This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The House passed a bill Thursday to ensure that most county governments will continue to have partisan offices, with candidates running as Republicans, Democrats or members of another party.
HB365 passed on a 53-11 vote on its way to the Senate.
Some residents of Millard County have started work to organize a petition drive to change its county government offices from partisan to nonpartisan — as elected offices in cities now are.
But the lieutenant governor's office says the Legislature in 2000 required partisan elections in all counties except two that were grandfathered under old rules, Grand and Morgan counties.
However, he said the Millard County attorney asserts that law is murky, and might allow nonpartisan elections.
Rep. Merrill Nelson, R-Grantsville, sponsor of the bill, said it clarifies current policy. He adds it would save initiative organizers in Millard County "that wasted effort. If they want to pursue the bigger question whether to change existing law, we can talk about that."
Rep. Marie Poulson, D-Cottonwood Heights, said she supports allowing counties to choose to have nonpartisan office if they choose. "If it's not clear" whether they can now, "I'm not sure I want to make that clarification."
— Lee Davidson