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Revote Controversy in Stockton

November 2nd, 2009 @ 7:55am

By Marc Giauque

STOCKTON -- A City councilman said people who've already cast their ballots in the mayoral race in Stockton won't be able to recall those ballots and revote.

Councilman Kendall Thomas said the council got the word from the Tooele County Clerk's Office, which also ran it past the Utah Attorney General's Office last week. "It's that darn thing. It's over at the county courthouse -- there's an envelope over there that says Kendall Thomas on it. I should be able to go over there and get it and revote," Thomas said.

Thomas did not vote for Rydalch, but said some did and want to change their vote following the controversy that erupted when Mayor Dan Rydalch suspended Cpl. Joshua Rowell. Rowell had written the mayor's son a traffic ticket.

During a town council meeting Thursday night, the council voted unanimously to reinstate Rowell, with pay. Thomas said he and others were disappointed that Rydalch -- who had no comment for reporters after he dropped off a written statement -- did not address the council in person.

"A lot of people aren't happy," Thomas said. "It just manifested its head when he just snuck out the back door and he couldn't face the music."

Thomas said he wasn't sure how the controversy would impact the election, which is conducted solely by mail-in ballots. Still, he said he likes the mail-in system.

"It gives us a chance to sit down and talk, and so you can mail it in at anytime," he said. "So say you don't have time to go vote because you forgot or were running late for work, this is wonderful. I'd let everybody try it. I think it's that great."

Thomas said he wasn't sure when the vote would be finalized, but said the controversy definitely generated interest in the race.

"Down at the local café in town, it's just been a beehive, a buzz of activity," he said.

Ballots must have a Nov. 2 postmark on them in order to be counted.