Opinion: An endorsement that Republicans and Democrats can agree on

Serving as the respective presidents of the College Democrats and College Republicans at our university, it is true that we disagree on many policies. However, when it comes to the faith we have in our democracy and election system, we have never been more in agreement. Confronted by concerns of election integrity, we visited the Salt Lake County and Utah County Clerks' office just four weeks shy of the election. This was our experience.

Dallin: I attended the public Salt Lake County Logic and Accuracy Test , which "ensure[s] the election and voting equipment function as expected and accurately count votes as marked." In simpler terms, the public may verify that the ballot-counting machines process and tabulate the number of votes received accurately. Two of the dozens of public attendees at the event were chosen at random to fill out example ballots and compare the input of example ballots with the tabulated output in order to verify accuracy. This occurs for both in-person polling machines as well as the mailed ballot counter. Here is some of what I learned about how the integrity of Salt Lake County elections is protected:

The verification of ballot signatures reviews up to five different recorded signatures on-file, and this may include any official signing document such as a driver's license or filings.

Not all elected or appointed officials, such as the county clerk or their deputy, are given keys to ballot storage. Rather, ballot storage access is determined based on experience and tenure at the office.

All transportation or movement of ballots requires a "buddy" system to ensure security.

Members of the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office are deputized by the County Clerk's office for the protection of ballots. Not any sheriff nor ballot worker may oversee election administration. They must have further documentation supporting their duty to oversee the election.

Emma: I went to the Utah County Clerk's office and witnessed the public attendees process ballots in live time. Ballots are counted in front of a glass wall and visitors may look on and observe the process. Online, Utah County tracks 2024 general election ballot statistics and provides public information regarding these updates each day. If you so wish, you can watch the numbers grow every day. In addition to transparency measures, Utah County uses advanced verification processes to ensure that only eligible voters participate. Each ballot goes through a rigorous process that verifies signatures, IDs and voter records, making it nearly impossible for fraudulent votes to slip through. Plus, the entire process — from verification to counting — is observed not only by public attendees like me but also by bipartisan officials, ensuring that no single party or individual can manipulate the outcome.

Despite our passion for the political process, we are not experts. We are normal college students simply concerned with the abnormal state of our political environment in Utah. While our experiences may not be generalizable to all Utah citizens, as leaders in our community and school we emphatically endorse the process that we have witnessed that protects the elections process in our state. We encourage all Utahns to participate in the electoral process, registering to vote and visiting your county clerks, and sign up to track the process of your ballot through BallotTrax , an independent organization graciously contracted by the state of Utah. Your vote matters.