Democratic leaders said they don't believe the doctor's note justifies placing another name on the ballot with just three weeks until the Nov. 2 election, and they threatened to sue if Republicans try it. That candidate could be Ellis Ivory, now a write-in challenger backed by the Republican Party.

It's another twist in an already contentious and bizarre election that has politicos scrambling and voters confused.

The County Republican Party Central Committee plans to huddle Oct. 26 to decide whether to replace Workman with Ivory, Utah's largest home builder. Ivory, who is mounting what could be a historic write-in push, said he would accept the ballot spot, if offered.

"If they want my name on the ballot, will I do it? Sure," Ivory said, adding, "I'm not seeking it; I'm not counting on it; I'm running."

However, if the GOP names him as its nominee that late, it could be physically impossible to change the already-printed ballots. Plus, he would have to change the thrust of his campaign, which now is focused on write-in efforts.

Unaffiliated candidate Merrill Cook, a former GOP congressman, said "as a last resort" he also may sue to stop the party from placing someone else on on the ballot. He said such an act would rise to the level of fraud.

"It would be dishonest; It would be a complete perversion of the process," Cook said. "It would have to be a ruse."

At least one GOP central committee member says so as well. Mike Ridgway said it would be "completely inappropriate" and "unethical" for the party to replace Workman.

Workman - who defiantly announced she would stay in the race last week even without her party's support - did not make herself available for interviews Tuesday. But she said in a statement that "in consultation with my family and my personal physician, I realize now the burden is too great to continue at this time."

"There is no part of me that wants to quit," Workman continued. "But in the end, family and health must come first."

The first-term mayor has been charged with third- and second-degree felonies of misuse of public money for allegedly skirting the law to hire two successive bookkeepers - paid out of Health Department funds - to work for her daughter at the nonprofit South Valley Boys and Girls Clubs. Workman, who is on paid leave, denies any criminal wrongdoing and says she is the victim of a political vendetta by Democratic District Attorney David Yocom, a longtime foe.

While Democrats once replaced a commission candidate under the same medical exemption Workman claims, party leaders argued this situation is different because they say Workman is not disabled but only seeking to get another challenger on the ballot.

"If the Republican Party attempts to manipulate Mayor Workman's unfortunate circumstances to benefit their party to the detriment of the Salt Lake County voters and taxpayers and blatantly disregard the law, then we may take legal action to protect the integrity of this important democratic process," said county's Democratic Chairwoman Nichole Adams.

The Democrats' legal threat was not sanctioned by the party's mayoral nominee, Peter Corroon, who said that he would not join any such suit. Even so, the race's current front-runner said replacing Workman wouldn't be right.

"There is the letter of the law and there is the spirit of the law," Corroon said. Ivory "could legally get on the ballot. But that wouldn't meet the spirit of the law. I think he should remain as a write-in."

Whether Workman is on the ballot won't change the dynamics of the race, Corroon said. "I've been running the same campaign for seven months. We're campaigning on the issues. I'm running for county mayor - not against anyone else."

Workman signed a notarized statement Tuesday dropping out of the race, and included it with a letter from physician Philip Roberts in papers filed with the clerk's office.

"She is suffering extraordinary stress as a result of the circumstances surrounding her pending criminal prosecution," Roberts wrote. "In my opinion, the strain upon her physical and emotional condition disable her from continuing as a political candidate without unreasonably [compromising] her health."

Workman's private attorney, David Jordan, said the doctor's letter spells out that the mayor is unfit to run for office.

"She is entitled to withdraw from the race. And she is entitled by statute to submit a physician's certificate; that's what she's done," Jordan said. "I don't know of any basis for questioning [the doctor's] opinion."

Jordan said he was retained to give advice and to represent her in case someone, in an "ill-considered action," files suit against the mayor. He added that Workman is no longer part of the process, and it's up to the Republican Party to decide a course.

Former GOP Salt Lake County Commissioner Bart Barker, who served from 1980 to 1991, said Tuesday that Democrats should not challenge a replacement for Workman on the ballot.

After all, he said, the Republicans in 1988 didn't balk at replacing then-Commissioner David Watson, a Democrat, on the ballot. Watson had been arrested for a DUI and possession of controlled substances before the election.

''Mayor Workman's situation is more difficult than Commissioner Watson's,'' Barker said. "She has been embroiled in a complex and devastating mix of legal struggles, campaign disasters, public-relations debacles and family crises.

"The stress has clearly taken a sad and very public toll on her psychological health. Anyone who has watched her in recent weeks would have a hard time arguing, sincerely, that she has the emotional capacity to continue running for office. Doing so would certainly endanger her health."

As for the political ramifications of any effort to replace Workman, or lawsuits against such a move, observers say the race will come down to the undecided and independent voters.

"These kind of controversies tend to animate the political bases," said Kelly Patterson, director of the Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy at Brigham Young University. "Republicans may feel under attack by the Democrats; Democrats may feel that the controlling party is trying to" circumvent the process.

Patterson added that this election is unlike any other in Utah's history.

It's been about enough for Magna resident Jack Nielson, a Republican who is now backing Cook.

"Boy, I tell you," he said, "I've never seen anything go like this."

tburr@sltrib.com

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Tribune reporter Christopher Smart contributed to this story.

Is Workman stepping down as mayor?

* She is not resigning as mayor and continues to be on paid leave while facing two felony charges.

* What happens to the money Workman has left in her campaign war chest?

If she wants, Workman can pocket the money as long as she pays income tax on it. It's unclear how much money she has left in her campaign account.

Will Workman's name be covered up on the ballot?

Unless the Republican Party replaces Workman on the ballot, her name will be blacked out or covered with a sticker noting that the candidate has withdrawn. If the party replaces her, election workers would place the new nominee's name over hers.

Will the GOP try to replace her on the ballot?

Republican leaders may meet Oct. 26 to answer that question. Republican-backed write-in candidate Ellis Ivory says he would accept the spot, if offered.

Will the other candidates or parties oppose such a move?

The Democratic Party vows to sue if the GOP attempts to replace Workman. Unaffiliated candidate Merrill Cook says as a "last resort" he would challenge any such effort. Democrat Peter Corroon says he will not sue over such a move.