Alliance for a Better Utah call on Utah County Clerk to step down before the election
Salt Lake City, UT – Aaron Davidson, Utah County’s clerk, is responsible for overseeing elections in the second largest county in Utah. He has shown repeatedly he is unfit for that responsibility. He has abused the power of his office, disenfranchised voters, and recklessly inflamed political tensions.
Jeff Merchant, Executive Director for Alliance for a Better Utah, issued the following statement:
“Utahns are entitled to “secret ballots” by constitutional right and while Davidson might be citing technicalities to justify his unethical behavior, we find the pattern of behavior to be immoral and frankly dangerous. Additionally, undermining faith in our extremely secure election process is fueling harmful conspiracy theories and potentially inciting violence. Mr. Davidson should resign. His far fetched conspiracy theories have no place in the sacred responsibility of Utahns casting their ballots and having those ballots counted. If he is unwilling to resign, the Utah County Commission or the Utah Legislature should find a way to immediately neutralize him as a threat to the voters of Utah’s second largest county.”
On his website, Aaron Davidson says “As the Utah County Clerk, I am committed to doing what You, the Public, wants and needs, not what I want above your needs. His behavior makes it clear that he will put his desires above the needs of his office, and the public. We call upon Aaron Davidson to put the needs of his county ahead of his own desires and resign before this upcoming election.”
Aaron Davidson has not only been tracking how politicians voted in Utah, whether by mail, drop-box or in-person, but weaponizing them against state legislators that he disagrees with. His unfounded fears of mail-in voting have trickled out into his practices as county clerk, creating both legal and ethical issues. He misled voters about needing stamps on ballots and created an “unnecessary barrier to voting” with his reckless “fast cast” voting. He also has an abnormally high rate of signature rejections.
Earlier this month, he drafted an inflammatory letter accusing Lt. Governor Henderson of “election fraud”—a claim that has been adopted by right-wing conspiracy theorists and has led to someone suggesting that Henderson be “publicly hanged.” Phil Lyman has been leaning on Davidson’s letter, and the prestige of his office, to prop up his own false claims.
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Alliance for a Better Utah is a nonprofit that holds politicians accountable and advocates for progressive policies that make Utah an even better place. The organization improves the lives of all Utahns through advocacy, transparency, and accountability in Utah politics, policy, and government. More information at www.betterutah.org.
