Utah held its primary election Tuesday, with first preliminary results being released at 10 p.m. This year, the state debuted its all mail-in ballot election — with no in-person polls open to avoid the spread of COVID-19.
The state legislature also extended its postmarked date for mail-in ballots to 8 p.m. on election night. Typically, ballots must be postmarked the day before.
Election officials say final vote counts won’t be available for several of the races as ballots will continue being counted throughout Wednesday and possibly Thursday. All ballots must be quarantined for 24 hours before being processed and counted, as another prevention measure against the coronavirus.
Election results are updated every day at 3 p.m. by Vote Utah.
Check back here for up-to-date election results.
Spencer Cox overcomes Jon Huntsman for GOP governor nomination
Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox has won the GOP primary for Utah governor, the Associated Press called Monday. Cox garnered 36.4% of the vote, defeating Jon Huntsman with 34.6%. Shortly after the race was called, Huntsman conceded.
Candidates Greg Hughes and Thomas Wright also conceded in the race last week.
Cox will face Democrat Chris Peterson in November, with the GOP candidate given an advantage — as Utah has voted in a Republican every term since 1985.
Sean Reyes wins GOP nomination for Attorney General
Republican Sean Reyes has bested his opponent David Leavitt for the GOP attorney general nomination, according to the Associated Press who called the race Friday. Reyes garnered 54.24% of the vote, with Leavitt trailing at 45.75%.
Reyes, who has held the seat since 2013, will face Democrat Greg Skordas on the ballot in November.
Governor’s race still too close to call as Huntsman and Cox vie for GOP candidacy
The race for governor is deemed too close to call, with Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox leading Jon Huntsman by almost three points. Candidates Thomas Wright and Greg Hughes previously conceded from the race.
Cox is narrowly leading with 36.95% of the vote, followed closely by Huntsman with 34.18% — a difference of about 11,676 votes, according to Wednesday’s update.
The upcoming general election is the first race in over a decade with an open governor’s seat, as Gov. Gary Herbert has held the seat since 2009. As a result, this race race has gained much interest from Utah voters, because the election guarantees a new state leader.
Whoever advances from the GOP primary will face Democratic candidate Chris Peterson in November.
Jay McFarland is latest to concede in race for Utah’s 4th Congressional District
Jay McFarland, GOP candidate for Utah’s 4th Congressional District, conceded from the race just hours after Kim Coleman did the same.
McFarland announced his concession Wednesday, noting “it’s clear that Burgess Owens will be the GOP nominee” for the general election. McFarland received 21.63% of the vote, according to the first preliminary results.
“This is a tough loss, but I congratulate Burgess on his big night last night,” McFarland said in a statement. “As this race continues on towards the general, I encourage both Burgess and Ben to elevate their conversations and stay away from the personal attacks that have become all too common today.”
All of Owens’ opponents have conceded except for Trent Christensen, who received 10.99% — 33 points behind Owens.
Kim Coleman concedes in 4th District race, endorses Burgess Owens against Rep. McAdams
Kim Coleman, GOP candidate for Utah’s 4th Congressional District, conceded from the race Wednesday — endorsing Owens who will likely face incumbent Rep. Ben McAdams in November.
Coleman received 23.85% of the votes in the first preliminary results, putting her 20 points behind Owens as of Wednesday.
“I congratulate Burgess on his victory,” Coleman said in a statement. “All along, the No. 1 goal for all of us has been firing Ben McAdams, who misrepresents himself as a moderate while consistently supporting Nancy Pelosi and her far-left, ‘progressive’ agenda.”
Coleman said in supporting Burgess, she is joining voters in seeking an end to “recent widespread riots and violence,” saying they are under the “deceptive label of ‘peaceful protests.'”
If Owens is declared official winner, he will face Rep. McAdams in the general election.
The incumbent Congressman advanced straight to the general election ballot after the party’s state convention April 25, receiving 89.3% majority vote. The GOP candidate that emerges from the Republican primary will face McAdams for the seat in November.
Greg Hughes, Thomas Wright concede in governor’s race
Candidates Greg Hughes and Thomas Wright conceded in the race for the GOP governor nomination, receiving 20.71% and 8% of the vote respectively.
Wright conceded from the race Tuesday night, shortly after the first round of preliminary results came in. He qualified through the signature-gathering process, obtaining the required 28,000 signatures to appear on the primary ballot.
Hughes, who had been gaining some traction in past weeks ahead of the primary vote, conceded Wednesday morning — posting on Facebook that he “fought a good fight.”
News of the concessions leaves the governor’s race between Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox and former Utah governor Jon Huntsman. Cox holds a narrow lead of 37.03% over Huntsman with 34.26%.
Whoever wins will face Democratic candidate Chris Peterson on the general election ballot in November.
Burgess Owens to face Rep. Ben McAdams for Utah’s 4th Congressional District
Burgess Owens emerged from the preliminary results with 43.53% of the vote, with the Associated Press declaring him the winner Tuesday night. However, his three opponents have yet to concede.
Rep. Ben McAdams currently holds the seat as the only Democrat in Utah’s Congress — with several GOP candidates vying to unseat him in November. McAdams assumed the position after defeating incumbent Mia Love in 2018 with a margin of fewer than a thousand votes.
This is where all four GOP candidates stand as of Tuesday’s preliminary results:
- Burgess Owens with 43.53%
- Kim Coleman with 23.85%
- Jay McFarland with 21.63%
- Trent Christensen with 10.99%
If Owens is declared official winner, he will face Rep. McAdams in the general election.
The incumbent Congressman advanced straight to the general election ballot after the party’s state convention April 25, receiving 89.3% majority vote. The GOP candidate that emerges from the Republican primary will face McAdams for the seat in November.
Incumbent Sean Reyes holds early lead for Attorney General
First preliminary results from Tuesday’s primary show incumbent Sean Reyes with a nine-point lead ahead of opponent David Leavitt in the race for attorney general. Reyes is running to defend his seat, which he has held since 2013.
The race for GOP attorney general candidate has been hotly contested, as both candidates have accused the other of shady dealings throughout the campaign cycle.
First results released 10 p.m. Tuesday show Reyes leading with 54.44% of the vote, with Leavitt trailing at 45.56%.
However, results are not finalized as ballots are still being counted across the state — with election officials saying they may not see official calls until Thursday.
Whoever wins will face Democratic candidate Greg Skordas during the general election in November.
