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Senate approves one-week early voting framework after amendments and study debate
Summary
House Bill 15, establishing limited early voting with procedural safeguards, passed the Utah Senate after floor amendments that require polling places be in government buildings unless none are available; a motion to substitute for a statewide study failed. Final Senate tally: 23–1; bill referred to the House.
The Utah Senate on Friday passed House Bill 15, a measure to authorize limited early voting in a statewide experiment. The final Senate action followed lengthy floor debate, several amendments and a failed motion to replace the bill with a study-only substitute.
Senator Jenkins offered Amendment 4 to require that "each polling place is located in a government building or office unless no government building or office is available," language the sponsor described as a guardrail against setting polling places in private commercial locations. Jenkins said the change was meant to avoid placing government election operations inside malls and grocery stores.
Senator Stevenson proposed a substitute to convert the bill into a statewide study/experiment with the Utah Elections Office and county election officers conducting an analysis before broader implementation; that substitute failed. Other amendments were debated, including one that would have shortened the early-voting window from two weeks to one week; the one-week amendment failed to pass. Proponents said an off‑year rollout would allow the state to test procedures and machines on a smaller scale; opponents warned of electioneering risks and higher candidate costs over an extended early period.
The Senate gave final passage by roll call. The clerk recorded 23 yes votes, 1 nay and 5 absent. Senators noted the bill will return to the House for concurrence on floor changes.
What’s next: The House will receive the amended bill and may accept, amend, or reject the Senate changes. Floor debate underscored continued scrutiny of implementation details, polling-place rules and safeguards against potential abuses.
