SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4 News) – The COVID-19 pandemic is changing everything, and a new poll shows a majority of Utahns think accommodations should be made for the upcoming primary election.
The Hinckley Institute of Politics/ Deseret News poll finds 75% of participants think changes should be made, but they are split on how it should happen.
The poll finds 24% of voters think the state should allow candidates to gather signatures online, which Governor Gary Herbert has already made happen, 21% say the primary election should be postponed, 19% say all candidates who have filed should be put on the primary ballot and 11% say candidates should be given more time to collect signatures.
“I think there is one sense from Utah voters is they want some sense of fairness about this during a time when there is nothing traditional about how candidates are interfacing with the voters,” said Hinckley Institute of Politics Director Jason Perry.
Of those polled, 10% said they don’t want to see any changes, and 15% were not sure.
In the race for governor, the poll has former Governor Jon Huntsman Jr leading the field with 26%, but Lt. Governor Spencer Cox is close behind with 24%.
Former House Speaker Greg Hughes and Utah County businessman Jeff Burningham came in at 7%, former Utah GOP chair Thomas Wright and Salt Lake County Councilwoman Aimee Winder Newton had 2%, Jan Garbett had 1% and 32% were undecided.
Perry says the large undecided group is likely a reflection of people being more concerned about the pandemic we are dealing with.
