Are Utahns losing faith in elections?

I think the common thing that we are getting from voters is frustration.

And they shouldn't be mucked around with for political purposes.

I'm Lauren Steinbrecher with PBS Utah.

Before you know it, it'll be time to drop off your ballot here.

But before it even hits your mailbox there's been a lot of questions over trust in our local elections.

We did receive a number of phone calls from our our citizens.

Davis County Election Clerk Brian McKenzie is fielding comments of concern and confusion.

They were asking questions.

They wanted to know if there were extra steps that they needed to take.

The questions stem from the national fight unfolding over mail-in voting restrictions.

A Id rather have them vote in person.

A presidential executive order and USPS plan that Lieutenant Governor Deidre Henderson said would have been impossible to implement in Utah, is now on hold by the Supreme Court.

Plus, the DOJ launche an investigation into Henderson following her refusal to release private voter data to the federal government.

I take Utahns voting rights very, very seriously.

They are sacre and they ought to be protected.

Add in accusations of alleged widespread voter fraud that the lieutenant governor says a statewide review found isn't true.

The facts just don't support that narrative.

Still, McKenzie is hearing people cast doubt.

A lot of people ask, you know, how could our election results be manipulated or changed?

He explains, results can't be changed and walked us through why.

Every ballot envelope is going to have this unique barcode.

When ballots arrive, they undergo a multi-step process including barcode authentication, signature verification, ballot inspection, etc.

After that happens, theyre brought over to this machine right here.

Machine separate ballots from envelopes and other machines scan and record votes.

Results are stored locall without any internet connection.

Nothing remote can connect into our facility here on any of our tabulation equipment.

Results are then securely transferred onto physical jump drives with multiple levels of encryption that can't be manipulated or changed, he says.

It all plays out under 24-hour surveillance.

Any citizen can watch at any time from three observation areas, and they can track their individual ballots separately throug both the county clerk and USPS.

That empowers our citizens to be aware, to be, to make sur that the process is transparent.

Henderson and McKenzie urge Utahns to stay involved and informed, and to trust the process when they make their mark.

What we want is for every eligible voter to be able to cast a ballot and know that that ballot will be counted accurately.

Our ultimate goal is to make sure that it's a good experience for the voter.

To stay up-to-date on local election coverage, follow PBS Utah, KUER, and Utah News Dispatch.