Utah’s universal mail-in voting could be the first casualty of a Republican overhaul of the state’s election operations.

HB551 would prevent elected officials from sending out mass communications, such as direct mail, or putting up billboards promoting themselves within 60 days of an election where they’re a candidate.

A bill that originally would have drastically restricted voting by mail in Utah got a makeover after House and Senate legislative leaders struck a compromise — then it quickly cleared another major legislative hurdle.

At the onset of the 2025 Utah Legislature, lawmakers listed changes to Utah’s election system as a top priority — but a major bill meant to drastically restrict voting by mail, HB300, has been stuck in the House for 10 days.

Utah lawmakers revised an elections reform bill to require voters to opt in to receiving a ballot in the mail starting in 2028.