Republican Party primaries in Utah, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 9 (mail), or Oct. 30 (online or in-person)
- Early voting: Oct. 23 - Nov. 2
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: Yes
- Voter ID: Non-photo ID required
- Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
| Republican Party primaries, 2018 |
 |
| Primary Date |
| June 26, 2018 |
| Federal elections |
| Republican primary for U.S. Senate |
| Republican primaries for U.S. House |
| State elections |
| Republican primaries for Utah legislature |
| State party |
| Republican Party of Utah |
| State political party revenue |
Primary elections—in which registered voters select a candidate whom they believe should run on the party's ticket in the general election—can reflect internal conflict over the direction of a party.
Heading into the 2018 election, the Republican Party's legislative record during Donald Trump’s presidency figured into several Republican primaries. This record included the passage of major tax legislation in December 2017 and the confirmation of federal judges. It also included a $1.3 trillion omnibus spending bill in March 2018, which Trump opposed, and unsuccessful efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.[1][2]
Trump, himself, also played a role in Republican primaries. His approval rating reached 90% in June among self-described Republicans, according to a Gallup survey.[3] Many Republican candidates campaigned on their support for Trump, and negative ads accusing opponents of criticizing the president were common.[4][5][6] A May report found Trump's name or image had appeared in 37% of all Republican campaign ads at that point in 2018.[7]
This page focuses on the Republican primaries that took place in Utah on June 26, 2018. In addition, the page provides context for understanding the state party apparatus.
Battleground primaries
Battleground elections are those that Ballotpedia expected would either be more competitive than other races or attract significant national attention.
Federal elections
U.S. Senate
U.S. House
State elections
Utah Party Control: 1992-2024
No Democratic trifectas • Thirty-three years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| Senate | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
State party overview
- See also: Republican Party of Utah
State political party revenue
The Democratic Party and the Republican Party maintain state affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select U.S. territories. The following maps display total state political party revenue per capita for the Democratic and Republican state party affiliates from 2011 to 2016. The blue map displays Democratic state parties and the red map displays Republican state parties. Click on a state below to view the state party's revenue per capita totals:
Total Democratic and Republican state political party revenue per capita in the United States, 2011-2016
Primary election scheduling
Utah was one of five states to hold a primary election on June 26, 2018.
Noteworthy events
Legal dispute over paths to the ballot
On February 24, 2018, the Republican Party of Utah Central Committee passed a modification to the party's bylaws removing the ability for candidates to appear on the ballot via collecting signatures.[8]
The ability for candidates to appear on the primary ballot via collecting signatures rather than going through a party convention was introduced in 2014 when the state Legislature passed Senate Bill 54. Prior to the passage of the bill, the Republican Party of Utah selected candidates via a statewide convention. If no candidate received a particular threshold of the vote at the convention (the requirement was set at 60 percent as of the February 24, 2018, bylaws revision), then the top two candidates would advance to a primary election. The bill required that qualified political parties in the state allow candidates to appear on the primary ballot via collecting signatures, bypassing the party convention process.[9] Although the February 2018 rules change exempted candidates who had already declared that they would seek signatures rather than participate in the convention, such as U.S. Senate candidate Mitt Romney (R) and Rep. Mia Love (R), any candidates declaring that they would seek to appear on the ballot via petition after the bylaws change faced expulsion from the party.[10]
After the bylaws change was announced, two bills were advanced in the state Legislature to address the change in procedure. House Bill 338 would have required that an updated version of the Count My Vote initiative that had been advanced in 2014 be proposed once more in 2018. Should the initiative have failed to qualify for the ballot or been defeated in the November elections, the requirement that parties allow candidates to petition their way to the ballot would have been removed. A second bill, House Bill 485, would have prevented any changes to the nominating procedure, including the Republican Party of Utah's modification to its bylaws, from taking effect during the 2018 election cycle.[11] Neither bill was passed before the Legislature's adjournment at midnight on March 8, 2018.[12]
At the time of the bylaws change, a legal challenge to Senate Bill 54 initiated by the Republican Party of Utah was pending before the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Democratic Party of Utah has discussed a potential legal challenge to the Republican Party's status as a qualified political party, saying that Senate Bill 54 requires that qualified political parties allow candidates to appear on the primary ballot via petition.[10] Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox (R), the state's chief elections administrator, has stated that bylaw changes made during the 2018 election cycle, including the February 24 modification to signature requirements, would not be treated as in effect until the next election cycle. He has also stated that he will not pursue the removal of the Republican Party of Utah's status as a qualified political party.[13]
On March 20, 2018, the court ruled against the Republican Party of Utah, finding that the requirement that parties allow candidates to qualify for the primary via petitions did not interfere with the parties' right of association.[14] The Republican Party of Utah filed a motion requesting an en banc rehearing of their case in front of the 10th Circuit on May 17, 2018.[15] The request was denied on June 8, 2018.[16]
Voter information
How the primary works
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. In Utah, state law allows parties to decide who may vote in their primaries.[17] Check Vote.Utah.gov for details about upcoming elections.
