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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- The lieutenant governor's office on Friday rejected a candidate's paperwork to file to challenge Utah Gov. Gary Herbert because it contained e-signatures.
Farley Anderson, who planned to file as an independent, has called himself an "e-candidate," He tried to submit 954 print signatures and 178 electronic ones. The minimum number it takes to enter the race is 1,000.
Mark Thomas, the lieutenant governor's spokesman, said Anderson hadn't submitted the additional handwritten signatures by Friday afternoon's filing deadline for federal and state offices.
Thomas said that Utah law requires a candidate to provide handwritten signatures on paper to the lieutenant governor, which is responsible for administering elections in Utah. Thomas predicted that barring the e-signatures will set off a lawsuit.
"I'm assuming that we'll be sued any day. He's said he'll file a suit against us," Thomas said.
Anderson said his staff is working on legal action now. He argues that e-signatures give the public more privacy and time to carefully review a candidate's platform.
"Rather than have a petition waved in their face ... they have more material available to them," Anderson said.
Jason Yocom, chief deputy clerk for Salt Lake County, said they were able to verify e-signatures that Anderson turned in.
"We see nothing in the law that grants us the authority to reject them," Yocom said. "Whether they were collected at a Wal-Mart or collected online."
Still, Yocom said the lieutenant governor's office has the final say in the matter.
"It's their call," Yocom said.
Salt Lake City Mayor Peter Corroon, a moderate Democrat, is widely seen as his party's best chance to unseat Herbert, a Republican.
Herbert took office in August after Jon Huntsman resigned to become U.S. ambassador to China.
Both parties will choose their nominees at conventions in May. As an unopposed Democratic nominee, Corroon would have time to raise money before November.
Three Republicans and a Libertarian candidate also filed to run for governor.
And 10 candidates have lined up to challenge incumbent GOP Sen. Bob Bennett, who is seeking his fourth term.
Two of them are Democrats, but the majority eyeing Bennett's seat are members of his own party. Merrill Cook, a former U.S. Congressman, is among them.
The Constitution Party's Scott Bradley has also filed to run.
Citing Bennett's support for a bailout of the nation's financial industry, some Republicans have contended he is not conservative enough.
Challengers also had filed to run in all three of Utah's U.S. House districts.
Party nominees are chosen by 3,500 delegates at state conventions. Candidates who fail to get 60 percent of delegate votes are forced into primaries.
Delegates, who are not pledged to any specific candidate, are chosen next week. The state convention is in May.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
