State Summary
Recounts are automatically initiated in the case of a tie vote. Automatically initiated recounts must be completed within 10 days after certification. Candidates may also file a request for a recount if the difference between the winning and losing candidate is 0.25% or less. Requests must be filed with the appropriate clerk within three or seven days of the canvass, depending on the type of election. Additionally, any 10 voters who voted in an election where a ballot or bond proposition passes or fails by 0.25% or less—or by one vote, if the total votes cast is 400 or less—may file a request for a recount. Requests must be filed with the appropriate clerk within seven days after canvass. Recounts requested by candidates must be completed within seven days after certification; there is no statutory deadline for proposition recounts. Utah conducts recounts using either optical scanners or an electronic review of voting machines, depending on how initial tabulation occurred.
Under its “Municipal Alternate Voting Methods Pilot Project,” which expires January 1, 2026, Utah allows localities to run instant runoff voting (IRV) elections. A recount in an IRV election is automatically initiated if it meets the statutory requirement. A board of municipal canvassers may extend the canvass deadline by up to seven additional days, if necessary, to conduct a recount of an IRV election.
Counting Method
Mix of retabulation and electronic review
Recount procedures specify that the election officer recount all ballots for the particular contest and that unopened absentee ballots be reexamined to ensure compliance with statutory provisions governing voting by absentee ballot. Utah Code 20A-4-401(1)(e), (2)(d).
Utah Admin. Code r. 623-2-4(H) details recount procedures for the retabulation of optical scan ballots.
According to the Elections Division of Utah's Office of the Lieutenant Governor, ballots are generally recounted using the same method of counting as used on election day. For paper ballots, this means retabulating the ballots on ballot scanners. For Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) voting machines with voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) printers, which are used in Salt Lake County, this typically means retabulating the results from DRE memory cards. In addition to the post-election audit that is routinely conducted in Utah after the election, there is another audit after the recount involving the hand counting of ballots or journal tapes for at least one voting machine in each county where a contest was recounted. See State of Utah Election Audit Policy (2023) (unpublished).
Initiating Mechanisms
Close vote margin
Candidate-initiated
Voter-initiated
Close Vote Margin Options
Less than or equal to 0.25%
Vote count difference (not percentage-based)
Initiated by request
Initiated automatically
Recounts are automatically initiated if two or more candidates for an office receive an equal and the highest number of votes for that office (tie vote) or, in a race for an at-large office, two or more candidates receive an equal number of votes (tie vote) and at least one of the candidates must be eliminated to determine which candidates are elected. Utah Code § 20A-4-401(2). Election officers must complete the recount no later than 10 days after the day on which the board of canvassers certifies the vote totals. Utah Code § 20A-4-401(5)(a)(i).
All other close-vote-margin recounts in Utah require a request from candidates or voters. See the candidate-initiated and voter-initiated options below.
Utah Code § 20A-4-401 does not apply to ranked-choice voting (“instant runoff voting”) elections, which, until January 1, 2026, localities may opt to run under the state’s Municipal Alternate Voting Methods Pilot Project. Utah Code § 20A-4-602. A recount in an “instant runoff voting” (ranked-choice voting) election is automatically initiated if it meets the requirement in Utah Code § 20A-4-603(10): if, in one or more of the ballot-counting phases, the difference between the number of rankings for a candidate declared elected and the number of rankings for any other candidate is equal to or less than the total number of voters who cast a valid ranking and the ranking threshold or the difference between the number of rankings for the candidate who received the fewest valid rankings and the number of rankings for any other candidate is equal to or less than the total number of voters who cast a valid ranking and the recount threshold. Utah Code § 20A-4-603(10). A board of municipal canvassers may extend the canvass deadline by up to seven additional days, if necessary, to conduct a recount. Utah Code § 20A-4-603(12).
Candidate-Initiated Options
Close vote margin required
Candidates may file a request for a recount if the difference between the number of votes cast for a winning candidate and a losing candidate in the contest is equal to or less than 0.25% of the total number of votes cast for all candidates in the contest. Utah Code § 20A-4-401(1)(b). If there are only 400 or fewer total votes and the difference between the number of votes cast for a winning candidate and a losing candidate is one vote, the losing candidate may file a request for a recount. Utah Code § 20A-4-401(3)(b).
A losing candidate who files a request for a recount must file it with the appropriate clerk before 5 p.m. within three days after the day on which the canvass is completed for a municipal primary or before 5 p.m. within seven days after the day on which the canvass is completed. Utah Code § 20A-4-401(4). The recount must be completed within 10 days after the day on which the board of canvassers certifies the vote totals for a contest in which two or more candidates for an office receive an equal and the highest number of votes for that office (or in a contest for an at-large office when at least one of the candidates must be eliminated) or within seven days after the day on which the losing candidate requests the recount for a contest in which the difference between the number of votes cast for a winning candidate and a losing candidate is equal to or less than 0.25% of the total number of votes cast (or where the total of all votes cast in the race is 400 or fewer and the difference between candidates is one vote).
Voter-Initiated Options
Close vote margin required
Voters may request recounts for initiatives/questions
If a ballot or bond proposition passes or fails by a margin that is equal to or less than 0.25% of the total votes cast for or against the proposition, any 10 voters who voted in the election where the proposition was on the ballot may file a request for a recount. Utah Code § 20A-4-401(7)(a). If the total of all votes cast for or against a ballot or bond proposition is 400 or less, if the difference between the number of votes cast for and against the proposition is one vote, any 10 voters who voted in the election where the proposition was on the ballot may file a request for a recount. Utah Code § 20A-4-401(7)(b).
The 10 voters who file the request must do so before 5 p.m. within seven days after the day of the canvass with the appropriate clerk, depending on the type of election. See Utah Code § 20A-4-401(8).
Cost for Candidate-Initiated Recounts
Paid entirely by state/county
Costs for recounting a statewide or multi-county contests are paid for by the state. For all other contests, costs are paid by “the political subdivision that conducts the election” or “the political subdivision that enters into a contract or interlocal agreement” with a provider election officer to conduct the election. Utah Code § 20A-4-401(6).
Cost for Voter-Initiated Recounts
Paid entirely by initiator
The 10 voters who request a recount for propositions are required to cover all costs associated with the recount. Utah Code § 20A-4-401(10).
Challengers and Observers
Party/candidate/initiator may appoint observers; no guidance on challengers; recount is public
For a recount of a ballot or bond proposition, proponents and opponents may designate representatives to witness the recount. Utah Code § 20A-4-401(9)(b).
Any individual may become a watcher in an election at any time by registering as a watcher with the administering election officer. Watchers may observe recounts. See Utah Code § 20A-3a-801(4)(m).
Utah Code § 20A-4-303 requires the public opening of ballots and determination of votes during the canvass; the statute applies this same public procedure to recounts. Additionally, according to the Elections Division of Utah's Office of the Lieutenant Governor, recounts are open to the public.
Rules for Determining Voter Intent
The standards for evaluating voter's ballot choices are found in Utah Code § 20A-4-105. See also Utah Admin. Code r. 623-2.
For instant runoff elections, see Utah Code § 20A-4-603(3).
Resources
Utah Code § 20A-4-401
Utah Code § 20A-4-603
Utah Code § 20A-3-201
Utah Code § 20A-4-105
Utah Admin. Code r. 623-2