This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2008, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
PROVO - In the wake of last month's election problems, the county elections supervisor is being demoted.
And Utah County Clerk-Auditor Bryan Thompson is getting a deputy chief to handle the elections job.
The County Commission on Thursday voted to eliminate Elections Supervisor Sandy Hoffman's position and move her to a new office-worker's slot, reducing her salary by 12 percent.
Then it voted to create the deputy chief clerk-auditor's position to be filled by Denver's deputy elections director, Scott Hogensen.
Starting Monday with a salary of $50,976, he will oversee passports, marriage licenses and elections in Utah County.
"As someone who has been elected by the people, I have to do what I think helps the office run as efficiently and as cost-effectively as possible," Thompson said.
Hogensen worked as a chief deputy clerk in Summit County and elections director in Weber County before going to Denver.
He also advised the Utah group that chose electronic voting machines for the state.
The personnel changes come one month after a primary election that saw confused voters trying to find out where to vote after the county consolidated voting districts. Thompson said the election snafu was a factor in his decision to make the change, but it was not the overriding one.
During the meeting, Hoffman, who has supervised elections for the past three years, said she had little choice but to accept the demotion.
"The reason I took it well was because I had two choices: accept a severance package or take a cut in pay," she said.
Cathy Pace, president of the Utah County Employees Association, said the move caught her off-guard.
She said the association will review the matter before making a statement.