Utah News Dispatch
Utah bill requiring proof of citizenship to vote advances
A ballot drop box is pictured at the Davis County Administrative Building in Farmington on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)
Utah lawmakers advanced a proposal Monday that would require voters to prove they are U.S. citizens if election officers lack confirmation and get in touch seeking documentation.
Utah’s chief elections officer, Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, said last week that an ongoing inquiry by her office has not confirmed any cases of noncitizens voting in a Utah election. One noncitizen voter registration was found in the review.
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A prior review found four people without citizenship managed to register to vote in 2018 or 2019 due to a glitch on a state website. Her office said it’s not clear whether they voted and local prosecutors are investigating.
Bill sponsor Rep. Cory Maloy, R-Lehi, told colleagues on the House floor Monday that if even a few noncitizens make their way onto Utah’s voter rolls, “that’s a few too many.”
“This bill helps protect the meaning of citizenship,” Maloy said.
The House approved HB209 in a 62-13 vote, sending it to the Senate for approval.
Critics say the move isn’t needed and could pile greater administrative and financial burdens onto county election offices. They note voters already must attest they are U.S. citizens.
Rep. Sahara Hayes, D-Millcreek, said during the House debate that she’s not opposed to the concept behind the measure.
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“But as the recent audit pointed out, this isn’t really an issue that needs solving here in Utah,” Hayes said. “We only had one noncitizen on our voting rolls and they did not vote.”
The bill sets a process for election officers to investigate a voter’s citizenship status if existing state and federal databases don’t answer the question. For the November general election, the proposal requires elections officers to send notice to voters by July 1 if they need to provide proof of citizenship, then give them 30 days to respond.
Maloy said Utah doesn’t have authority over federal elections, so voters could cast their ballots in federal races even if his proposal becomes law and they don’t comply with verifying their citizenship.
Rep. Angela Romero, D-Salt Lake City, questioned whether the bill would allow any elected official in Utah, not just those overseeing elections, to determine who can and can’t vote. Maloy said only those in charge of running elections could do so.
