Elections

FARMINGTON — The city has contracted with Davis County to conduct elections this year for a cost of approximately $9,000.

In recent action, the city council voted to approve a new election agreement with the county for upcoming municipal elections. There are three council seats and the mayor’s position up for election in November.

Costs for the election could actually be less than $9,000, said City Manager Dave Millheim, depending on the number of poll workers and voting machines required.

SUNSET — Mailing it in has new meaning in Sunset, Davis County’s first city to go exclusively to an “all-by-mail” ballot for its Aug. 13 municipal primary and Nov. 5 general election.

The all-by-mail voting format is aimed at increasing voter participation, albeit at an extra cost.

The Sunset City Council voted 3-2 on Tuesday to adopt a Davis County voting system that will provide registered voters all-by-mail paper ballots to their residence 28 days before the primary, and 28 days before the general election.

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah lawmakers wasted no time in the waning hours of the 2013 session resolving a glitch in state law requiring the attorney general to investigate himself when someone alleges a violation of election law.

Two people filed a complaint last week with the Utah Lieutenant Governor’s Office, which oversees state elections, against Attorney General John Swallow.

Apprised of a glitch in Utah code by the lieutenant governor’s office on Wednesday, lawmakers moved quickly to craft legislation to close that loophole, holding a public hearing on the matter at noon Thursday and then fast-tracking a bill, SB 289, dealing with the issue, through both the Senate and House before the gavel came down on the session.

LAYTON — Three days after saying he was preparing to run for re-election in November, Layton Mayor Steve Curtis announced he will not seek a third term.

“I will continue to serve (in community service) with the same passion and love I have for this community for the rest of my life. However, I feel that my time as mayor will come to an end with this term,” Curtis said.

“It is time for someone else to step in and continue building the legacy that is Layton city.”

SALT LAKE CITY — Special elections will all be held in November, effective July 1 this year, if legislation that cleared the Senate on Tuesday becomes law.

Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, said SB 34 is geared to reduce the number of special elections that can be held in any given year, ranging from bond proposals to special district elections.

The measure cleared the Senate by a unanimous vote and now goes to the governor.

CLEARFIELD — For a variety of reasons, several Davis mayors are toying with getting out of the political game this year, with Clearfield Mayor Don Wood and Bountiful Mayor Joe Johnson having already shared with their fellow council members that they will not be seeking re-election this fall.

Wood, who also serves as the vice chairman for the Davis Board of Health, said it is his and his wife’s goal to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

But even if that goal isn’t met, Wood said, having served 10 years in municipal government — two of those years as a councilman and eight years as mayor — is enough.

OGDEN -- Weber State’s Alumni Association and the Weber Historical Society on Monday will present “The Election of 2012: Outcome and Analysis.”

The free talk will feature election analysis by WSU professor Leah Murray, at 7 p.m. in the Alumni Center Garden Room. For information, call 801-626-7535. Weber State is at 3848 Harrison Blvd.