Governors race faces new challenge with multiple candidates with the same last name

SALT LAKE CITY — There’s a new wrinkle in the governors race. We now have more than one Lyman. Both are running a write-in campaign.

After losing in the primary election, Phil Lyman has been running as a write-in candidate. Now, another Lyman has appeared in the race.

Richard Lyman and Carol Lyman are also running for governor and Lt. governor, respectively. They are also running unaffiliated and as write-in candidates.

With multiple candidates in the Governor’s race have the same last name of Lyman, could potentially cause some problems. Most voters are worried that the write-in ballots won’t be counted for the intended candidate.

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Associate Director of The Hinkley Institute, Morgan Lyon-Cotti, said voters will need to make sure to write the first name of the candidate they want.

“Utah is a voter-intent state. So as long as the election worker can tell who you are voting for thats who your vote goes to,” said Lyon-Cotti.

Lyon-Cotti also said most people who choose the write-in option tend to be very informed voters who are hopefully contentious enough to make their vote clear.

“Usually it is someone who is pretty informed who knows that name that they want to be writing down.”

Phil Lyman, Democrat Brian King unite in campaign video against Gov. Spencer Cox

Contributing: Diana Jones, KSL NewsRadio