FILE: Michael Fife, election coordinator, prepares to put ballots into a counting machine as Salt Lake County Clerk Sherrie Swensen, shows some of the ballot counting processes of mail-in ballots in South Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019 (Scott G. Winterton/Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — They were on their way to work, school, or playdates. But dozens of Utahns also stopped by the Salt Lake County Clerk’s office to turn in their ballots for today’s municipal primary.
People who did not mail in their primary ballots yesterday will have to take them to the designated ballot drop-off boxes by 8:00 tonight.
Salt Lake City resident Rebecca Pekko usually mails her ballot in, but she had trouble deciding between the eight candidates for mayor.
“I found myself last night going through all of their websites any really looking at their positions because there were so many, so similar,” Pekko said.
It’s also unusual for Helen Harris from South Salt Lake to use a dropbox.
“I procrastinated on it. I didn’t realize today was the day, and I vote every election,” Harris said.
Low voter turnout could mean hotly contested races, such as those for Salt Lake City mayor or the city councils of Lehi and South Salt Lake, could be decided by just a few votes.
The winners of the municipal primaries will be on the general election ballot in November.