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Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
SALT LAKE CITY Attempts to prohibit some nicknames from going on election ballots had some in the Utah Senate questioning whether the motive was personal or if it violated free speech.
“I think the ballot should not be a tool for campaigning. I think that there is integrity to the ballot,” said the floor sponsor of HB152, Sen. Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork.
HB152 would limit candidates to their given name or a nickname that they’ve “generally been known” by for at least five years and they have “documentary evidence” as proof.
HB152, sponsored by Rep. Jeffrey Stenquist, R-Draper, faltered on a 36-34 vote, failing to reach the threshold of 38 votes under rules that a bill must surpass half of the Utah House of Representatives body of 75.
Stenquist sought to limit nicknames from becoming campaign tools. His bill would only allow the candidate s given name or abbreviated version of it, middle name, surname, initials or an acquired name they can prove they are generally known by in the community for at least five years or longer.
The decisions of whether nicknames like State Auditor John Frugal Dougall he has used it on the ballot for years would be left to the discretion of local election officials, Stenquist said. If candidates can prove it s a name they ve been commonly known by at least five years, it would be allowed.
Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
SALT LAKE CITY Week two of the 2021 Utah Legislature began with news that one Utah lawmaker is hospitalized with COVID-19 and two others tested positive for the disease.
Rep. Jon Hawkins, R-Pleasant Grove, has been hospitalized with the novel coronavirus after becoming ill before the session started Jan. 19. On Monday, Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, and Senate Budget Vice Chairman Don Ipson, R-St. George, both tested positive during rapid testing that is available to lawmakers and Capitol Hill staff.
Ipson tested negative Jan. 22 and remained in Salt Lake City over the weekend, but after testing positive on Monday, he returned to St. George.