Salt Lake County released voting instructions for the 2026 General Election in a report published September 14. The document outlines procedures for mail-in, in-person, and electronic voting to ensure ballots are counted correctly.
For the 2026 General Election, ballots are scheduled to be mailed on October 13. Early voting is scheduled to begin on October 20, followed by a voter registration deadline on October 23. The last day to request a by-mail ballot is October 27, and Election Day is November 3.
Voters can return completed ballots through three primary methods: via U.S. Postal Mail, through a ballot drop box, or at an in-person vote center. Ballots returned by mail must be in the possession of the County Clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day, regardless of the postmark. Drop boxes remain open until 8 p.m. on Election Day, while in-person vote centers are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Salt Lake County provides several options for voters with disabilities, including voting and returning a by-mail ballot, using assistive technology at in-person vote centers, or receiving an email link to cast a secure electronic ballot. Voters who cannot sign their own envelope independently or require additional accommodations are directed to contact the clerk's office or visit slco.to/accessibility.
To ensure a ballot is counted, voters must use a blue or black pen to fill in ovals and must provide their name on the outside of the return envelope. The back of the envelope requires a signature and the last four digits of a Utah Driver’s License, State ID, or Social Security Number. Potential reasons a ballot may not be counted include the ballot being received too late, an unsigned envelope, missing identification numbers, a signature mismatch, or the ballot being placed in another voter's envelope.