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Poll times
Utah is an all-mail voting state that offers vote centers for voters that choose to vote in person. All vote centers are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time. Utah voters are able to vote in person at any vote center. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[18]
Registration requirements
- Check your voter registration status here.
To register to vote in Utah, an applicant must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of Utah for at least 30 days prior to the election, and at least 18 years old by the next general election. Pre-registration is available for 16- and 17-year-olds. 17-year-olds may vote in primary elections if they will turn 18 by the general election.[19] Registration can be completed online or by mailing in a form. The deadline to register online or by mail is 11 days before Election Day. After this deadline, voters may register in person at a vote center by casting a provisional ballot and providing two forms of identification.[20][19][21]
Automatic registration
- See also: Automatic voter registration
Utah does not practice automatic voter registration.[22]
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
Utah has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Same-day registration
- See also: Same-day voter registration
Utah allows same-day voter registration at polling places during the 10 days preceding and on Election Day.[20][21]
Residency requirements
Prospective voters must be residents of the state for at least 30 days before the election.[20]
Verification of citizenship
Utah does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, a person who commits fraudulent registration is "guilty of a class A misdemeanor" under Utah Code 20A-2-401.[23]
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[24] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The Utah lieutenant governor’s office allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.
Voter ID requirements
Utah requires in-person voters to present non-photo identification while voting.[25]
The following list of accepted ID was current as of October 2025. Click here for the Utah statute defining accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.
| “ |
"Valid voter identification" means:
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” |
Early voting
Utah permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.
Absentee voting
Utah conducts what are commonly referred to as all-mail elections. In Utah, voting is conducted primarily, although not necessarily exclusively, by mail. Election officials automatically distribute mail-in ballots to eligible electors.
Pivot Counties
- See also: Pivot Counties by state
There are no Pivot Counties in Utah. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.
In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Utah with 45.5 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 27.5 percent. Independent candidate and Utah native Evan McMullin received 21.5 percent of the vote, his strongest showing in a state. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Utah cast votes for the winning presidential candidate 76.7 percent of the time. In that same timeframe, Utah supported Republican candidates more often than Democrats, 73.3 to 23.3 percent. The state favored Republicans in every presidential election between 2000 and 2016.
