This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated.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.
Lawmakers gave final passage Thursday to a bill ensuring that most county governments will continue to have partisan offices, with candidates running as Republicans, Democrats or members of another party.
The Senate passed HB365 25-0, and sent it to Gov. Gary Herbert for his signature.
Some residents of Millard County have started 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, the Millard County attorney has asserted that law is murky, and might allow nonpartisan elections.
Rep. Merrill Nelson, R-Grantsville, sponsor of the bill, said it clarifies policy. He said earlier 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."
— Lee Davidson