Utah Lawmakers Advance Bills to Regulate Voting Records

Utah lawmakers are moving forward with two significant bills regarding election practices. House Bill 300, backed by House Speaker Mike Schultz, aims to limit the state's universal vote-by-mail system by requiring voters to drop off their ballots in person and show identification. Meanwhile, House Bill 69, which has gained unanimous approval from the House Government Operations Committee, seeks to establish a 'code of conduct' for county clerks prohibiting them from accessing voter ballot information for political purposes. This bill responds to allegations against Utah County Clerk Aaron Davidson, who tracked how some elected officials submitted their ballots, raising concerns over the misuse of voter information. Davidson has defended his actions as an effort to promote ballot dropboxes over mail-in voting to ensure election security. Both bills reflect ongoing tensions in Utah's electoral processes as lawmakers aim to enhance voter confidence and safeguard election integrity.