Clerk's Office
Cure Letter
WHY WAS I CONTACTED ABOUT MY BALLOT AND WHAT CAN I DO TO ENSURE MY VOTE IS COUNTED?
Print and sign a voter affidavit
If you are a Salt Lake County voter visiting this page, you were likely notified by text, phone, mail, or email that the Salt Lake County Clerk’s Election Division is currently trying to verify the signature on your ballot envelope so that we can count your vote.
Utah law requires that a voter must sign their ballot envelope affidavit, and the signature must match the signature on the voter’s registration form for the ballot to be counted. EVERY vote-by-mail ballot returned to our office MUST go through the signature verification process.
We previously sent you a letter in the mail. Any phone, text, or email correspondence from our office will be in addition to the letter. If you have already replied to the letter, thank you for your response. Your ballot will be counted once the signature is verified. No other action is necessary.
If you have not yet received a letter from us, please watch for one to arrive. If you would rather not wait, print a General Purpose Affidavit similar to the one that was mailed to you. All affidavits must arrive in our office by 5:00 pm on March 18th 2024 .
In the letter we sent you, we specified the reason we are not yet able to count your ballot. It could be one of the following:
• Your ballot envelope was returned to our office unsigned. If you forgot to sign your name before sealing and mailing the envelope, sign the attached affidavit so that your vote can be counted.
• Sometimes ballot envelopes are returned unvoted and unsigned but include information letting us know that the voter has moved or is deceased, etc. If this is the case, please call and let us know at (385) 468-7400. NOTE: By law, we cannot open ballot envelopes that don’t have a verified signature.
• The ballot envelope signature does not match the signature on your voter record. Perhaps your signature recently changed, is outdated or you use more than one signature. If this is the case, please sign the attached affidavit and your ballot will be counted.
• If you are unsure about the signature on your ballot return envelope and you would like more information before signing the affidavit, please call (385) 468-7400.
• Your ballot envelope may have been signed by another voter at the same address. Or, the ballot may have been delivered to the wrong address and mistakenly voted by a resident there. If another household member tried to sign your ballot on your behalf with your consent or at your request, you may sign the attached affidavit to have that ballot counted. Please know, however, for future reference, that Utah law does not allow a voter to sign for another, even with that person’s consent. If you would like more information before signing the affidavit, please call us at (385) 468-7400.
• Sometimes two household members mistakenly swap ballots or ballot envelopes with each other. When both ballots have been returned and we are able to determine that it is an actual “swap”, AND both signatures match the voter record, we will pass both ballots through together to be counted.
• If we cannot yet verify that it is a swap (only one ballot has been received, the same voter signed both ballots, etc.) a voter may be asked to sign an affidavit for us to count the ballot.
The below images are an example of a "ballot swap". John and Jane Doe accidentally signed each other's ballot envelopes. Since both ballots have been returned, and the signatures match those on file, they will both be passed through together.
• Your ballot envelope was returned containing more than one ballot, and this was discovered due to weight or envelope thickness. Before the envelope can be opened and the ballots tabulated, we must verify the signatures of ALL voters. You and the other voter(s) must each sign an affidavit stating your intent to vote the ballots contained in the envelope.
• Your ballot envelope was signed by an individual claiming to act as “Power of Attorney” or an authorized agent. Utah State Law does not allow for a Power of Attorney to vote or sign the ballot return envelope on behalf of another person.
• We understand that some voters may have limited or no mobility. We want all eligible voters to be able to exercise their right to vote, regardless of physical ability. If you are having difficulty signing your ballot envelope, call our office so we can discuss your options and find a solution that will work best for your needs.
Print and sign a voter affidavit
You may return the affidavit by one of the following methods:
- Email to returnballots@slco.org
- Fax to the Salt Lake County Election Division at 385-468-7365
- In person to the Election Division (County Government Center, 2001 South State Street, Suite S1-200, Salt Lake City, UT 84190)
If you have been directed to this page, but you don’t recall casting a vote-by-mail ballot, someone else may have attempted to vote your ballot, either intentionally or by accident. If you would like to view the signature in question before deciding to sign a voter affidavit, contact our office for more information. If you do nothing, the ballot will not be counted.