Here’s a new acronym: UOCAVA. It stands for the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, and it enables people who are out of the country to vote.
According to the Summit County Clerk’s office, Summit County residents who will be out of the country the entire time primary ballots are available — June 7-28 — may be eligible for electronic absentee ballots.
According to the federal voting assistance program, voters must register by June 17 and request a ballot by June 23 to vote in the primary. To apply for the program, visit the Summit County Clerk’s website.
The Utah Republican Party primary is closed, meaning only voters affiliated with that party can select among its candidates. The deadline to affiliate with the party was in March.
The absentee ballots can be delivered via mail, email or an app called Voatz. The app requires users to take a photo in real time that matches an uploaded official document like a driver’s license. The Summit County elections clerk said there are protocols in place to ensure the ballots remain secure.
According to Summit County Clerk Eve Furse, as of Thursday, Summit County had sent ballots to 11 UOCAVA voters.
