Voices: Utah is proposing big changes to elections. As a county clerk and voter, I’m very concerned.

A bill proposing big changes to Utah elections is quickly making its way through our Legislature, despite substantial concerns from local election administrators like me.

HB479, Election Code Modifications, would require voters to affirmatively choose to return their ballot by mail prior to an election, and clerks would be required to shorten drop box hours and staff every ballot drop box with poll workers.

As both the Salt Lake County Clerk and a voter, I am very concerned with election security and ensuring all eligible ballots are counted. Though touted by lawmakers as an election security measure, HB479 would have costly, negative impacts on election efficiency and accessibility, while offering no better security than the safeguards we already have in place. As such, I strongly oppose passage of this bill.

Policymakers, administrators and voters have put in over a decade of work developing a secure and reliable election system. The system currently in place utilizes multiple factors to verify a voter’s identity prior to counting their ballot. This includes: a physical envelope with a serialized code specific for each voter sent directly to the voter; the last four digits of a voter’s State ID or Social Security number, provided by the voter; and the voter’s signature. All of these factors must be validated by trained election officials before a ballot can be counted.

Utah’s election system has been lauded for its security and efficiency and has worked well for over a decade.

The changes to election security proposed by HB479 do not address any currently identified vulnerability. Put simply, this bill is a very costly and burdensome solution looking for a problem.

In Salt Lake County alone, we estimate this bill would increase the cost of running elections by more than $2 million dollars every year. Under HB479, my office would have to operate drop boxes more like vote centers, which would require hiring additional staff and purchasing new equipment. It would also expand the number of drop boxes required well beyond what is needed for a county of this size.

Regardless of whether the Legislature decides to appropriate funds to address the multi-million-dollar fiscal impact of this bill, ultimately the costs will be borne by hardworking Utah taxpayers.

As the bill increases the cost to administer elections, it also decreases access to drop boxes. Currently, during an election drop boxes are accessible to voters 24 hours a day up to three weeks prior to Election Day. The number of hours drop boxes could realistically be available would shrink dramatically to 12 hours a day for one week prior to Election Day. This means that the worker getting off a late shift can’t drop her ballot in a drop box because it closed at 8 p.m. New staffing and equipment requirements also mean that drive-up boxes are no longer feasible, requiring voters to park and enter a facility and potentially wait in a line to accomplish the simple task of returning a voted ballot. And the compressed timeline means my staff will not be able to release as many results prior to election day.

Perhaps even more concerningly, HB479 could have long-lasting negative impacts on voter confidence. Utah voters are accustomed to a clear, consistent vote-by-mail process. When long-standing ballot return procedures are changed, voters understandably want to know why.

There are times when changes are necessary, but they should be made after a careful, deliberative process based on documented issues. Sudden, unnecessary changes, like those proposed in HB479, risk confusing voters and undermining confidence in elections. Confusion leads to frustration, and frustration erodes trust.

The sponsors of this bill, while undoubtedly well intended, have created something that will give the veneer of security, while dramatically increasing the cost of and reducing access to elections.

As voters, we need to ask if the tradeoff is worth it. Do we want elections to be more expensive and less accessible for the illusion of greater security?

It’s time for lawmakers to pump the brakes on HB479, fully consider the existing safeguards in our voting system and work alongside clerks to ensure we can continue to administer the secure, accurate, accessible and efficient elections that Utah is known for.

Lannie Chapman is the Salt Lake County Clerk.

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