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Residents of Salt Lake City and most other Salt Lake County municipalities can cast ballots by mail beginning this week in advance of the Aug. 11 primary election.

Every registered voter in participating cities with primary races will be sent a ballot in the mail 28 days before the Aug. 11 primary election, and again 28 days before the Nov. 3 general election, said Salt Lake City Recorder Cindi Mansell.

Ballots can be mailed back in the postage-paid envelope provided or dropped off on or before Election Day at the Salt Lake County Government Complex or Salt Lake City Hall.

Capital city ballots also can be dropped off at one of four vote centers: River's Bend Northwest Senior Center, 1300 West 300 North; Sorenson Multicultural Center 855 West California Ave. (1300 South); Trolley Square 600 South 700 East; and First Congregational Church 2150 South Foothill Drive (2755 East).

"Across the nation, the vote-by-mail approach is garnering higher rates of voter participation in the election process," Mansell said.

"I am confident we will see similar results this year in Salt Lake City for three reasons: vote-by-mail elections are convenient, cost-free and confidential."

Residents can register to vote online at vote.utah.gov.

Voters can confirm registration or update address information at the Salt Lake County website: slco.org/clerk/elections or call 385-468-7400.

Fourteen of 16 Salt Lake County municipalities have switched to vote-by-mail balloting. They are Alta, Bluffdale, Cottonwood Heights, Draper, Herriman, Holladay, Midvale, Murray, Riverton, Salt Lake City, Sandy, South Jordan, South Salt Lake and West Jordan.

Taylorsville and West Valley have opted against a vote-by-mail system, although individual voters there can request mail ballots.

In most cities, primary elections will only be held in council districts where more than two candidates have filed.

In Salt Lake City, all voters can participate because five hopefuls are running for mayor. It is the only Salt Lake County municipality with a mayoral election this year.

For more information about Salt Lake City's municipal elections visit slcgov.com/elections.