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Murray voters can participate in drive-up voting this primary election

Jun 11, 2020 12:33PM ● By Shaun Delliskave

By Shaun Delliskave|[email protected]

The pandemic of 2020 has obviously altered Murrayites’ lives, including how they handle most daily tasks: curbside pick-up for fine dining, drive-up doctor visits, parking lot grocery pick-up, and now drive-thru voting.

House Bill 3006, passed by the Utah State Legislature on April 16, mandates that all voting will take place via mail. The June 30 primary election will be conducted entirely by mail, but for Murray voters who do not receive a ballot in the mail, they can pick up a ballot on Election Day at the Salt Lake County Government Center drive-up location at 2001 S. State St. Times and other pick up locations have yet to be posted. Once ballots are completed, voters can drop them in one of the numerous ballot drop box locations including Murray City Hall, 5025 S. State St. These secured boxes are available 24/7 until 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Ballots will be mailed to registered voters around June 8, with the last day to request a ballot being June 23. Residents can register to vote by mail by June 19.

The pandemic stifled some candidates’ efforts to collect signatures to appear on the primary ballot, and the party conventions locked in most of their candidates for local house and senate races. However, Murray voters will still be able to consider candidates for governor and federal House of Representatives.

For Salt Lake County Council, eastside Murray’s County Council District Four will see incumbent Ann Granato advance to Inauguration Day; there were no Democratic primary challengers nor is there a Republican candidate for Granato to face off with in the general election.

Voters living in the Granite School District, namely Woodstock and Twin Peaks Elementary Schools area residents, will decide who will compete for the open seat left by outgoing Precinct Two Board Member Connie Anderson. Three candidates have filed, two will move on to the general election. Candidates are Jerry Haslam, Clarke Nelson and Starleen Orullian.

Murray School Board incumbents Glo Merrill and Jaren Cooper face no primary or general election challengers and will retain their places on the board.

Voters in southeast Murray will have a new representative in House District 46, as Marie Poulson has announced that she will retire after this year. While there will be no primary contests for this seat, the Democratic State Convention delegates advanced Gay Lynn Bennion to the general election, where she will face Republican Jaren Davis, who previously ran for the seat in 2008, and Libertarian Lee Anne Walker.

Republican State Convention delegates forwarded Kyle Bird directly to the general election to face House District 44 (Central Murray) incumbent Andrew Stoddard (D). United Utah Party will also field candidate John Jackson in this race.

Other Murray House races will skip the primary for the general election. District 34 (southwest Murray) saw David Young emerge from the Republican Convention to face incumbent Nancy Kwan (D). District 37 (east Murray) incumbent Carol Spackman Moss (D) will face Maryann Christensen, who was selected during the Republican Convention. District 35 (north Murray) will see Republican Luke Gustafson and United Utah candidate Adam Bean take on incumbent Democrat Mark Wheatley.

The only Murray State Senate seat in contention this year is for Senate District 8 (southeast Murray). Voters that will see a repeat battle between incumbent Democrat Kathleen Riebe and Republican Brian Zehnder.

Since many races are set for the general election, Murray voters will be able to vote for some statewide races, namely the governor’s office with Gov. Gary Herbert retiring. Murray Republicans will select from Jon Huntsman, Spencer Cox, Thomas Wright or Greg Hughes. All other political parties chose their candidates out of the convention.

Murray Republicans will also select between Trent Christensen, Kim Coleman, Burgess Owens and Jay Mcfarland, as their candidate to run in the general election against incumbent Congressman Ben McAdams (D). Additionally, they will decide whether incumbent Attorney General Sean Reyes or contender David Leavitt will move on to the general election.

There are no Murray municipal offices on the ballot this year. Murrayites can see who will be appearing on their ballot and learn more about the candidates by going online to vote.utah.gov.