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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah had its moment in the spotlight Tuesday evening at the Democratic National Convention when Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson formally allocated Utah's delegates between the candidates.
If 2020 had been a year like any other, Wilson would have done so from the floor of a Milwaukee arena surrounded by Utah's delegation and thousands of Democrats from across the country. But the coronavirus pandemic ultimately caused the Democratic National Committee to opt for an all-virtual convention, and Wilson read her part in a prerecorded segment in front of the Utah State Capitol.
She used the opportunity to discuss the state's bipartisan support for universal mail-in voting.
"Here in Utah, we've had mail-in voting for years," Wilson said in the segment. "If you're registered to vote, you automatically get sent a ballot. It's fast, it's reliable, and it's easy for everyone to participate.
"In 2016, we had turnout well over 80%, and this year we're expecting even higher. That's why Democrats and Republicans here in Utah agree: Mail-in voting strengthens our democracy."
She then allocated Utah's delegates, casting 17 votes for Sen. Bernie Sanders and 16 for former Vice President Joe Biden — whom Wilson referred to as "our next president" and who, after being formally nominated last night, no longer needs the qualifier of "presumptive nominee."
Utah Democratic Party Vice Chair Nadia Mahallati said planning for this year's convention has been full of uncertainty throughout.
"There was talk of, 'Maybe we will go, maybe only some people will go, maybe you'll have the option to go,'" she said. "And the DNC just said, 'Nobody should go because of the public health risk.'"
All the normal convention events have been moved online.
"Some are on Zoom, some are streaming live on YouTube," Mahallati said, "and then the convention business has been shortened down to the two hours that are being broadcast each night on TV."
Despite some early glitches, Mahallati has been impressed with the way the convention is coming off so far.
"I kind of went through a mourning period of not being able to go," she admitted, but said party members are finding other ways to connect this year. Mahallati has even heard from Democrats who want to keep the state-by-state roll call vote in Tuesday's video format from now on, even when delegates can convene in person again.
"We got to see parts of different states," she said. "There were a lot of different faces doing the roll-call votes, and it was really nice to be able to kind of travel throughout the country and to the U.S. territories while sitting in my living room."
Mahallati said she was excited to see Wilson's defense of mail-in voting on national television. "It's really important," she said, "because with the pandemic, we're having to explore, as a nation, alternatives to (in-person) voting. I'm really proud that Utah has been a leader in this area."
Coverage of the Democratic National Convention will continue on KSL 5 TV Wednesday at 7 p.m. MDT with appearances from Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren; House Speaker Nancy Pelosi; former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton; California Sen. Kamala Harris, Biden's vice-presidential nominee; and former President Barack Obama.
The Republican National Convention, during which President Donald Trump will be formally nominated to compete for a second term, will begin on Monday.
