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CEDAR CITY — In a showdown over the integrity of the primary election, one county commissioner has declared he will refuse to certify the results, as more than 700 ballots throughout southern Utah hang in limbo due to disputed postmark dates.
Announced on Facebook Friday evening, Iron County Commissioner Paul Cozzens cited concerns over the validity of the primary election results in Iron County. Cozzens' decision came after he learned that a substantial number of ballots — more than 400 ballots in Iron County — had postmark dates indicating they were mailed after the June 24 deadline.
"I cannot in good conscience certify this election," Cozzens said during an interview with St. George/Cedar City News. "Too many voters have vehemently contested the discrepancy, insisting they sent their ballots well before the cutoff date, with some claiming to have mailed them as early as June 22. I would not be keeping my oath of office if I certify that election."
Iron County Clerk Jon Whittaker acknowledged the unprecedented scale of ballot discrepancies, noting that neighboring Washington County is also grappling with a similar issue, where over 300 ballots are in question.
