Lawsuit To Stop Salt Lake County Ballot Counting To Be Heard In Court

WEST JORDAN, Utah – There are mixed reactions from voters following the law suit filed by Mia Love’s campaign to stop the ballot counting in Salt Lake County.

If granted by a judge, this would allow the campaign time to examine the signatures on mail-in ballot envelopes and match them with the signatures on file with the county clerk.

“It’s pretty interesting,” voter Anthony Wright said. “It sounds like a delay tactic. I think it’s more interesting that she chose Salt Lake County to sue seeing that it’s kind of more liberal-leaning. It probably favors Ben McAdams. I think it’s kind of a low blow on her part.”

“I think she probably has the right to know,” voter Spencer Aamondt said. “Especially if she maybe thinks there’s something fishy going on.”

The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office filed a motion the same day to dismiss the lawsuit. District Attorney Sim Gill said Love and her campaign are seeking to interrupt the process of counting votes.

Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox tweeted Thursday that he “stayed up late writing about the election, what is happening in the Mia Love vs Ben McAdams race and answering the important questions.”

Good morning friends! I stayed up late writing about the election, what is happening in the Mia Love vs Ben McAdams race and answering the important questions…https://t.co/mB8efHtH1w pic.twitter.com/3OHVSvPpQf

— Spencer Cox (@SpencerJCox) November 15, 2018

While Cox can’t comment on the ongoing litigation, he wrote a post on Medium.com that stated, “At this point it does not appear that there is any statue [sic] that specifically addresses a challenge to a voter’s signature. Unless ordered otherwise by a judge, counties are bound by the law to complete their canvass by November 20th.”

Salt Lake County Clerk Sherrie Swensen said she has no intention of stopping the ballot processing unless it’s ordered by a court.

The suit will be heard at 2 p.m. in West Jordan.