Utah Voter Registration Bill Raises Privacy Concerns

Last-minute provision allows state to share voter data with third-party vendor

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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A Utah bill to simplify voter registration by allowing hunting and fishing license holders to receive a registration form took an unexpected turn when a provision was added allowing the lieutenant governor's office to contract with a third-party vendor to review and identify inaccuracies in the voter registration database. The change drew bipartisan opposition over concerns about potential privacy breaches and lack of oversight.

Why it matters

Voter registration and election integrity are sensitive issues, and any changes that could compromise voter privacy or open the door to outside access to voter data are likely to face intense scrutiny. This bill highlights the challenges of balancing election security measures with protecting individual privacy.

The details

The original bill, sponsored by Republican Rep. Trevor Lee, was a straightforward proposal to make voter registration more accessible. However, Lee introduced a last-minute change that would allow the lieutenant governor's office or the legislative auditor general to contract with a third-party vendor to assist in reviewing and identifying inaccuracies in the voter registration database. Democratic Rep. Andrew Stoddard voiced concerns that this would give the state 'carte blanche' to share private information like driver's license and vital records with an outside company without proper vetting or oversight.

  • The bill passed the Utah House with a 39-32 vote on February 10, 2026 and now heads to the state Senate for consideration.

The players

Trevor Lee

Republican state representative and sponsor of the voter registration bill.

Andrew Stoddard

Democratic state representative who voiced concerns about the bill's privacy implications.

Deidre Henderson

Utah's lieutenant governor and the state's top election official, who said the sponsor had not worked with her office on the bill.

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What they’re saying

“I appreciate what the sponsor is trying to do here, but I have huge concerns. One is about the change of the tone of the bill. This bill started out initially as a very straightforward bill with no opposition to now having a very concerning part added to it with this substitute.”

— Andrew Stoddard, Democratic state representative (utahnewsdispatch.com)

“If they would like to do that, if they feel like there are concerns, they don't have to use it. They don't have to go down this path. But it gives them more in their quivers that they can use to help with our election integrity and help verify voter records and ensure trust in our elections.”

— Trevor Lee, Republican state representative (utahnewsdispatch.com)

What’s next

The bill will now move to the Utah State Senate for consideration. If passed, the provision allowing the state to share voter data with a third-party vendor will likely face additional scrutiny and potential amendments.

The takeaway

This bill highlights the delicate balance between election security measures and protecting voter privacy. While efforts to maintain accurate voter rolls are important, giving the state broad authority to share sensitive voter data with outside companies raises significant concerns that will need to be carefully addressed.