Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Democratic Party filed a complaint with the state elections office against a state House member who is seeking both re-election and to fill a vacancy in the Senate.
According to the complaint, Rep. Keven Stratton, R-Orem, is violating state law by being a candidate for both his House seat and an opening in the Senate created by Sen. John Valentine's resignation in September.
But state elections director Mark Thomas said he doesn't see any issues with Stratton running for both offices because his name will appear on the election ballot only for his House seat. The law prohibits a candidate from appearing on the ballot twice.
State law does not consider him a candidate for the Senate seat because the Republican Party will fill the vacancy internally and not at the polls, he said.
"To me, it's not even a close call," Thomas said. "This statute is very clear what a candidate is."
Thomas said Stratton contacted him before declaring himself a candidate for the Senate to make sure there would be no problems. Stratton is running unopposed for his House seat.
State Democrats want the elections office to declare Stratton ineligible for one or both seats. But Thomas said that isn't going to happen.
Stratton is one of four candidates vying to replace Valentine, whose former district includes parts of Orem, Pleasant Grove, American Fork, Highland and Alpine. The others are former House members Stephen Sandstrom and Ken Sumsion and Highland business consultant Al Jackson.
GOP delegates in the district will meet Nov. 15 to choose Valentine's replacement.
