Why am I disgusted, but not surprised, that Laurie Stringham defeated Shireen Ghorbani for the Salt Lake County at-large council seat? As a responsible voter, I took time before marking my mail-in ballot to check the Utah.gov voter information website, where I could read about the candidates, judges and ballot propositions. That website posts useful information about the pros and cons of the propositions, the recommendations of judicial review panels, and the information submitted by the candidates about their profiles and positions.
What did I find? Stringham, the Republican candidate, appeared to be relying solely on the (R) behind her name on the ballot. She had not even bothered to file the minimum information sought by the Utah state government. This just recalls another Salt Lake County election, not too long ago, when the Republicans backed an aging candidate for Salt Lake County recorder who had clearly shown he no longer had the health and mental acuity necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of that position. But, by golly, he was a Republican, and he’d paid his dues to the party.
I know I’m beating a broken drum, but when are the people of Utah going to take their power to vote seriously? When are they going to quit reelecting candidates who have proven to be insensible to their interests? When are they going to put the character and qualifications of a person above party?
Barbara Watkins, Draper