More than 250 Wasatch County Republican Party members gathered on Tuesday at Rocky Mountain Middle School to select their chosen nominees for three Wasatch County Council seats, the county attorney, the county clerk-auditor and the sheriff.
The nearly 90% quorum at the Republican Party convention was more than Patty Sprunt, the interim chair of the Republican Party, had hoped for. She said interest in the convention was significant, an indicator of how crucial this year’s general election is for Wasatch County.
Wasatch County Sheriff Jared Rigby was the party’s top vote-getter after two delegate voting processes. Ballots were hand-counted each round. Rigby is running for a third term in office.
Summit County Sheriff’s Detective Eric Mainord and Wasatch County Emergency Management Director Jeremy Hales are also running for Wasatch County sheriff.
The first count found Rigby with 116 votes in his favor, while Hales had 89 and Mainord had 44. Delegates voted for a second time, without considering Mainord, because there was not a 60% vote in favor of any candidate. That secondary vote found Rigby with 115 ballots in his favor and Hales with 104.
No candidate secured 60% of the vote after each round, so they will all appear on the GOP primary ballot in June. All three candidates for sheriff also met the signature-gathering threshold, which would have triggered a primary election regardless of who delegates selected as a nominee.
Rigby said he was grateful for the show of support from delegates and the Sheriff’s Office.
“I’m grateful for the deputies in our office. They’re amazing, hard workers,” Rigby said. “That’s what people need, is that consistency from our office.”
Rigby said he is looking forward to meeting directly with “all voters” throughout the remainder of his campaign.
Wasatch County clerk-auditor candidate and current Park City Recorder Michelle Kellogg received more votes than incumbent Joey Granger. Kellogg received 59% of the vote with 148 ballots in her favor. However, Granger and Kellogg opted for signature gathering, as well as the convention process, so there will be a primary election.
Kellogg discussed the need for communication in the clerk-auditor office. She said that any changes in the election processes would be implemented immediately if she were elected.
“I’m very encouraged,” Kellogg said after delegates voted. “I just want people to know that I plan to elevate the office.”
Though former County Council member Steve Farrell planned to come out of retirement to regain his at-large Seat A on the County Council, Farrell lost the nomination to William (Brett) Vance. Neither Vance nor Farrell opted for signature gathering, so there will be no primary.
Vance, a self-proclaimed “America First” candidate, is a former Delta pilot. Vance left the Federal Aviation Administration during the coronavirus pandemic after refusing the COVID-19 vaccination. He said he was pleased with the “vote of confidence” from the Republican Party, having felt like an “underdog” in the race, running against a former county councilor.
Vance will not be running unopposed.
Former Heber City Councilor Rachel Kahler, a Republican, is also vying for the at-large seat. Kahler, who has spoken previously about responsible growth and communication with the public, opted out of the convention process and instead met the signature-gathering requirements to trigger a primary election.
The winner of that primary election will go on to face Democrat Patrick Saucier in November.
The convention vs. signature-gathering process sparked some debate on Tuesday.
Sprunt voiced her distaste for the signature-gathering process during the convention. She asserted that the process did not “put trust” in Republican Party delegates and allowed candidates to “force themselves” onto the primary election ballot.
In order to bypass the nominating convention process, candidates running for county office must gather signatures from 3% of registered voters in their party who are residents of the relevant area, according to state code. Candidates can also choose both the convention process, where delegates choose their nominees, and the signature-gathering process. That’s what all three candidates running for sheriff opted to do, as well as candidates for clerk-auditor.
Some delegates, like Ally Isom, said she supports the two processes.
“I think having both options is really healthy,” Isom said, adding that it is “fair.”
Three candidates are running unopposed either in the party or altogether and opted for the convention process. They were chosen as the party’s nominee automatically by a vote of acclamation.
By a show of hands, Erik Rowland was chosen as the nominee for Wasatch County Council Seat C, which encompasses Heber City east of U.S. 40 and north of E Center Street. Rowland is running for reelection. He said that defending his seat as an unopposed candidate felt “like a vacation,” but Rowland also said he wants to be clear about his intentions as a County Council candidate.
“I genuinely want people to know what I stand for,” Rowland said. “I appreciate the opportunity to speak.”
In his speech, Rowland discussed the need for preserving the rural character of the Heber Valley and maintaining local control in County Council operations. He also highlighted his desire to work with the Utah Department of Transportation on the Heber Valley Corridor bypass route. Rowland said his goal is to preserve the North Fields in Wasatch County.
By another show of hands, Wasatch County Planning Commissioner Michael Murphy was selected as the party nominee for Wasatch County Council Seat F, which represents east of Mill Road and Center Street in Heber City and all of Hideout.
Murphy finds himself running unopposed in the Wasatch County Republican Party after Bruce Zollinger withdrew and current County Councilor Karl McMillan resigned from his seat in April, citing serious health concerns. Murphy will not run unopposed altogether, however, and faces Joe Tugaw, a Democrat, in the race.
And Wasatch County Deputy Attorney Jon Woodard was picked as the party’s nominee for county attorney. Woodard, who is running unopposed in the party, will run against Democrat Lauren Forsyth for the position.
Woodard discussed the need to preserve conservative culture in Wasatch County. He supports how operations are currently run in the County Attorney’s Office.
“It’s good to see a show of support for conservative values and positive support for the message and vision of our office,” Woodard said.
This year’s primary election will be held on June 23.