Ballots mailed out as Weber County prepares for home stretch of municipal campaigns
Tim Vandenack, Standard-Examiner file photo
A sign outside the in-person voting area at the Weber Center in Ogden is pictured Sept. 5, 2023, primary election day.OGDEN — The 2023 municipal election season is entering the final three weeks in Weber County.
Throughout the county, registered voters are receiving their ballots this week for the Nov. 21 election, and county officials are reminding them of a few simple dates and rules.
Weber County Clerk Ricky Hatch told the Standard-Examiner that ballots should arrive by Thursday and there will be a difference between this election and the primary.
“If you’re going to return your ballot by the postal service, it has to be postmarked by Monday, Nov. 20,” he said. “That’s different than the primary. The primary, the Legislature made an exception to have it be postmarked on Election Day. This is going back to the regular state law which requires that it be postmarked the day before.”
Both the primary and general election were pushed back statewide in order to accommodate a special election in Utah’s 2nd Congressional District following the retirement of former U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart.
Hatch said there are other options available for returning a ballot beyond the mail.
“We have 23 drop boxes throughout the county (open) 24 hours and they’re at every city hall, at every county library, on the Weber State campus and at the Weber Center,” he said. ‘Those drop boxes are monitored by 24-hour security cameras. If you want to come in person, you can come on Election Day. One is at the Weber Center and the other one is at the Ogden Valley Library in Huntsville.”
Hatch said early voting will also be offered at the Weber Center on Nov. 14-17 from noon to 6 p.m.
He’s roughly estimating a turnout of 45% this election.
“Given the mayoral race in Ogden, I think that will drive a little bit of increased turnout as well as the justice center bond issue,” he said. “Out of all the cities, only one city was able to cancel their election and that was Farr West City. The Farr West residents will be receiving just the general obligation bond.”
For more information on this year’s general election, visit https://www.weberelections.gov.