Unaffiliated voters can vote in a primary on Super Tuesday in Utah, but the rules are different for each party. Photo: Utah County Elections website
SALT LAKE CITY — Democrats and Republicans are holding their presidential primaries in Utah on Super Tuesday for the first time. However, the rules to vote in each primary are different.
Democrats are holding an open primary. This means pretty much anyone of any party can vote for one of the 16 candidates on the Democratic primary ballot. Some of the candidates on the ballot, however, have dropped out of the race.
35 delegates are up for grabs in Utah.
People who request a Republican presidential primary ballot have seven candidates to choose from, including President Trump. Justin Lee, Director of Elections for the state of Utah, says the Republican primary is a closed one, meaning only Republicans can vote in it.
However, some unaffiliated voters could potentially participate because Utah allows same day voter registration.
“The important thing there is only an unaffiliated voter could change to a Republican at this point. If someone’s registered with another party, then there’s no way they can vote [in] that particular primary,” Lee said.
There are no third parties holding presidential primaries in Utah on Super Tuesday.
“No party other than the Republican Party and the Democratic Party opted to go through the state’s presidential primary system. So, we only have those two parties participating,” Lee said.
Most people in Utah will vote by mail.
But the state also lets people register to vote on election day and cast a provisional ballot at certain polling locations, a list of which is available on your county clerk’s website.