Registration, elections coming Carbons way

By Sun Advocate

What may be one of the biggest elections in years is coming up quickly when voters head to the polls on Nov. 2.
Included on the ballot this year will be presidential, congressional and senate races, along with all the state offices of governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, state auditor and state treasurer.
Also up for a vote will be the state senate office from District 27, as well as voting for state representatives from District 67 and 69.
Locally only three positions are up for grabs, with one county commission seat and three Carbon County School Board seats available.
In the area of judicial elections, retention votes will be administered for three Utah Supreme Courth justices, one from the court of appeals and one from the Seventh District Court that encompasses Carbon, Emery, Grand and San Juan counties.
On the ballot will also be three constitutional amendments and one proposed initiative.
And finally, in a measure that will only be voted on by citizens of East Carbon and Sunnyside, the two electorates will decide whether or not the two cities will be consolidated together.
Bob Pero, the Carbon County Clerk, said that voters should receive their voter identification cards by Oct. 20.
“People will receive a card in the mail if they are registered and we have their correct information,” he commented. “But remember that if you don’t get a card you are not registered, so you need to come in and see us. And when you do get your card make sure all the information is correct. If it isn’t, then you may not be registered at the polling place you plan to go to, especially if there are differences in the address from where you presently live.”
As for voter registration, October 25 is the final day that people can register to vote in person at the county clerk’s office.
“People can still register by mail too,” pointed out Alexis Horsley, assistant county clerk. “But only if they get it to us with a postmark no later than Oct. 13.”
The county will also conduct a couple of special “satellite” registration days for potential voters. In the past there has been three locations in which people could register on those days, but this year citizens can only register at the county courthouse.
“The difference is that we will stay open extended hours on those days,” stated Horsley. “The satellite registration will take place on Oct. 22 and 25. Our office will be open on those days from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.”
The candidates for the offices in question has been set, and many of the names in some races may be unfamiliar to local voters.
For president, George W. Bush, Republican and John Kerry, Domocrat are the obvious candidates. But also on the ballot are Libertarian candidate Michael Badnarik, Socialist Workers Party candidate James Harris, Independent candidate Ralph Nader, Charles Jay of the Personal Choice Party and Michael Anthony Peroutka of the Constitution Party.
For the senate incumbent Robert F. Bennett, Republican, will be running against Democrat Paul Van Dam. Also on the ballot are Constituion Party candidate Gary Van Horn and Joe LaBonte of the Personal Choice party.
In the second district congressional race, incumbent Democrat Jim Matheson faces Republican John Swallow. Also on the ballot are Jeremy Paul Peterson of the Constitution Party, Patrick Diehl of the Green Party and Ronald Amos from the Personal Choice Party.
The top state job is being contested by Scott Matheson, Democrat, Jon Huntsman, Republican and Ken Larsen, of the Personal Choice Party. There is no incumbent for this race because Governor Olene Walker was displaced by Huntsman as the Republican candidate during their parties convention.
For the attorney generals office there are three candidates. The incumbent is Mark Shurtleff a Republican. Also vying for the position is Gregory Skordas, a Democrat and Andrew McCullough, a Libertarian.
For state auditor the three candidates are Auston Johnson, Republican, Carlos Vasquez, Democrat and Valerie Larsen, from the Personal Choice Party.
In the race for state treasurer, incumbent Edward Alter, Republican faces Debbie Hansen, Democrat, Mary Petesen, Personal Choice Party and Jim Elwell, a Libertarian.
In more local elections, state senate district 27 is being voted upon as incumbent Mike Dmitrich, Democrat, faces Phillip Peay, a Republican and William Sharp of the Constitution Party.
In the state house of representatives, district 67 will be decided between Walt Borla, Democrat and Patrick Painter, Republican. In district 69 Brad King, Democrat, is unopposed.
For Carbon County Commission there are two candidates vying for one position. Incumbent Democrat Mike Milovich will be contesting the seat against Gerald Lloyd, a Republican.
While three school board seats are up for grabs only one is contested. Running unopposed is Robert Barry Deeter in precinct one and Debra Blackburn in precinct two. In precinct three incumbent Grady McEvoy is having his seat contested by Bruce M. Quinton.
The three constitutional amendments on the ballot pertain to impeachment proceedings, acquisition of private business by universities and colleges and the so called marriage amendment that spells out that the state will only recognize the union of a man and woman as a legal marriage.
The single initiative on the ballot would authorize the state to borrow up to $150 million with a 1/20th of a cent revenue to pay for the loan from sales tax. The money would be used for a variety of projects in the state, mostly for wildlife and recreation development, as well as cultural and museum projects.