Study finds Utah's mail-ballot system as secure as in-person voting

Utah Valley University scholars completed a taxpayer-funded $100,000 review of the state's election infrastructure after Republican legislators demanded proof of widespread mail-ballot fraud. Their analysis, which included Arkansas, Tennessee, Arizona, Colorado and Washington, determined that mail voting is not intrinsically more vulnerable than in-person voting, with both systems facing comparable security concerns. The report evaluated three options for adding ID verification at ballot drop boxes—staffed checks, smart drop boxes with photo capture, and a digital ID program—each presenting significant expense and implementation hurdles.

Lawmakers had earlier introduced legislation to shift Utah to an opt-in mail-ballot system by 2029, but after the study’s presentation to the Government Operations Interim Committee, no further changes were discussed. The findings arrive amid ongoing partisan debates over mail voting both within Utah and across the United States.