Packed GOP field forms for Nov. 7 election for Chaffetz seat


Save Story
Leer en español

Estimated read time: 2-3 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 Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information.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 (AP) — A packed field of Utah Republicans started shaping up Friday to replace Rep. Jason Chaffetz while the governor and legislators tussled over whether the state needs to pass emergency laws to hold a special election.

The U.S. Constitution and Utah law say that if a U.S. House seat becomes vacant, the governor will call a special election, but the law offers few additional details on the process.

Gov. Gary Herbert said that allows him and the state elections office to fill in the other details, which they did Friday. Herbert scheduled a Nov. 7 special election, along with an Aug. 15 primary election, where candidates who gather signatures to get on the ballot will compete against candidates nominated by political parties at their conventions.

Legislative leaders disagree with Herbert's take, arguing that they alone have the power to set Utah election laws. They're demanding Herbert call them into an emergency legislative session to spell out the special election process before Chaffetz leaves office on June 30.

In a joint statement, legislative leaders called the move to schedule the election an overreach by Herbert. "Nowhere is the executive branch given the authority to establish election procedures," the statement reads.

Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican whose office oversees elections, said at a news conference Friday that the governor wants a speedy process that allows for all voters to have a voice. He said his office started coming up with possible election timelines when Chaffetz announced last month that he might leave early.

Cox said Chaffetz had notified the governor's office that he was considering leaving around June 30 and discussed whether the state would have enough time for an election.

Cox's chief deputy, Mark Thomas, said that election officials do not yet know what the special election will cost the state, but he said some money will be saved because the primary and general election dates fall on the same days that municipal elections are being held.

Thomas said that once the state certifies the election results on Nov. 28, it would be up the U.S. House of Representatives to decide when to swear-in Chaffetz's replacement, meaning the seat could sit empty for five or six months.

A number of Republican elected officials and other political figures said Friday that they're jumping in the race or considering running, including state Sen. Deidre Henderson, a former Chaffetz campaign manager. State Sen. Margaret Dayton and Rep. Brad Daw, both of Orem, also announced their candidacy. American Fork lawyer Damian Kidd was already planning to challenge Chaffetz.

At least two Democrats — physician Kathryn Allen and biologist Carl Ingwell —have jumped in. But they'll face an uphill battle in Chaffetz's heavily Republican district, which stretches from Salt Lake City's southeastern suburbs to desert towns in southeastern Utah and includes heavily conservative Mormon areas.

Candidates have until 5 p.m. May 26 to file to run.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Most recent Politics stories

Related topics

Politics
MICHELLE L. PRICE and HALLIE GOLDEN

    STAY IN THE KNOW

    Get informative articles and interesting stories delivered to your inbox weekly. Subscribe to the KSL.com Trending 5.
    By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

    KSL Weather Forecast