Utah to End Universal Mail Voting by 2029

Utah Governor Spencer Cox has signed a bill that will phase out the state's universal vote-by-mail system by 2029, transitioning to an opt-in model for receiving mail ballots. The legislation, known as HB 300, requires voters to request mail ballots every eight years and mandates that ballots be received by Election Day to be counted, altering the previous rule allowing postmarked ballots to arrive later. This change marks Utah as the first state to roll back a universal mail-in voting policy, a move criticized by voting rights advocates as undermining voter access, particularly in rural areas. Despite these criticisms, Cox supports the bill, arguing it aims to restore trust among voters who doubt election integrity, although audits have shown election security in Utah. The decision reflects broader Republican efforts to impose voting restrictions in the wake of unfounded voter fraud claims. The new law will also require voters to verify their ballots with the last four digits of their ID numbers instead of signatures.