With just a few days left in the filing window some are expecting a rush at the County Courthouse on Friday as people declare themselves candidates in county, state and school board races that will be on the ballot in November.
The deadline for filing the paperwork to run for office is March 19 at 5 p.m.
Four men in Summit County had declared themselves candidates in the sheriff race as of Tuesday. In seeking his third term in office, Republican Summit County Sheriff Dave Edmunds is facing a challenge from within his own party. South Summit Republican Kris Hendricksen has filed in the sheriff race.
Hendricksen is a former Summit County Sheriff’s Office deputy who left the department about 18 months ago. Edmunds has come under fire from critics who claim several employees have left the Sheriff’s Office under his watch. Hendricksen said he intends to make turnover an issue in the contest.
But Hendricksen resigned from the Sheriff’s Office under a cloud of suspicion, Edmunds said in a telephone interview Tuesday.
“[Hendricksen] resigned while he was the subject of an internal affairs investigation,” Edmunds said. “The vast majority of the people who have left the Sheriff’s Office since I have been the sheriff have either been terminated or resigned while they were the subject of an internal affairs investigation.”
Because they are personnel matters, Edmunds said he could not discuss details of the probes.
Hendricksen explained that he was investigated because he missed a training session and badmouthed another deputy.
“Did I call a guy on my crew a snitch? Yes, I did. I said it in a closed-door meeting with my immediate supervisor and the sheriff,” Hendricksen said in telephone interview Tuesday. “Standing up to them was the problem.”
Meanwhile, two Democrats had entered the sheriff race as of Tuesday. Francis resident Dax Shane is a police officer in Salt Lake City and North Summit resident Alan Siddoway is a sergeant at the Summit County Sheriff’s Office.
Other races
Two incumbents on the Summit County Council are seeking second terms this year. Democrat Chris Robinson and Republican David Ure have declared their candidacies for council seats D and E.
The other County Courthouse races on the ballot in November include assessor, auditor, attorney, clerk, recorder and treasurer. Summit County Clerk Kent Jones, a Democrat, and Summit County Auditor Blake Frazier, a Democrat, are seeking another term. Democratic Summit County Recorder Alan Spriggs has also filed as a candidate.
Democrat Steve Martin filed in the assessor race and Democrats Corrie Kirklen and Tyler Rowser registered as candidates for treasurer.
Republican David Brickey is seeking another term as county attorney and Henry Glasheen, chairman of the Summit County Republican Party, filed as a candidate for treasurer.
Republican Richard Motto registered in the clerk race and Republican Robert Hunt filed as a candidate for assessor.
Federal offices on the ballot include seats in the U.S. Senate and Utah’s 1st Congressional District. The state races are governor, lieutenant governor, Senate District 26 and House Districts 25 and 53. Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon, a Democrat, has scheduled a visit to the Park City area Wednesday to publicize his campaign for governor.
State Sen. Kevin Van Tassell, a Republican who represents District 26, filed for another term. In the race for House District 25, Republicans Janice Clemmer and Rick Raile have filed. Democrats John Netto and Joel Briscoe also filed as candidates for District 25. State Rep. Mel Brown, a Coalville Republican who represents District 53, filed for another term and Summit County Democratic Party Chairman Glenn Wright filed for District 53 as a Democrat.
Candidates for two seats on the Park City Board of Education include Michael Boyle who filed for another term in District 5. Charles Cunningham and Ari Ioannides filed in District 4 in the Park City area. Steven Hardman filed in the race for District 4 on the South Summit Board of Education and Matt Flinders filed for District 5 in the Kamas area. In the North Summit School District, Michael Calderwood and Sheldon Smith filed for District 4 and Vern Williams filed for District 5. Candidates for school board must live in the districts they intend to represent.
Information for those interested in filing as a candidate is available at www.summitcounty.org/clerk/candidates.html. The dates for caucus meetings, conventions and elections are posted at www.summitcounty.org/clerk/elections.html.