Utah County sent "ID Required" cards to 71 voters who did not need them ahead of the Tuesday, Nov. 3 general election.

County Clerk Aaron Davidson said the inserts went out to 6,144 voters total. Over 6,000 were first-time voters who legitimately needed the reminder, he told ABC4. But 71 returning voters whose identities were already on file got the card by mistake. An unknown number of first-time voters whose identities had already been verified through the state's driver's license database also received it incorrectly, KSL reported.

The card told recipients to include a photocopy of their ID with their mail-in ballot or risk it not being counted. That requirement applies only to first-time voters who have not yet verified their identity.

The Utah County Elections Division posted a public statement taking responsibility for the mix-up. "Unfortunately, this notice was also sent to some voters who did not need to provide identification," the office stated, according to KSL. "We recognize that this caused unnecessary confusion, and we sincerely apologize."

What affected voters should do

Davidson's guidance: voters who believe they got the card in error can ignore it. The clerk's office will verify their identification on file. If anything is missing, the office will reach out directly.

First-time voters who have not satisfied the ID requirement should follow the insert's instructions. Returning voters do not need to submit additional ID just because they received the notice.

Shelly Jackson, deputy director of elections at the state level, told KSL her office received a voter complaint about the inserts. "I think the county just got a little overzealous and marked all the first-time voters" as needing to prove their identity, Jackson said, according to KSL.

Pattern of ballot confusion

KSL reported that Davidson's office caused similar confusion in 2025 when it mailed notices instructing voters to include the last four digits of their driver's license, state ID or Social Security number. That provision of a newer Utah voter ID law has not yet taken effect.

A September state election audit also flagged concerns about Davidson's office, including untrained volunteers conducting a post-election audit and a lack of a formal system to review election requirements, according to the Deseret News. Davidson lost his Republican primary in June and is not on the Nov. 3 ballot, though he remains in office.

Voters with questions can call 801-851-8683 or visit vote.utah.gov to track their ballot.