Should I have a ballot?
An answer to the most frequent question we’ve been asked about the June 2026 primary election.
The answer: it depends. Utah has no statewide races this year, which means that whether or not you should have a ballot in your mailbox right now depends on both your location and your party affiliation.
Primaries are only held when there are two or more candidates from the same party competing for their party’s nomination in the general election. Not all races that will appear on the November ballot have a primary in June, only competitive party races have a primary election.
To add to the confusion, each political party makes its own rules.
Some are open, some are not
In Utah the Democratic party holds open primaries. So, for instance, any voter living within Utah’s new 1st Congressional District (“CD1”) can vote, regardless of party affiliation. Registered Democrats in CD1 will automatically be mailed a ballot, and any other voter can request one. This is also true of voters anywhere with a Democratic primary, like Senate District 14.
However, in Utah, Republican primaries are closed—meaning only voters affiliated as Republicans can vote in that primary. Most voters live within GOP-controlled districts and thus only have a vote if they are a registered Republican. For instance, all voters in Davis and Utah Counties who are registered Republicans should have received a ballot, since there are county-wide races.
Note that it’s too late to switch parties (the deadline was April 1), but unaffiliated voters can still, if they choose, register as Republican and request a ballot be mailed to them until June 12. That is the last way to receive a ballot by mail. Never fear: new and unaffiliated voters can also register and vote in person at any county polling place with the proper ID on Election Day, June 23rd.
Vote early, please
A reminder that since last year, ballots are now due by 8pm Election Day. Ballots that arrive after Election Day will not be counted, so mail your ballot in early, drop it off in any dropbox in your county, or make a plan to vote in person. If you believe you should have received a ballot but didn’t, check your voter registration status here.
We always recommend voting early, and we believe your vote matters!
Resources
Visit vote.utah.gov for general election info
Enter your address for personalized election information
Find your new congressional district
Locate your state representatives
Learn how to request a ballot