This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Those of us who find the Utah caucus and convention system undemocratic in the extreme haven't changed their minds after Saturday's county conventions.
— Salt Lake County Republicans defeat two incumbents — Lee Davidson | The Salt Lake Tribune, April 16
"Murray • Eight incumbent legislators faced challenges Saturday at the Salt Lake County Republican convention. Six survived.
"Rep. Fred Cox, R-West Valley City, was defeated by a 62-38 percent margin by former West Valley City Mayor Mike Winder. Because he received more than 60 percent of delegate votes, Winder now proceeds directly to the general election.
"Incumbent Rep. Earl Tanner, R-West Jordan, was defeated by an 85-15 percent margin by Adam Gardiner, a former aide to Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, and an adviser to Salt Lake County Council member Aimee Winder. ...
[No opinion is offered here as to whether the candidates nominated for the November election are better choices. Just that the voters in those districts had practically nothing to say over whether they wanted to keep their incumbents.]
" ... Meanwhile, SB54 — the new law that allows candidates to qualify for the ballot either by collecting signatures or by winning at the convention — saved current Rep. Rich Cunningham, R-South Jordan, in his challenge to incumbent Sen. Lincoln Fillmore.
"Fillmore won exactly 60 percent of the delegate vote, making him the official party nominee. But Cunningham still qualified for the ballot anyway because he collected the 2,000 necessary signatures. ..."
— State, not parties, sets rules for ballot access — Salt Lake Tribune Editorial, April 13
"If it would amuse them to do so, the honchos who run the Utah Republican Party can build a secret, underground clubhouse, make up passwords, invent a secret handshake and impose whatever loyalty oaths, litmus tests and other barriers to entry they like.
"As long as the resulting organization would be neither a government agency nor a public accommodation, it would be nobody's business but their own.
"Unless and until that group wants the right to place the names of candidates for federal, state and local office on the official ballots to be printed and distributed by county clerks in a process overseen by the lieutenant governor's office.
"At that moment, their organization would be seeking a portion of the most public real estate there is. And the state has the right and the duty to set standards for how those precious spots will be allocated. ..."
— Utah's GOP turning to 'Mean Girl' tactics because of nominating system — Provo Daily Herald Editorial, April 18
"... For nearly two years the Utah Republican Party has thrown a tantrum like only toddlers can when they are tasked with sharing their ball with a new playmate. This power struggle is the epitome of childishness. ..."
— Utah Supreme Court rejects GOP, Democratic claims in elections lawsuit — Robert Gehrke | The Salt Lake Tribune, April 8
"The Utah Supreme Court dealt another setback to the Utah Republican Party on Friday, ruling that candidates for office can indeed choose to gather signatures to secure a spot on the primary election ballot. ..."
— Judge upholds signature-gathering system despite Utah Republicans' protests — Brady McCombs and Lindsay Whitehurst | The Associated Press | Salt Lake Tribune, April 15
" ... U.S. District Judge David Nuffer's ruling Friday evening comes a week before the Utah Republican Party is set to choose candidates for Congress, governor and other offices at its convention. ..."
— Utah politicians go the extra mile wooing state delegates — Lee Davidson | The Salt Lake Tribune, April 18
[Read that article and tell me how the system that requires candidates to spend hours — and money — schmoozing county and state delegates is anything resembling democracy.]
— Gifts flowing to GOP delegates corrupt Utah political process — Ronald Mortensen | For The Salt Lake Tribune
"Donald Trump recently accused his opponents of buying the votes of Republican delegates. "They offer them trips, they offer them all kinds of things, and you're allowed to do that. You're allowed to give trips, and buy all these votes? What kind of a system is this?"
"Trump is right. There are apparently no limits on what delegates can do. For example, the Utah caucus system is fraught with corruption. The average Utah Republican delegate expects to receive free lunches and swag ranging from cowboy hats to home deliveries of bread from Great Harvest — all paid for by candidates who are vying for their votes. ..."
— In Utah County, GOP delegates still angry over election changes — Robert Gehrke | The Salt Lake Tribune, April 16
"Provo • Delegates and candidates at the Utah County Republican Convention were still raging Saturday against changes to state election law that let candidates circumvent the convention process and gather signatures to get on the ballot. ..."