Emery County Republicans host convention

By Patsy Stoddard
Editor

The Emery County Republican party hosted their county convention on April 12 at Huntington Elementary.
The delegates from the precinct caucus meetings attended the convention where they placed their votes for those running for office.
The group heard from Commissioner Kent Wilson who is running for office. He became an Emery County Commissioner after Commissioner Keith Brady moved from the county.
Commissioner Wilson is running unopposed. Randy Johnson nominated Commissioner Wilson for the office of commissioner.
Gil Conover is running for Emery County Commissioner. Sheriff Greg Funk nominated Conover for the position. Conover is also running unopposed.
Wilson and Conover will move onto the November election without needing a primary.
Brenda Tuttle was nominated by Alaina Dugmore for the office of clerk/auditor. Tuttle has worked for Emery County for the past 22 years. She is being challenged this year by Russell Larsen. Larsen was nominated by Neal Peacock.
After the voting took place Tuttle received more than 60 percent of the delegate votes. There will still be a primary in June as Larsen has collected the required number of signatures to be placed on the ballot. Tuttle will be the preferred candidate for the Emery County Republican party.
Keaton Cowley, sheriff candidate was nominated by Mack Huntington. Sheriff Greg Funk was nominated by Bruce Funk.
After the voting, neither Cowley nor Sheriff Funk received more than 60 percent of the votes, so neither will be the preferred candidate of the Republican party of Emery County.
Cowley and Sheriff Funk will both advance to the primary in June.
Mike Olsen was nominated for the party’s candidate for County Attorney. He will face an opponent in the November election, but he was unchallenged at the county convention.
In addition to the voting for candidates, the party worked on their party constitution. They made the needed changes to bring their constitution into compliance with state law.
State law now states candidates can gather signatures to be placed on a primary ballot as well as through a county convention. The state wants two pathways to a primary.
State and national candidates or their representatives also spoke at the convention.