Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Vacancies topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House advances HB 315 to let municipal bodies choose a 'game of chance' to break multi‑way ties
Summary
House Bill 315 allows municipal legislative bodies to choose a fair game of chance in advance to break multi‑way ties when filling vacancies; the committee advanced the bill unanimously.
House Bill 315 changes the municipal vacancy process so that, when a legislative body must fill a vacancy and several nominees tie, the body may use an agreed‑upon game of chance with equal odds to determine who advances or wins. The committee voted unanimously to forward the bill to the House floor.
Representative Stoddard, who introduced the bill, said the legislation is a targeted fix to a practical problem that arose when Midvale’s council had multiple tied candidates and the existing statutory language directing a coin toss did not provide a workable procedure for three‑way ties. Midvale Mayor Dustin Gettle described his own appointment, saying that a three‑way tie forced multiple coin tosses that required “about 15 minutes” and produced unfavorable public perception even though the council later chose a mayor by recorded vote.
The proposed language allows the municipal legislative body to pick any impartial game of chance with equal odds (draw straws, highest card, assigned numbers and draw, etc.) and to use it to reduce multiple tied nominees to two, at which point the body may proceed with the usual appointment process. The League of Cities and Towns and several municipal leaders supported the clarification.
Committee members had clarifying questions about what specific games would qualify and how the municipality should document the tie‑breaking method; the bill requires the legislative body to record the method chosen. The committee voted to advance HB 315 to the full House with a favorable recommendation.
