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Greetings, Utah Energy United!
There’s a good chance that if you’re reading this on its publish date of October 16 or later, and are a registered voter, your ballot has arrived. We at Utah Petroleum Association encourage everyone to exercise their civic duty and cast your vote. Democracy only works if you participate, and your voice deserves to be heard! A couple of things we want to draw your attention to:
First, there are a few changes to how voting works here in Utah. A recent article from KSL provides the details:
Voters can no longer rely on a postmark if they mail their ballot on Election Day. Instead, ballots must be received by county clerks no later than 8 p.m. on Nov. 3 to be counted. Another change requires vote-by-mail voters to pencil in the last four digits of their Utah state identification card, driver's license or Social Security number when returning their ballot. The requirement doesn't apply to in-person voting.
By-mail ballots can still be verified through signature matching if the four-digit identifier is missing, but that option will only be available until 2029, when the new 2025 law requires full adoption of a valid ID number.
Please note these changes and make a plan to vote accordingly to accommodate them. If you have any questions about any aspect of voting or elections, you can visit vote.utah.gov to find resources that answer questions about how to vote, track your ballot, or learn about candidates and issues. The site has a lot of helpful information, and we encourage you to check it out.
Second, our industry wants to share additional resources to help ensure not only that you vote, but that you approach voting as an informed citizen. Please visit U.S. Energy Voters for information about why the midterm elections matter, and links to resources to help inform your vote.
As for why the midterms matter, in terms of our federal government, the site lays it out clearly:
In 2026, all 435 voting seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and approximately one-third of the 100 seats in the U.S. Senate will be on the ballot. The results will also determine which political party holds the majority in each chamber.
Congressional elections determine who represents your district in the House and who represents your state in the Senate. Taken together, these elections can shape congressional leadership, legislative priorities, committee agendas, and oversight of federal agencies.
There’s even a Utah-specific page with helpful information, and this data at the top regarding why energy is important to Utah:
If that data grabs you, then you’re going to love the one-pagers we have on our website that go into even more detail.
Make sure to make your voice count. Sometimes it can feel like one vote is but a one water droplet in a vast ocean, but if you don’t tell your elected officials what you value and what you find important, someone else will.
Thank you for your continued engagement with Utah Energy United. Happy Friday!
Be sure to follow us on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn. And if you know someone who should be a part of Utah Energy United, get them to sign up here.
Rikki Hrenko-Browning |
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Thank you for your many efforts! |
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