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Arguing that Utah Republican Party officials are engaging in "frivolous litigation" to derail state election law, Utah Democrats asked a judge Tuesday to order the GOP to comply with the law or be stripped of its status as a recognized political party in the state.

"Enough is enough," said Utah Democratic Party Chairman Peter Corroon. "If the Republican Party doesn't follow the law passed by its own legislators and confirmed as lawful by the court, it should be disqualified."

If the Utah GOP is disqualified as a qualified political party, Republican candidates for office could still get on the ballot, but they would only be able to do so by gathering enough signatures to earn a spot. Its candidates would not be eligible if they chose to go through the traditional route of winning the nomination at the party convention without gathering signatures.

Utah Republican Party Chairman James Evans chuckled at the Democrats' request.

"I'm not interested in the Democratic Party's sideshow," he said. "I guess the Democratic Party chairman has to do something since [Democrats] can't win races."

Earlier this month, the Utah GOP filed a federal lawsuit arguing that under SB54, which rewrote much of the state election law, the party — and not the state — should be able to decide how it nominates its candidates for office, and the party has chosen to require candidates to go through the party convention.

The lieutenant governor's office contends that's not the case and that candidates can choose if they want to go to the convention to secure a spot on the primary ballot or if they want to gather the requisite number of signatures to get on the ballot.

But attorneys for the Democrats, who filed a motion to intervene in the lawsuit Tuesday, say that the law is clear and if Republicans refuse to follow it, then it's up to the lieutenant governor's office to revoke their status as a qualified political party.

"Our request is the court hold the lieutenant governor's office accountable for not enforcing the law," Corroon said. "The Republican Party is trying to circumvent the law, the judge's decision and the will of the people. … The Republican Party is acting as obstructionists and the lieutenant governor's office should bring down the law on them."

The Democrats' lawsuit accuses Cox of putting his Republican Party loyalty ahead of enforcing the law, letting the GOP continue to ignore the law.

In a letter last week, Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox advised voters and candidates that he did not intend to revoke the Republican Party's status as a qualified party, but he noted that a judge's ruling could potentially change the situation.

The dispute stems from dueling interpretations of SB54, which was a compromise reached between legislators and leaders of Count My Vote, a group of well-connected Utahns who launched an initiative drive in 2014 aimed at doing away with the convention system entirely.

Republican senators held a closed-door caucus meeting Tuesday afternoon to discuss what, if anything, should be done to clarify SB54, but it appears that legislative leaders aren't optimistic much can be done.

"My guess is we just don't do anything because it's in the courts right now, and it's very difficult now to change much with the election process — because it's already started," said Senate President Wayne Niederhauser, R-Sandy.

Niederhauser said he also discussed the issue with House leaders earlier in the day to see whether they could come to agreement on changes to the law.

"I don't see that there really is [room for an agreement]. We're going to be having some discussions over the next few days just on the legalities of the lawsuit by the state GOP and what that means," Niederhauser said.

— Lee Davidson contributed to this story.

gehrke@sltrib.com Twitter: @RobertGehrke