Bill removing election oversight from lieutenant governor’s office undergoes big changes

SALT LAKE CITY — A proposal that would have taken oversight of elections away from the office of the lieutenant governor has been changed, and passed out of committee with unanimous support. 

Rep. Ryan Wilcox, R-Ogden, said that his bill would create the role of an officer who oversees any race that poses a conflict of interest with the governor or lieutenant governor.

“They have all the authority that the lieutenant governor has, outside of that race,” Wilcox said.

Conflicts of interest during an election are the concern

Wilcox introduced the bill with concerns about a potential conflict of interest.

The language of HB369 states that the bill: 

provides for the appointment of a conflict of interest elections officer to act in the place of the lieutenant governor if a complaint or election controversy arises that has any connection to a race for office in which the governor or lieutenant governor is, or seeks to be, a candidate.”

In the original version of HB369, all of the lieutenant governor’s elections responsibilities would have been transferred to an independent elections office managed by an appointed director.

At least one county clerk, Weber County Clerk Auditor Ricky Hatch, is on board with the change.

“I don’t see any issues with this bill,” he said.

However, because the proposed officer cannot be an elected official or employed by the state, Utah County Clerk Aaron Davidson said it could be difficult to find the right person for the job.

“Somehow you have to find somebody that is familiar with everything that we do, but can’t be doing what we’re doing,” Davidson said.

HB369 would also create an oversight committee, which would review Utah elections and make recommendations to improve the process.