Sanpete County Republicans

SANPETE LOSES 68TH DISTRICT HOUSE SEAT TO MILLARD COUNTY

11/21/09  Nephi, UT:  Sanpete County lost the 68th district house seat recently vacated by Rep. Brad Winn in a brusing, sixteen-round special convention voting battle.  The marathon vote took place the night of Nov. 21st  at the Juab County Commission Chambers in Nephi. 

The contest featured four candidates, three of whom were from Sanpete County, and one from Millard County.  The three Sanpete candidates were Edwin Sunderland, a prominent dairy farmer from Chester, Chris Anderson, an attorney from Spring City, and Ted Olsen, a Snow College professor from Ephraim.  The lone Millard County Candidate was dairy farmer and former member of the House, Mr. Bill Wright from Holden. 

It was clear from the outset that the Millard county delegates had caucused prior to the convention and were well organized and united behind their single candidate.  It was rumored that a second announced candidate from Millard County had suddenly dropped out of the race after being “pursuaded” that it would be best for Milliard to be united behind one candidate. 

Sanpete County delegates were not similiarly organized and were disadvantaged by the fact that several delegates failed to show up and no alternates were qualified in their place.  Normally Sanpete holds a slight majority over Millard in the district but even with two Juab County delegates voting initially in favor of Sanpete County candidates, it quickly became clear that the delegates were split almost exactly down the middle.

Unlike elections in a regular election cycle, there would be no primary runoff if the vote was close.  This special election was a winner-take-all affair that would chose one name to be submitted to the Governor for appointment to fill out the remainder of Rep. Winn’s term.  The successful candidate had to garner a 60% majority in order to win.

The first three rounds quickly eliminated Anderson and Olsen from the field, leaving the contest to Sunderland and Wright, both dairy farmers.  It quickly became apparent that the two would split the attending delegates almost exactly down the middle.  At the end of each successive round of voting the candidates were permitted to make short campaign speeches or invite supporters to speak on their behalf.  Wright held a slight advantage over Sunderland in the early rounds, but with each successive round Sunderland gained votes until he actually tied Wright in the 8th round.  From that point, the lead seesawed back and forth.  At one point Sunderland came within two votes of winning.  But due to several Sanpete delegates not being present or having their alternates present, and County Recorder Reed Hatch leaving the meeting in the middle of voting, Sunderland began to slip.  It became clear that the contest would come down to a war of attrition with the win going to candidate whose county delegation held out the longest.  After the 12th round, impatient, tired Sanpete delegates began to defect while Millard County delegates held firm.  After a grulling five-hour contest, Wright was declared the winner in the 16th round with just barely over 60% of the vote.

The loss of the 68th district seal is a blow to Sanpete County.  It means noone from Sanpete County represents us in the legislature.  Had all Sanpete County District 68 delegates shown up at this important  contest it is highly likely that the Sanpete County candidate would have won. 

A number of delegates questioned why alternates were not choosen to replace delegates that couldn’t attend.  Party Chairperson, Beverly Thomas, said one of the problems was that the party was unaware that alternates had to be registered by the state party by Nov. 13th rather than being able to register them immediately prior to the special convention as is done at regular nominating conventions.  Some Sanpete delegates complained that our delegation was not organized nor united to the extent that Millard County was and that some delegates gave up too easily as the evening wore on.

Wright’s election is very short term.  As is the case will all House members, he will have to run again in 2010, this time through the normal nomination process which includes the possibility of a strong challenge by a Sanpete County Candidate.  Even a relative weak candidate could likely force a primary election.   Under party rules, a 70% delegate majority is required to avoid a primary runoff.

The 2010 election cycle will provide an excellent opportunity for Sanpete County to regain this seat if our county party is organized and united and we can field a strong candidate against Rep. Wright.