SALT LAKE CITY (AP) – Utah voters on Tuesday will navigate a new presidential caucus system that comes months earlier than last time and opens the Republican race to online voting with computers, smartphones or tablets.
Unlike in some past presidential campaigns, the state of Utah is not paying for a primary election this year, leaving the parties to set up their own systems.
Democrats are holding a traditional paper vote, but to boost participation, the Utah GOP is offering online voting in addition to the usual ballot. It’s one of the first prominent uses in the country of online voting, which presents new security and privacy challenges for officials.
State Republican officials say they’re confident in their process because it’s been used for national elections in other countries.