Presidential results by legislative district
The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Utah. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[27][28]
| In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won seven out of 75 state House districts in Utah with an average margin of victory of 20.8 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 19 out of 75 state House districts in Utah with an average margin of victory of 21.9 points. Clinton won six districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections. |
| In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 68 out of 75 state House districts in Utah with an average margin of victory of 54.4 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 56 out of 75 state House districts in Utah with an average margin of victory of 30.7 points. |
| 2016 presidential results by state House district | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Obama | Romney | 2012 Margin | Clinton | Trump | 2016 Margin | Party Control |
| 1 | 9.42% | 89.03% | R+79.6 | 10.81% | 62.88% | R+52.1 | R |
| 2 | 9.49% | 88.76% | R+79.3 | 11.45% | 51.57% | R+40.1 | R |
| 3 | 12.34% | 85.57% | R+73.2 | 15.18% | 48.43% | R+33.2 | R |
| 4 | 22.96% | 73.62% | R+50.7 | 30.29% | 33.77% | R+3.5 | R |
| 5 | 10.92% | 87.18% | R+76.3 | 13.60% | 51.67% | R+38.1 | R |
| 6 | 10.18% | 87.91% | R+77.7 | 13.94% | 48.70% | R+34.8 | R |
| 7 | 22.58% | 75.17% | R+52.6 | 24.95% | 47.41% | R+22.5 | R |
| 8 | 32.39% | 64.89% | R+32.5 | 33.89% | 42.27% | R+8.4 | R |
| 9 | 30.35% | 67.18% | R+36.8 | 29.16% | 46.44% | R+17.3 | R |
| 10 | 34.81% | 62.01% | R+27.2 | 37.00% | 38.57% | R+1.6 | R |
| 11 | 24.47% | 73.17% | R+48.7 | 25.28% | 48.10% | R+22.8 | R |
| 12 | 20.44% | 77.27% | R+56.8 | 20.63% | 52.90% | R+32.3 | R |
| 13 | 19.95% | 77.67% | R+57.7 | 20.41% | 47.72% | R+27.3 | R |
| 14 | 21.75% | 75.91% | R+54.2 | 21.48% | 44.83% | R+23.4 | R |
| 15 | 13.20% | 85.22% | R+72 | 15.05% | 49.86% | R+34.8 | R |
| 16 | 22.55% | 75.36% | R+52.8 | 24.02% | 47.62% | R+23.6 | R |
| 17 | 15.44% | 82.73% | R+67.3 | 18.65% | 44.09% | R+25.4 | R |
| 18 | 14.51% | 83.99% | R+69.5 | 18.83% | 43.66% | R+24.8 | R |
| 19 | 19.24% | 78.78% | R+59.5 | 23.75% | 40.60% | R+16.8 | R |
| 20 | 21.05% | 77.07% | R+56 | 25.91% | 40.61% | R+14.7 | R |
| 21 | 27.07% | 70.44% | R+43.4 | 24.26% | 47.55% | R+23.3 | R |
| 22 | 37.41% | 59.20% | R+21.8 | 35.79% | 35.31% | D+0.5 | D |
| 23 | 56.84% | 39.68% | D+17.2 | 59.42% | 21.08% | D+38.3 | D |
| 24 | 61.48% | 33.07% | D+28.4 | 68.79% | 16.04% | D+52.8 | D |
| 25 | 69.65% | 23.70% | D+45.9 | 74.08% | 11.49% | D+62.6 | D |
| 26 | 60.94% | 32.81% | D+28.1 | 64.98% | 19.07% | D+45.9 | D |
| 27 | 6.44% | 92.24% | R+85.8 | 11.91% | 56.88% | R+45 | R |
| 28 | 54.60% | 41.73% | D+12.9 | 64.09% | 18.31% | D+45.8 | D |
| 29 | 13.06% | 85.33% | R+72.3 | 14.40% | 58.81% | R+44.4 | R |
| 30 | 36.99% | 60.36% | R+23.4 | 38.48% | 33.65% | D+4.8 | R |
