Utah County clerk to host town hall meeting to encourage voters to track primary election ballots

PROVO — Utah County Clerk Aaron Davidson, whose office was previously under scrutiny for high signature-rejection rates after he implemented a new program, is hosting a public town hall Thursday to address primary election concerns and encourage voters to track their ballots.

The primary election is quickly approaching on June 23, with the voter registration deadline this Friday. On Thursday, Davidson said he will address concerns about ballots not being counted during a public town hall at the Utah County Commission chamber, 100 E. Center Street, in Provo, at 7 p.m.

"Davidson is urging voters — especially young voters — to take simple steps now to ensure their ballots are counted," a statement from the Utah County Clerk's Office said.

Technical errors can cause ballots to be flagged during the signature-cure process, such as if a signature is missing or if the signature doesn't match what the county has on file, the clerk's office said. Election officials contact voters to verify signatures if the ballot is flagged.

"The system protects voters, but only works when voters respond quickly. Many do not see the notice or miss the deadline, resulting in valid ballots going uncounted," the clerk's office said, adding that young voters are disproportionately affected.

Voters in the 18- to 25-year-old range made up approximately 55% of all ballots that were challenged and not cured in the 2024 general election, the clerk's office said. More specifically, about 1 in 7 ballots of voters ages 18 to 21 were challenged in that election.

"These ballots are legitimate votes from eligible Utahns who participated but were blocked by a preventable issue," the clerk's office said.

That year, Davidson implemented a controversial "fast-cast voting" system, which led to discrepancies and high rates of signature rejection.

Davidson touted the "fast cast" program — which allowed voters to scan their mail-in ballots into a vote counter at in-person polling places after showing identification — as more secure than mailing ballots in and relying on signatures to verify a voter's identity. But state election officials expressed concern last year with the method, which is unique to Utah County, and blamed it for the prior year's election issues, leading to the program's suspension.

The fast cast program isn't the only time Davidson's actions have been questioned. Just months into Davidson's tenure, he instituted a restructuring of the Utah County Elections Office after three top elections administrators left, and he alleged an office misconduct violation against Davidson's then-confidential assistant, who later became the assistant elections director.

He was reprimanded by the state elections office in February 2024 for filling in the party affiliation of a candidate's filing form after the state-imposed filing deadline had passed. He also faced some heat in October 2024 over tracking how politicians cast their ballots after he called out a state senator for not putting a stamp on a return ballot.

Despite those instances, Davidson maintains that he is committed to ensuring elections are verifiable, accessible and secure for all eligible voters. In February, a criminal investigation was initiated after he reported that roughly 300 potentially fraudulent signatures had been submitted as part of the effort to repeal Utah's 2018 anti-gerrymandering law.

"Voters deserve honesty, transparency and a clerk that's willing to stand alone fighting for change to implement the best policies and practices to ensure the integrity of the election process and the security of every ballot here in Utah," Davidson said in his reelection campaign.

Davidson said he is hosting the town hall to explain how ballot statuses are checked, how the curing process works and what voters can do to ensure their ballot is counted.

"Every eligible vote deserves to be counted," Davidson said. "Young voters are showing up, but small technical issues are standing between them and having their voice heard. With the primary approaching, now is the time to act."

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