A poll drop field outdoors of the Washington County Administration Constructing, Aug. 10, 2021 | Photograph by Mori Kessler, St. George Information

ST. GEORGE — The ultimate outcomes of over 34,700 ballots casts within the current Republican major election had been formally canvased by Washington County officers final week. Of that quantity, 700 ballots had been unable to be counted as a consequence of a recurring downside.

“It occurs each election,” Washington County Clerk/Auditor Susan Lewis stated over the cellphone final Thursday. “The largest quantity (of ballots) we see not get counted is as a result of they get despatched in late.”

Roughly 713 ballots had been unable to be counted as a consequence of arriving within the mail on Election Day or shortly thereafter. Utah legislation requires a mail-in poll to be postmarked the day earlier than the election with a view to be legitimate.

“It’s clearly too late,” Lewis stated. “It’s going to be stamped too late on Election day. I believe it actually frustrates voters after we name or ship them a letter saying, ‘Sorry, this didn’t rely.’”

This can be a purpose the Clerk/Auditor’s Workplace encourages voters to make use of the drop bins provided at varied places throughout the county, Lewis stated. In contrast to going by the mail late, a poll slid right into a drop field can be collected and counted on Election Day.

Whereas 713 ballots will not be a lot when in comparison with the general 34,730 ballots casts within the major election on June 28, only a handful of recorded votes can change the end result of a race.

For instance, the Home District 72 race between candidates Joseph Elison and Willie Billings – previous to a recount requested by Billings – was separated by simply seven votes. Elison has led Billings with 4,131 votes to 4,124, or 50.04% to 49.96%.

When the race outcomes are inside 0.25% of one another, a candidate might request a recount underneath state legislation. Although neither candidate seems to consider the recount will change the outcomes of the race, they stated they consider a recount is important to take care of the transparency and integrity of the method.

The outcomes of the recount are anticipated to be introduced and accredited by the Washington County Fee on Tuesday.

In line with the County Clerk/Auditor’s Workplace, a complete of 77,289 ballots had been despatched to voters in Washington County. Of these voters, 66,158 had been registered Republicans and 11,131 had been nonpartisan. Along with the Republican primaries, nonpartisan major races had been held for Washington County College Districts 5 and 6.

Registered Republican voters returned 32,677 ballots, whereas nonpartisan voters returned 2,053.

General turnout for the primaries was 45%, with Republican voter turnout at practically 50% and nonpartisan voters at 18.%.

In an extra breakdown of the election return Lewis gave to the County Fee final Tuesday, she added that 20,723 ballots had been collected type drop bins, whereas 14,041 had been mailed in and 748 had been accomplished in particular person throughout early voting and on Election Day.

For all of the speak made by some county residents regarding a need to return to in-person voting solely, Lewis stated she was shocked these numbers weren’t larger.

What follows are the official major election outcomes canvased by the Washington County Fee on July 12.

Republican for U.S. Senate

Republican for U.S. Home District 2

Republican for Utah Senate 28

Republican for Home Home 72

Presently being recounted.

Republican for Utah Home 73

Republican for Utah Home 74

Republican for Washington County Fee Seat A

Native College Board District 5

Native College Board District 6

Copyright St. George Information, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.