| 31 | 43.06% | 54.05% | R+11 | 43.41% | 31.30% | D+12.1 | D |
| 32 | 27.09% | 70.42% | R+43.3 | 31.20% | 42.83% | R+11.6 | R |
| 33 | 44.21% | 52.69% | R+8.5 | 44.63% | 31.45% | D+13.2 | R |
| 34 | 39.64% | 57.37% | R+17.7 | 41.60% | 31.42% | D+10.2 | D |
| 35 | 51.49% | 44.22% | D+7.3 | 55.00% | 24.81% | D+30.2 | D |
| 36 | 42.19% | 54.94% | R+12.7 | 49.52% | 26.90% | D+22.6 | D |
| 37 | 40.42% | 56.67% | R+16.3 | 45.86% | 31.84% | D+14 | D |
| 38 | 37.19% | 59.58% | R+22.4 | 37.41% | 33.31% | D+4.1 | R |
| 39 | 35.46% | 61.95% | R+26.5 | 36.62% | 35.54% | D+1.1 | R |
| 40 | 50.87% | 45.38% | D+5.5 | 56.43% | 22.35% | D+34.1 | D |
| 41 | 16.24% | 81.72% | R+65.5 | 18.41% | 49.31% | R+30.9 | R |
| 42 | 23.97% | 73.84% | R+49.9 | 27.04% | 39.88% | R+12.8 | R |
| 43 | 30.88% | 66.58% | R+35.7 | 32.50% | 37.41% | R+4.9 | R |
| 44 | 37.44% | 59.36% | R+21.9 | 40.71% | 33.05% | D+7.7 | R |
| 45 | 34.33% | 62.63% | R+28.3 | 37.99% | 35.99% | D+2 | R |
| 46 | 41.80% | 55.26% | R+13.5 | 47.04% | 32.01% | D+15 | D |
| 47 | 29.03% | 68.70% | R+39.7 | 30.89% | 39.06% | R+8.2 | R |
| 48 | 8.85% | 89.34% | R+80.5 | 15.28% | 49.21% | R+33.9 | R |
| 49 | 33.11% | 64.55% | R+31.4 | 37.68% | 38.47% | R+0.8 | R |
| 50 | 18.79% | 79.57% | R+60.8 | 23.63% | 43.95% | R+20.3 | R |
| 51 | 22.76% | 75.35% | R+52.6 | 27.60% | 46.79% | R+19.2 | R |
| 52 | 18.13% | 79.66% | R+61.5 | 20.72% | 46.22% | R+25.5 | R |
| 53 | 24.78% | 72.98% | R+48.2 | 28.04% | 53.13% | R+25.1 | R |
| 54 | 36.66% | 60.93% | R+24.3 | 39.86% | 41.21% | R+1.3 | R |
| 55 | 8.36% | 90.17% | R+81.8 | 7.51% | 77.30% | R+69.8 | R |
| 56 | 8.26% | 89.97% | R+81.7 | 12.12% | 51.01% | R+38.9 | R |
| 57 | 8.06% | 90.22% | R+82.2 | 12.76% | 53.20% | R+40.4 | R |
| 58 | 9.98% | 88.32% | R+78.3 | 10.13% | 66.35% | R+56.2 | R |
| 59 | 10.79% | 87.00% | R+76.2 | 15.98% | 48.16% | R+32.2 | R |
| 60 | 10.30% | 87.22% | R+76.9 | 16.52% | 47.59% | R+31.1 | R |
| 61 | 13.38% | 84.32% | R+70.9 | 18.52% | 43.41% | R+24.9 | R |
| 62 | 13.30% | 85.02% | R+71.7 | 13.61% | 71.08% | R+57.5 | R |
| 63 | 11.11% | 86.48% | R+75.4 | 18.77% | 31.71% | R+12.9 | R |
| 64 | 14.96% | 81.98% | R+67 | 21.07% | 38.70% | R+17.6 | R |
| 65 | 9.38% | 88.79% | R+79.4 | 13.36% | 54.10% | R+40.7 | R |
| 66 | 8.98% | 89.30% | R+80.3 | 11.64% | 58.71% | R+47.1 | R |
| 67 | 9.57% | 88.60% | R+79 | 10.46% | 62.32% | R+51.9 | R |
| 68 | 15.24% | 82.39% | R+67.2 | 14.03% | 62.30% | R+48.3 | R |
| 69 | 26.06% | 71.16% | R+45.1 | 20.44% | 66.97% | R+46.5 | R |
| 70 | 15.90% | 81.72% | R+65.8 | 14.64% | 71.90% | R+57.3 | R |
| 71 | 14.57% | 83.10% | R+68.5 | 14.76% | 69.24% | R+54.5 | R |
| 72 | 13.87% | 83.89% | R+70 | 15.11% | 63.65% | R+48.5 | R |
| 73 | 24.42% | 73.56% | R+49.1 | 23.16% | 62.62% | R+39.5 | R |
| 74 | 17.87% | 80.76% | R+62.9 | 20.14% | 66.98% | R+46.8 | R |
| 75 | 13.77% | 84.32% | R+70.6 | 15.58% | 68.95% | R+53.4 | R |
| Total | 24.75% | 72.79% | R+48 | 27.46% | 45.54% | R+18.1 | - |
| Source: Daily Kos | |||||||
See also
