This does not Reflect a Democracy

   There is a something interesting in the story of Scott Tingley stepping down as Salt Lake County auditor: There won't be a public election to replace him. The party will select the lone nomination.

   Consider how this would go down if it were the old Soviet Union: The party would make a nomination, and that would provide the only person nominated. No public election allowed.

   Are we so different, here in Utah? No most of our filling of offices are not done without public elections. But why should this situation be any different? Why not hold a special election and select among at least two candidates -- and one of those nominations should be from the party of opposition.

    I would imagine the scenario for Scott Tingley's being replaced is duplicated in democracies throughout the world. That doesn't make it right -- nor democratic. It is something that should be corrected. That everyone is doing it doesn't make it right.

    I consider Utah a state with high values. Here, of all places, such policy as this should be corrected.

    If you have a democracy that functions as democracy 98 percent of the time, but chooses not to do so the other 2 percent of the time, that democracy is tainted. It is not fully a democracy.