Despite official withdrawal, Seegmiller’s name to remain on primary ballot for House 73

ST. GEORGE — With some final paperwork submitted to the Washington County Clerk/Auditor’s Office earlier this week, Rep. Travis Seegmiller says he has “indeed withdrawn from the race” for Utah House District 73.

In this file photo, Rep. Travis Seegmiller speaking at the Washington County Republican organizing convention in St. George, Utah, April 10, 2021 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

The submission brings an end to speculation Seegmiller hadn’t withdrawn from the race, despite a recent notice of his pending July 1 resignation to the Speaker of the Utah House. Seegmiller noted in his resignation letter that an “unexpected opportunity had arisen” for his family that will require them to move out of the district.

Prior to his resignation, Seegmiller was going into a primary election against fellow Republican Colin Jack following the results of the Washington County Republican Party’s nominating convention in April. Jack took 56.1% of the delegate vote to Seegmiller’s 43.9%. Together they would also face challenger Nina Barnes who was eliminated at the convention, yet still secured a spot on the primary ballot thanks to signature gathering.

Now, minus the incumbent, only Barnes and Jack are running for House 73. However, due to a mix-up in timing, Seegmiller’s name still will be on ballots being mailed to voters in that district.

“Unbeknownst to me the ballots were headed to the printer earlier than expected, so my name ended up being on the printed ballots, unfortunately, despite my resignation in early May,” Seegmiller said in a text to St. George News. “It was just bureaucracy.”

A closeup of a vote by mail envelope. Photo illustration. | Photo by Darylann Elmi, iStock / Getty Images Plus, St. George News

Washington County Clerk/Auditor Susan Lewis confirmed this Wednesday, adding that overseas and military ballots already had been mailed out. The majority of the ballots should begin to arrive at voter households the week of June 7. The primary election is set for June 28.

“We will be doing everything we can to outreach to his (Seegmiller’s) district to let them know he has withdrawn,” Lewis said.

Due to Seegmiller not officially resigning from the race as he originally thought he had, speculation began to rise concerning the timing of his resignation and his name remaining on the ballot. Adding to the speculation was a May 15 editorial from The Salt Lake Tribune which stated that if Seegmiller somehow won the primary election despite his resignation, the date of this resignation would allow a handful of party delegates to select his replacement and not the overall voters of District 73.

“Maybe that’s not a plot by a few party insiders to keep control over that legislative seat,” The Tribune wrote. “But, if they were to hatch a scheme to keep the voters out of the room while the decision is made, it would look a lot like that.”

In this file photo, delegate votes being collected at the 2022 Washington County Republican nominating convention, St. George, Utah, April 9, 2022 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

Seegmiller called the suggestion that he and the county GOP may have been engaged in such a scheme “irresponsible” and “yellow journalism” by “inventor-journalists.”

“Bogus speculation does nothing to advance civil dialogue in a political environment where civility of discourse is so desperately needed,” he said. “There was ZERO stratagem or conniving to rob voters of their rights, as has been irresponsibly speculated.”

The Washington County Republican Party still needs to pick an interim replacement for Seegmiller to serve until the end of his term in mid-January 2023. The county party’s central committee will select that replacement in a special election set for June 1.

Notice was sent in early May seeking individuals interested in filling the interim position. They were asked to respond by May 17.

Washington County Republican Chair Lesa Sandberg confirmed that the only one to submit paperwork for the position had been Jack.

Barnes chose not to take part in the special election, citing in a press release that she felt the timing of the special election was suspect and being held for the benefit of party insiders seeking to influence the results of the election. The county GOP responded soon after that it was following party bylaws related to selecting Seegmiller’s interim replacement and that there was nothing suspicious about it.

In this file photo, Rep. Travis Seegmiller speaks to the delegates during the 2022 Washington County Republican nominating convention, St. George, Utah, April 9, 2022 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

“The timing of Representative Seegmiller’s notice was unfortunate, and has left the party in an unwanted position,” Washington County Republican officials said in a press release. “We have done our best to follow our bylaws, and look forward to taking care of business on June 1, 2022. Unfortunately, the ballots for the upcoming primary election have already been printed with Representative Seegmiller’s name on it. At this point, anyone who votes for Representative Seegmiller in the Primary Election will be a wasted vote.”

When asked if he planned to endorse either remaining candidate for District 73, Seegmiller said he was not.

As no Democrat or third-party candidate is running in the race, whomever wins the primary election in June will pass through the general election in November unopposed.

Seegmiller originally was appointed to serve in House District 62 (which became District 73 late last year due to redistricting) in February 2018 following the sudden resignation of Rep. Jon Stanard who was implicated by a British newspaper to be involved with a sex worker. For his part, Stanard cited family and personal reasons as the catalysts for his leaving office.

Seegmiller waded through his own controversy that began last August and recently ended in a no-contest plea in April. This was related an an incident where he reportedly shot a doe on private property near New Harmony.

While particular charges of the case were dismissed, Seegmiller was still fined around $800 for the incident and had his hunting privileges revoked for three years.

Seegmiller said he was displeased by news outlets’ efforts to defame him since last year’s incident and that media coverage has been “sensationalistic and of questionable accuracy.”

Ed. note: The accusation that Seegmiller shot a doe out of season was reported in error and has been removed.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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