This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Like many Utah GOP leaders, U.S. Sen. Mike Lee insists he won't vote for Donald Trump, but he still hopes to cast a ballot for a Republican nominee if Trump withdraws.

Election officials say that is not possible in Utah.

As county clerks plan to start mailing ballots Tuesday, it's too late to remove Trump's name from atop the GOP ticket, said Mark Thomas, state elections director for Lt. Gov Spencer Cox.

"At this point, it's kind of all or nothing," he said Monday.

If Trump bows out, Thomas explained, Utah rules would also automatically drop Mike Pence, his vice presidential candidate, because they run as a ticket.

"Then we would be left with whatever remaining candidates are on the ballot," Thomas said.

Nine others are there from various parties or are running as independents.

Because the date for ballot certification has passed and ballots are now printed and most counties are sending out ballots this week, Thomas said, "options are pretty limited at this point" to remove a candidate.

Of course, Utah's six official votes for president are cast through the Electoral College. Could those electors — picked by the party of the winner of the popular vote — switch and vote for Pence instead of Trump, saying that they perceive that is what voters really want?

Thomas doubts it.

"The statute is pretty clear that electors can only vote for a candidate who won the popular vote. So I just don't see a way to get it done through that mechanism," he said, although historically a few "faithless electors" elsewhere in the country have voted for people other than candidates who won their states.

"The only way I see to do it at all is if he [Trump] wins the presidency overall, and then withdraws," Thomas said. "Then, of course, the vice presidential candidate would assume the presidency."

Longtime Salt Lake County Clerk Sherrie Swensen said she also sees no way at this point for Trump to pull out and still have a GOP presidential candidate on the ballot. "It would take greater legal minds than mine to see any possibility," she said.

Among Utah GOP leaders who have called on Trump to drop out are Lee, Reps. Jason Chaffetz and Chris Stewart, former Gov. Jon Huntsman and Utah Senate President Wayne Niederhauser. Many others have yanked endorsements. Trump has said he will never withdraw from the ticket.

Utah Democratic Party Chairman Peter Corroon sees an opportunity for his party with the controversy, suspecting that far fewer than normal Republicans will vote a straight ticket with Trump leading it.

"We hope that having Donald Trump at the top of the Republican ticket will cause Republicans to look at all Democrats down the ballot instead of voting a straight-party ticket," he said. "Donald Trump is a perfect example of why you don't want to vote a straight ticket, and why you should look at every single candidate and what they stand for."

Corroon said the controversy could make for a competitive presidential race in Utah.

"Obviously, we think that Donald Trump does not represent Utah values, and people should not vote for him," he said. "We think Hillary Clinton has the best experience and, frankly, is one of the most-qualified presidential candidates ever."

Utah Republican Party Chairman James Evans issued a statement saying the state GOP continues to back Trump but "respects the rights of its members to vote their conscience and express their opinions."

He added, "As the emotions of the moment subside, I trust most Republicans will remember the high stakes of this election cycle and vote Republican. With a current vacancy on the Supreme Court and the potential for others, and the financial and security concerns of our nation, the stakes in this election are too high to allow Hillary Clinton to become president."

However earlier this year, Evans said his party was developing a "Plan T," as in Trump, on how to persuade Republicans to vote for others on the GOP side even if they dislike him.

He said in June, "If they want to write in Mickey Mouse [for president], I'll take that as long as they vote" in other state and local races. "They can't let their disappointment overshadow the rest of the ballot."

This year, 21 of Utah's 29 counties are conducting all-by-mail elections.

Swensen said Salt Lake County plans to send out 470,000 ballots beginning Tuesday, the first day allowed by Utah law. Thomas said the other by-mail counties must send their ballots no later than Oct. 18. Overseas ballots went out Sept. 23.

Swensen noted that several deadlines for voter registration are approaching. The final day to register by mail is Tuesday. People may register online or at county clerk offices through Nov. 3.

Some counties, including Salt Lake County, also offer Election Day registration. In Salt Lake County, Swensen said, people could take identification and proof of residency to any of 37 in-person voting centers Nov. 8 to register and vote.

"With that, there is every opportunity to vote," she said.

Swensen provides several reminders as people begin to cast ballots this week.

"First, they have to mail their ballots, and have them postmarked, by Nov. 7, the day before Election Day," she said. If people miss that, they could still drop off ballots at in-person voting centers on Election Day or at special drive-up drop boxes. Swensen said the sites in her county are listed at the county clerk's website.

She urges voters to mail back ballots as early as possible. "That helps with our processing if we are able to spread that out over the coming weeks," she said, and allows announcing a majority of results soon after polls close at 8 p.m. on Nov. 8.

Swensen also encourages voters to remember to sign their ballots, and put their phone numbers or email addresses on envelopes so they can be contacted if any problems occur.

Thomas said that the vote.utah.gov website has sample ballots and a candidate-information guide for voters. He said that site also tracks when an individual's ballots are mailed, when county clerks receive completed votes, and whether they are counted or what kind of problem occurred if they are not. —

Presidential candidates on Utah's ballot

• Republican: Donald Trump

• Democratic: Hillary Clinton

• Libertarian: Gary Johnson

• Constitution: Darrell Castle

• Independent American: Rocky Giordani

• Unaffiliated: Evan McMullin, Jill Stein (Green Party), Alyson Kennedy (Socialist Workers Party), Rocky De La Fuente (Reform Party), Monica Moorehead (Workers World Party).