The Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Standing Committee unanimously approved a motion to delete the title and body of Senate Bill 164 and replace it with the first substitute, then favorably recommended the substitute.

Senator Harper, the bill sponsor, said the measure responds to a legislative audit and “is a very good cleanup bill that I think will address and addresses some of the questions and challenges we had in the last election.” The substitute adds provisions on signature removal, custodial tracking, and other chain‑of‑custody requirements the sponsor said were not in the original bill.

Key provisions described during the hearing include a requirement that county clerks coordinate with local post offices so ballots receive a clear postmark, expanded poll‑watcher access that can observe signature‑verification procedures, a requirement for an additional audit of at least 1% of signatures on mailed ballots, and a clear chain‑of‑custody regime that gives the lieutenant governor’s office authority to track signatures together with ballots. The bill text also allows counties to count up to 10% of signatures for verification purposes and clarifies who bears costs for primary elections.

Ryan Cowley, Director of Elections in the Lieutenant Governor’s Office, described how coordination with the post office worked in Weber County: centralizing incoming ballots at a main post office, providing logs, and hand‑stamping ballots that lacked machine postmarks so they could be accepted under current law. Davis County Clerk Bridal McKenzie told the committee clerks support the substitute and said the language “is written in a way that works very well for the clerks.”

Committee members pressed for clearer language about what “coordination” requires — for example, whether clerks must visit every local post office or may work with a county’s central postal hub. Senator Sandle and others said they wanted more specific compliance guidance; Senator Harper said he would work with clerks to tighten the language.

The committee approved two formal actions on the bill: (1) a motion by Senator Vickers to replace the bill with the first substitute (carried by voice vote and announced as unanimous), and (2) a motion to favorably recommend the first substitute (also carried unanimously). The committee opened for and received public comment in support from county clerks and citizens who said the bill implements several recommendations from the legislative audit.

The bill now advances with the committee’s favorable recommendation; further amendment language is expected to clarify post office coordination and other implementation details.