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Read. Follow. Verify.Utah Enacts SB 194 to Modify Election Procedures, Ballot Formats, and Campaign Security Fund Uses
Last action · March 23, 2026: Governor SignedSponsors: Mike McKell and 2 others
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What This Bill Does
This bill updates election statutes by removing election officers' names from ballots and s starting in 2027, establishing rules for signature verification and conflict of interest plans, and permitting the use of campaign funds for candidate and staff security.
Changes how voters verify mail-in ballots by requiring both the last four digits of an identification number and a matching signature, while altering ballot designs and imposing new criminal penalties for electronic communications abuse related to elections.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
County clerks
County clerks must remove their names from ballot materials starting in 2027, contract with other clerks when running for reelection, and follow new ballot verification procedures.
Registered voters
Voters must provide the last four digits of an identification number alongside their signature affidavit when returning mail-in ballots.
Candidates and officeholders
Candidates and officeholders are granted permission to use campaign funds for personal and staff security purposes while facing new criminal penalties for electronic communication abuse related to elections.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will election officers' names be removed from ballots and return envelopes?
Can campaign funds be used for home security systems?
What is required for mail-in ballot signature verification under this bill?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
73 actions- Mar 23, 2026Lieutenant Governor's office for filingEnrolledGovernor Signed
- Mar 13, 2026SenateSenate/ to Governor
- Mar 13, 2026SenateSenate/ received enrolled bill from Printing
- Mar 11, 2026SenateSenate/ enrolled bill to Printing
- Mar 11, 2026Senate SecretaryEnrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
- Mar 10, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / EnrollingDraft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
Show 67 earlier actions
- Mar 10, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / EnrollingBill Received from Senate for Enrolling
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ signed by President/ sent for enrolling
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ received from House
- Mar 6, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0194S06
- Mar 6, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0194S06
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ to Senate
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ signed by Speaker/ returned to Senate
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ received from Senate
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ to House
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ concurs with House amendment
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ received from House
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ to Senate
- Mar 6, 2026HouseFloorHouse/ passed 3rd reading
- Mar 6, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0194S06
- Mar 6, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0194S06
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ substituted
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ 3rd reading
- Mar 5, 2026HouseHouse/ 2nd reading
- Mar 5, 2026HouseHouse/ Rules to 3rd Reading Calendar
- Mar 3, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0194S05
- Mar 3, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0194S05
- Mar 3, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0194S04
- Mar 3, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0194S04
- Mar 2, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0194S05
- Mar 2, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0194S05
- Feb 27, 2026HouseHouse/ return to Rules due to fiscal impact
- Feb 27, 2026HouseHouse/ comm rpt/ substituted
- Feb 27, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Feb 27, 2026HouseHouse Comm - Substitute Recommendation
- Feb 26, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0194S04
- Feb 26, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0194S04
- Feb 26, 2026HouseCommitteeHouse/ to standing committee
- Feb 20, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0194S03
- Feb 18, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0194S03
- Feb 18, 2026HouseIntroducedHouse/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Feb 18, 2026HouseHouse/ received from Senate
- Feb 18, 2026SenateSenate/ to House
- Feb 18, 2026SenateFloorSenate/ passed 3rd reading
- Feb 18, 2026SenateSenate/ uncircled
- Feb 18, 2026SenateSenate/ circled
- Feb 18, 2026SenateSenate/ 3rd reading
- Feb 17, 2026SenateFloorSenate/ passed 2nd reading
- Feb 17, 2026SenateSenate/ floor amendment
- Feb 17, 2026SenateSenate/ substituted
- Feb 17, 2026SenateSenate/ 2nd reading
- Feb 17, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0194S02
- Feb 15, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0194S03
- Feb 15, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0194S03
- Feb 13, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0194S02
- Feb 10, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0194S02
- Feb 10, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0194S02
- Jan 30, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0194S01
- Jan 29, 2026SenateSenate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Jan 29, 2026SenateSenate/ comm rpt/ substituted
- Jan 29, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0194
- Jan 28, 2026SenateSenate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Jan 28, 2026SenateSenate Comm - Substitute Recommendation
- Jan 28, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0194S01
- Jan 28, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0194S01
- Jan 27, 2026SenateCommitteeSenate/ to standing committee
- Jan 26, 2026SenateIntroducedSenate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Jan 26, 2026SenateSenate/ received bill from Legislative Research
- Jan 23, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0194
- Jan 23, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0194
- Jan 23, 2026Legislative Research and General CounselNumbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Jan 23, 2026Legislative Research and General CounselBill Numbered but not Distributed
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Removal of Election Official Names from Ballots
The state is shifting toward anonymous ballot certification by removing election officers' names from return envelopes and ballots starting in 2027.
Connected Entities
Sources
le.utah.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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