| Federal primaries in Utah | State primaries in Utah | Utah state party apparatus | Utah voter information |
|---|---|---|---|
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Footnotes
- ↑ ‘’National Review’’, “Trump Is Not Blameless in the Spending-Bill Disaster,” March 28, 2018
- ↑ The New York Times, "A New Guide to the Republican Herd," August 26, 2012
- ↑ Gallup, "Trump Job Approval Slips Back to 41%," June 25, 2018
- ↑ Daily Commercial, "Trump hurdle looms large in Florida GOP governor primary," July 30, 2018
- ↑ Daily Commercial, "These 2018 Primaries Are Worth Watching," July 25, 2018
- ↑ Washington Post, "Republican primary candidates have one goal: Securing Trump’s endorsement or denying it to an opponent," July 25, 2018
- ↑ USA Today, "Donald Trump once divided Republicans; ads for midterms signal that's no longer true," May 17, 2018
- ↑ Utah Policy, "Chaos in the Utah GOP! Hardliners adopt rule change that would kick signature-gathering candidates out of the party," February 25, 2018
- ↑ St. George News, "Governor signs ‘Count My Vote’ compromise bill into law," March 10, 2014
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 The Hill, "Utah GOP wrestles with party purity," March 13, 2018
- ↑ Deseret News, "Utah House passes bill to repeal controversial election law," March 7, 2018
- ↑ FOX 13, "Your guide to all the things the Utah State Legislature did to your life this year," March 9, 2018
- ↑ St. George News, "Lt. Governor’s Office will ignore Utah GOP’s new bylaw against candidate signature-gathering," March 15, 2018
- ↑ The Salt Lake Tribune, "10th Circuit Court rules against Utah Republican Party’s attempt to overturn signature-gathering election law," March 20, 2018
- ↑ FOX 13, "Utah GOP seeks ‘unprecedented outcome’ in reviving lawsuit over signature gathering, state says," May 17, 2017
- ↑ FOX 13, "Utah GOP loses another round in court as federal appeals court refuses to rehear case," June 8, 2018
- ↑ Utah State Legislature, "Utah Code § 20A-9-403. Regular primary elections." accessed May 13, 2025
- ↑ Utah State Legislature, “Utah Code 20A-1-302. Opening and closing of polls on election day.” accessed May 13, 2025
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Utah State Legislature, “Utah Code 20A-2-101. Eligibility for registration.” accessed May 13, 2025
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Utah Lieutenant Governor, “Welcome to the Utah Voter Registration Website,” accessed May 13, 2025
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Utah State Legislature, “20A-2-207. Registration by provisional ballot.” accessed May 13, 2025
- ↑ NCSL, "State Profiles: Elections," accessed May 13, 2025
- ↑ Utah State Legislature, “Utah Code 20A-2-401. Fraudulent registration -- Penalty.” accessed May 13, 2025
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 Utah State Legislature, "Utah Code 20A-1-102. Definitions." accessed October 9, 2025
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
