If you were hoping for fresh updates on Salt Lake County’s razor-thin mayoral races Wednesday night, you’ll have to wait another day. Election officials say no new vote totals will be posted until Thursday, as workers continue processing tens of thousands of ballots received late on Election Day.
Tight Races in Bluffdale and Kearns
Two of the closest municipal races are unfolding in Bluffdale and Kearns, where just a handful of votes separate the leading candidates.
In Bluffdale, preliminary returns show Mayor Natalie Hall holding a 13-vote lead over challenger Connie Pavlakis. In Kearns, former journalist Jesse Valdez is narrowly ahead of City Council Vice Chair Tina Snow by 86 votes.
These slim margins mean that every outstanding ballot could sway the outcome — a reality not lost on residents refreshing their browsers for updates that won’t come until Thursday evening.
Why the Delay?
Salt Lake County Clerk Lannie Chapman said the pause in updates is due to the sheer volume of ballots still being processed. Her office is currently reviewing about 59,000 ballots, most of which arrived in official drop boxes just before they closed Tuesday night.
Election workers are still verifying voter signatures on approximately 33,000 of those ballots, a process required before votes can be counted.
“Accuracy always comes before speed,” Chapman said in a statement. “We know people are eager to see results, but we won’t sacrifice integrity for immediacy.”
When to Expect the Next Update
The next official batch of results will be released Thursday afternoon, according to Chapman’s office. The timing for the final update, however, remains uncertain and will depend on how quickly verification and tabulation can be completed.
Salt Lake County, the most populous in Utah, typically experiences a slower reporting timeline than smaller counties due to its higher voter turnout and the large volume of mail-in ballots submitted close to the deadline.
A Reminder of Utah’s Vote-By-Mail Process
Utah’s vote-by-mail system, which has been in place statewide since 2019, allows ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted even if they arrive days later. This means tight races can remain undecided well beyond election night.
Election officials emphasize that delays do not indicate problems — just a commitment to accuracy. Ballot verification includes signature matching, ballot preparation, and chain-of-custody checks, all of which take time.
What’s at Stake
Both the Bluffdale and Kearns races reflect the competitiveness of local politics in Salt Lake County suburbs, where population growth and shifting demographics have brought new energy — and tighter margins — to city elections.
Across the valley, incumbents lead in several mayoral contests, though results remain unofficial until all verified ballots are counted and canvassed later this month.
The Bigger Picture
Chapman’s office expects final certified results by November 19, following standard verification and canvassing procedures. Until then, the county urges voters to stay patient and rely only on official updates from verified election channels.
“The system is working exactly as designed,” Chapman said. “Our goal is simple — every valid vote gets counted, and every voter’s voice is heard.”
