lieutenant governor, in coordination with an election officer, shall implement an electronic free-access system by which a covered voter may determine by telephone, electronic mail, or Internet: (1) whether the voter's federal postcard application or other registration or military-overseas ballot application has been received and accepted; (2) whether the voter's military-overseas ballot has been received; and (3) the current status of the ballot. Enacted by Chapter 327, 2011 General Session

Source: Utah Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel (le.utah.gov)URL: https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title20A/Chapter16/20A-16-P4.html?v=C20A-16-P4_1800010118000101Fetched: 10/26/2026