Universal mail-in ballots is the voting process where every “individual” that is on the active voter roll list receives a ballot whether that individual is a valid voter or not. The hope is that the voter roll is kept up to date and accurate. Based on reports I’ve been receiving from many voters, and the excess ballots they have been receiving at their home address, I would venture to say, the voter roll is nether up to date nor accurate. When I am elected, my number one mission will be to clean up the voter roll. See my education background above to know I have the qualification to know how to conduct this clean up. I will personally conduct and oversee this effort with the help of the Clerk's staff.

Currently, the process of universal mail-in ballots is conducted according to Utah state statute, therefore, it is required by law that each active voter receive a ballot in the mail. I will not abolish this process, that would be against established law. That being said, I believe that voting in person is the most secure way of voting, but since each county in Utah is mandated to use the mail-in process, I will do everything possible to make sure it is conducted legally and efficiently, and maintain voter integrity by involving more voters in the oversight of the election process and being completely transparent to the outcome of the elections.

Update:

I have been receiving feedback and concerns from voters saying they like the convenience of the mail-in ballot process and they are afraid that I will get rid of the mail-in process. I completely agree, the mail-in process is more convenient, that is undeniable. Voters have the ability to sit down with their ballot, bring up the internet, and more fully vet the candidates and initiatives on the ballot and take their time filling out their ballot. That is one of the best arguments for keeping the mail-in ballot process. That being said, here are some issues with the process that I feel need to be addressed:

  1) The voter roll has to be cleaned up. The universal mail-in ballot process was implemented without sufficient clean up of the voter roll. Too many voters have complained of the numerous ballots they have been receiving at their home. If elected, this will be my number one objective to clean up the voter roll. I believe my experience in database technology gives me an advantage in being able to accomplish this task.

  2) If there is a domineering spouse in a home, the dominate spouse can make the other spouse, or child, vote in a certain way. If the votes are cast at a polling location, each individual has a better chance of voting their own conscience in a private setting.

  3) It gives a greater opportunity for ballot harvesting and ballot stuffing. Now there's no proof that this is happening, but neither is there proof that it isn't happening. It does though need to be looked at more closely to make sure it isn't happening. I believe the axiom of "Trust, but verify." It is the County Clerk's responsibility to verify the election process to the fullest degree possible so the voters can have full faith and trust in the process. I feel it is my responsibility to be skeptical so the voter does not have to be.

  4) Going from one day of voting to three weeks, I believe was too big of a leap. I would be happier with a shorter period of time to vote. In some instances, voters that voted at the beginning of the three weeks have regretted their choices as new information was discovered as it got closer to the final day of the elections. Voters cannot change their vote once it's cast and delivered to a drop off location. If the time period to vote were shortened, voters would have better information in order to make their decisions on who and what to vote for.

For these reasons, and others, I believe the most secure way to vote is in person on the same day and showing your ID to get a ballot. That being said, I understand that life seems to be a little more complicated than it was even just a decade aga, and it will likely get even more complicated in the future. So again, I agree that universal mail-in ballots gives the voters the freedom to look into each candidate and ballot initiatives more thoroughly and to make better decisions. And now that Utah has moved in that direction, it will be very difficult to get the voters to go back to in person voting. For this reason, if I am elected, I will make sure the voter roll and the voting processes are as clean as possible and that each vote is counted properly.

There are changes that I would like to see implemented to correct some of the issues that I listed above. I will try to have these changes made through the legislative process. In the meantime, I will administer the voting process as is mandated by state statute. I don't have the authority to change that. I only have the ability to petition the legislature to make adjustments to the process to make it more secure just as you do. So please join me in helping our election process be a secure as possible.

I hope this clarifies my position and alleviates any concern that I will be taking universal mail-in ballots away just because I want to. My mission is to make whatever system Utah uses to exercise our right to vote to be the most secure system as possible and to make sure your vote an everyone's vote is counted properly. I will not ask you as the voter to just trust me, I will verify to you that I have earned that trust through my actions as the Utah County Clerk.