Clerk presents 2026 primary turnout: 103,419 participants, heavy by‑mail voting

Salt Lake County Clerk Lanny Chapman presented a data‑rich recap of the 2026 primary, saying 103,419 registered voting participants took part in the primary and that a large share voted by mail. Chapman noted that higher Democratic‑ballot participation was driven by countywide and high‑profile races that appeared only on Democratic ballots, including the county district attorney and the 1st congressional district primary.

Chapman said the county mailed ballots to all eligible voters and reported about 93,000 by‑mail ballots in this primary, with about 9% of participants voting in person and roughly 91% using mailed ballots. She also highlighted same‑day registration patterns: “66% of all same day registrations were voters from Salt Lake City, West Valley, Mill Creek,” and said 43% of same‑day registrants were 25 and under. Council members thanked the clerk’s office and asked for a similar post‑mortem after the general election.

Chapman said 2020 remains the county’s highest general‑election turnout (about 90.11%), and she offered to return after the November general to compare trends. The presentation contained specific precinct and demographic breakdowns that staff said they will publish with the official canvass.