CACHE COUNTY – With the 2025 municipal elections just weeks away, the State Lieutenant Governor’s Office has issued a glowing report on election handling by Cache County Clerk Bryson Behm and his staff.
The complementary Oct. 10 report closes the books on a state probe of the 2023 municipal election that found numerous faults with former County Clerk David Benson’s handling of the balloting here that year.
“You and your staff have made outstanding efforts and meaningful progress in addressing the issues (previously) identified,” Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson wrote in the preface to her report to Behm. “The improvements demonstrate a strong commitment to your oath of office and responsibilities to administer elections in Cache County.”
Henderson’s commendation comes in stark contrast to a report on the botched 2023 municipal elections, which admonished Benson for failure to address 31 issues in the handing of ballots and election results.
“Under your watch, the 2023 Cache County municipal primary and general election fell unacceptably short of … statutory obligations,” Henderson wrote in January of 2024.
“Failure to adhere to statute creates opportunities for fraud and election manipulation to occur,” she emphasized. “Fidelity to your oath of office demands that you correct these problems immediately.”
Benson was selected by fellow members of the Cache County GOP to replace former Clerk/Auditor Jess Bradfield during a special election in June of 2023. Faced with supervising local municipal elections in November of that same year in the midst of an abrupt turnover of personnel from his office, Benson’s administration quickly drew fire from Henderson.
Although state investigators found no evidence of fraud in the Nov. 21 election results or a subsequent recount of ballots, Henderson nevertheless issued a scathing report that was highly critical of Benson’s leadership.
Among other “deeply troubling” issues, state investigators found that county employees falsified the results of a legally required logic and accuracy test of voting tabulation equipment and failed to maintain an accurate chain of custody of election ballots, resulting in court charges against former county election supervisor Dustin Hansen.
Benson resigned as county clerk on Mar. 18 of 2024 and was eventually replaced by Behm following another special election.
Staff members from Henderson’s office spend four days during the recent primary elections observing every aspect of that process.
“I am please to write that they were able to verify that every recommendation made in the (February 2024) report has been fully implemented,” according to Henderson.
“I encourage you to remain diligent in looking for new ways to strengthen Cache County elections and to uphold your commitment to Utah election laws, administrative rules and best practices.”
The recent report issued by state officials, praising Behm for correcting all 31 issues and implementing training and other guardrails to prevent similar failures, is scheduled to be reviewed by members of the Cache County Council at the regular meeting on Oct. 14.