The Primaries Really Matter
Why you participate in the June 2026 primary election—and how you can get your vote in before 8pm on Tuesday.
Tuesday, June 23 is Election Day. Most genuinely competitive races happen between people in the same party, during the primary elections. That’s right now.
If you want a say in who represents you, the primary election is your (last) best chance to make that happen. We hope you do so.
Why do primary races matter?
Few state or congressional districts these days are genuinely competitive between parties. This is true in Utah and around the country. Increased polarization means whichever candidate secures their party’s nomination in the June primary is highly likely to win the general election.
Since fewer people vote in the primaries, the results can skew away from what the average citizen wants. The unity-seeking Builders movement puts it this way:
“The real shaping of our democracy happens… in the quieter, low-turnout world of primary elections. That’s where the choices on the November ballot are made, and where most voters opt out, with huge consequences for representation, fairness, and the health of our political system.
“Here’s the blunt reality: even though primary contests decide who represents us, they’re massively under-attended. In recent nationwide cycles, only about 20% of eligible voters show up for primary elections, meaning roughly 4 out of 5 people skip them entirely.”
Only one in five of your neighbors (or fewer) participating can lead to significant different outcomes than if more voters show up. This is why we care so much! The Unite America Institute found that “in 2024, 87% of Congressional races were decided in primary elections—meaning the 7% of voters who participated in these elections effectively chose the vast majority of the U.S. House.”
No wonder its so dysfunctional. Low levels of participation are also true in local races at the state, county, municipal, and school board level (although Utah saw significant gains in voters participating after switching to universal vote-by-mail in 2017). These closer levels of government get less attention, yet they influence many things in our daily lives, from roads to schools to much more.
Who votes in the primaries?
When the majority of voters neglect to return their ballots for primary elections, the voices left get to decide. Moderates and independents are the largest growing bloc of American voters, yet we’re historically underrepresented in the primary elections.
One recent study found that “independents made up 39% of the voting age population but just 11% of the electorate in decisive primaries.”
When a significant portion of the population identifies as moderate but only 11% of voters participating in primaries consider themselves moderates, that has major ramifications for the kinds of candidates who get elected. Political scientist Laurel Harbridge-Yong put it this way:
“To the extent that this is a kind of fringe group of individuals who don’t represent the broader population, we might wonder about who they’re choosing for office, and whether those people ultimately represent the values and preferences and political style of the broader population.”
Again from Builders:
“When only a fraction of the electorate participates, the candidates who emerge are often more extreme or less representative of the broader population…This can affect who gets elected, how they govern, and whether voters in the general election feel they have meaningful choices.”
This is why we’ve spent so much time making voter guides for the primary. These are important elections and often the best chance to meaningful change our representation. We love our state. We want meaningful choices in November and hope to elect leaders who truly care about and listen to their communities.
This June, Utah voters have the chance to make real, meaningful changes—if we show up. This is your call to vote.
Okay, I’m convinced! How do I vote?
It’s not too late to vote! But after a state law change last year, it is too late to mail in your ballot.
So if you haven’t voted yet and have a ballot in hand, turn in your ballot at any dropbox in your county. Elections are done at the county level, so search “your county” elections to find relevant locations, or find more at vote.utah.gov.
Didn’t get a ballot or prefer to go in person? You can vote in person at any polling place in your county before 8pm on Tuesday, June 23. Better news: if you’re new to Utah or never registered to vote, it’s not too late to register and vote in-person with proper ID. Learn how.
Your high school senior might be able to vote, too: in Utah, any eligible citizen who will be 18 by November 3, 2026, can also vote in the primary. Even if they’re still 17 right now. The great news is that people who start voting young remain more likely to vote throughout their lives.
We believe your vote really matters! Let’s turn out and vote in the best candidates for Utah.
Find our full list of voter guides for federal, state legislature, state school board, and county-wide elections.
Thank you for what you are doing! This is so important and I hope your message will continue to grow. I’m trying to do what I can in my little corner. People have gotten so turned off by politics - but we need to get them reengaged.
Thank you for this information!