This year in Salt Lake County, more than 127,000 people voted a straight-party ticket — meaning they marked just one box on a ballot to cast votes for all candidates running under one party’s banner.
Rep. Patrice Arent, D-Millcreek, wants to end that, calling it an archaic process that most states outlaw — even though it may have helped her party in Salt Lake County this year, and may have helped Democrat Ben McAdams unseat GOP Rep. Mia Love.
Still, Utah Democrats have argued for years that allowing straight-party voting hurts them in the heavily Republican state because it allows voters to cast ballots for the party instead of individual candidates.