Now, Utah voters get to speak their piece

Citizens in Utah's 237 cities and towns can go to the polls today, and voters in five of those cities will select from a full slate of candidates after a deadline debacle nearly left some ballots blank.

State judges in Utah, Box Elder and Salt Lake counties reinstated candidates who had failed to comply with a new state filing deadline, while the Utah Supreme Court rejected an appeal from a hopeful in Draper.

Meanwhile, Salt Lake City's mayoral race tops the interest list with both Mayor Rocky Anderson and challenger Frank Pignanelli on TV and radio airwaves statewide the past several weeks in what will likely be a close race.

Ogden Mayor Matthew Godfrey fights off a challenge by Councilman Jesse Garcia. And Holladay, one of the state's newest cities, will get a new part-time mayor after changing its form of municipal government in an August vote. Bob Neslen and Dennis Webb want that top job.

In Utah County, Judge Lynn Davis reinstated all six candidates in Spanish Fork during a conference call with Spanish Fork city attorney George Chingas and Spanish Fork city recorder Kent R. Clark. Davis approved a stipulation that followed a pattern used by Lehi and Eagle Mountain, where candidates were reinstated on Friday.

The stipulations rule that the candidates are in substantial compliance with a new state law that requires filing of an interim campaign-finance disclosure statement seven days before the general election.

In Spanish Fork, five of the six candidates missed the deadline but submitted their filings within a day and a half of the due date.

On Monday, Clark said the city is pleased with the court's decision but he believes the penalties imposed on fourth-class cities (those with populations between 10,000 and 30,000) are unnecessary.

"In light of statewide problems encountered this year concerning this issue," Clark said, "Spanish Fork city urges the Utah State Legislature to revisit (the law) by exempting third-, fourth-, and fifth-class cities and towns from the disqualification penalties."

Sherman Huff has run three campaigns for public office and this is the first time he found himself delinquent for filing a disclosure.

"It isn't nonsense, but it's very punitive," Huff said. "I only had one contribution of $50, so to have all your own money and hard work thrown out for being eight hours late, that's ridiculous."