Utah Sees High Voter Turnout Amid Vote-By-Mail Mandate

Utah saw one of its best primary election voter turnout in years despite issues caused by the coronavirus pandemic. This year’s primaries were conducted exclusively by mail, though some voters were able to vote at drive-through locations in seven counties. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that research suggests voting by mail likely boosted turnout compared to 2016, when eight counties barred mail ballots. State Elections Director Justin Lee says the state had 558,000 votes cast in June’s primary, a number that could grow as final ballots are counted. Republican party turnout was 67% of its members in this year’s primary, compared to 39% of party members in the 2016 governor’s primary.