Utahns for Public Schools

• Home
• About UTPS
• Action Center
  • Candidates and offices
  • Candidate selection process
  • Voter information
  • Communicating with elected officials
  • Information about Utah state government
• Policy Center
  • Good Government and Good Policy Making
  • School Funding and Tax Policy
  • Focus on Class Size
  • Vouchers
• Join UTPS Community
• UTPS Blog
•  

Who decides who's on the ballot?

Have you ever looked at a ballot and wondered how you ended up with those choices? Let's back it up a few steps and see how it works.

Step 1: Caucuses

Voters gather according to party and voting precinct to elect local party leaders and delegates to state and county conventions. These meetings are all held on the same evening in March.

Step 2: Conventions

Sometime in the spring, the delegates who were elected at the caucuses attend county and state political conventions, where they vote for candidates to represent their party in the fall elections. If one candidate for a particular office receives 60% or more of the delegates' votes, that person's name will automatically appear on the November ballot. If no candidate receives 60% of the vote at the convention, the top two candidates are sent to a primary election.

Step 3: Primary Election

In a June primary election, voters choose between two candidates from the same party to determine who will participate in the November election.

Step 4: General Election

When voters go to the polls on the first Tuesday in November, many of the important decisions have already been made. Voters are only able to choose from among the candidates that have made it through party conventions and primaries.

Learn more about Utah's Caucuses: Caucus 101 home Who decides who's on the ballot? Why should I attend party caucuses and become a delegate? Delegate responsibilities Becoming a delegate Party caucus FAQ Convention schedule Communicating with elected officials Why should I consider running for office? Links