Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Elections topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Clerk reports high turnout, three reports of ballot‑box intimidation; county honors clerk for on‑scene emergency aid
Summary
Iron County Clerk John Whitaker told commissioners the county saw about an 85% turnout in the recent election, reported three incidents of voter intimidation at the Cedar City ballot box, and experienced scanner/image issues that required a spare unit; commissioners presented Whitaker with a certificate after he and emergency manager George Colson assisted paramedics at a medical emergency while collecting ballots.
John Whitaker, speaking on behalf of the county clerk's office, briefed the Iron County Commission on the Nov. 5 election and follow-up work at the Nov. 12 meeting. Whitaker said turnout was high — roughly 85% in county precincts — and that staff and law enforcement increased surveillance of drop boxes and picked up ballots more frequently after receiving three separate reports of voter intimidation at the Cedar City ballot box.
Whitaker described technical problems with ballot-image quality that required a spare scanner from Flagstaff and a technician from Moab; adjudication work continued into the days following election night. He said the county coordinated with the U.S. Postal Service, who stamped incoming ballots, and law enforcement to maintain secure collection and transport procedures.
In a separate moment during the meeting, the commission presented Whitaker with a certificate of appreciation for an off-duty act while collecting ballots. Commissioners recounted that Whitaker and emergency manager George Colson stopped at a residence where paramedics were exhausted while moving a patient; Whitaker and Colson assisted and the patient was resuscitated and transported to the hospital. The county thanked both for the action, noting that personal protective equipment was not used in the moment because the situation required immediate intervention.
The commission did not adopt any new election policies during the meeting; Whitaker said the county will finalize vote canvass numbers at the upcoming statutory canvass and continue to work with state partners and local law enforcement on box security and any follow‑up related to reported intimidation.
