Election officials across the Western United States, including Utah, are leaving office at a record pace, often citing personal reasons to resign from their positions before their terms have expired.
About 50% of chief local election officials in Western states left their jobs between November 2020 and November 2025, often in the middle of their tenure, according to a new analysis by Issue One, a nonprofit political advocacy organization. That number was especially high in Utah, which ranked fourth of the 11 Western states included in the study.
Utah has generally reported a higher rate of turnover compared to other states as 69% of the state’s 29 counties have experienced turnover in at least one election for a chief election official since 2020, the study shows. Of those who left, 90% stepped down voluntarily compared to just 10% who lost reelection or who were fired.
Nearly half (47%) left before their terms were over. One of the election officials who resigned, former Utah County Deputy Clerk Josh Daniels, told Issue One he stepped down “largely because of the political dynamic.” Internal politics within the country, he said, had made the job “difficult because (elected political officials) were giving credence to false and misleading election conspiracies and turning the administration of elections into a political issue.”
Arizona had the highest turnover rate with 100% of its counties reporting at least one chief election official leaving since 2020, according to the report. That was followed closely by New Mexico with 91% and Nevada coming in third with 65%.
The report raises concerns as it compiled data from 11 states in the Western region — Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming — and is home to about 23% of the country’s population. Overall, more than 250 people have left their jobs over the last five years, amounting to 50% of the 430 chief local election official positions.
Fifty-three of those officials left after the 2024 election alone.
Officials as Issue One listed a number of policy recommendations to better protect election officials from political threats and better retain those in the highest positions overseeing local races. The group also suggested “doing more to financially assist cash-strapped jurisdictions” to ensure counties have the resources needed to carry out elections as well as dedicating resources to retain current officials.
“Election officials are the unsung heroes of our democracy, and they need additional support now more than ever. High turnover rates are alarm bells we cannot ignore,” Issue One Policy Director Michael McNulty said in a statement. “Lawmakers and policymakers across the country at every level of government can help alleviate the effects of this alarming trend. And instead of sowing confusion or distrust, political leaders in both parties should stand up for the dedicated officials who ensure free, fair, safe, and secure elections in our country.”