Following a scathing report highlighting election mishaps, Cache County clerk resigns

Cache County Clerk/Auditor David Benson has resigned, the latest in several weeks of election-related controversy that included a scathing report from the Utah Lt. Governor’s office and an employee charged with using PDF editing software to alter an election document.

Benson submitted his letter of resignation on Monday, which took effect at 5 p.m. that day. Benson says there are “many” reasons behind the resignation, “primary among them being attendance to family health matters,” according to a copy of the letter shared with Utah News Dispatch. 

“It has been my pleasure to serve the residents of Cache County. I have especially been privileged to work beside dedicated, professional, friendly people willing to offer their talents to benefit their community. I express my genuine thanks to those who have been a support in my sincere efforts, and hope for continued productivity and teamwork among those acting on behalf of the public,” the letter reads.

Benson’s letter does not mention any of the election turmoil that plagued the Cache County Clerk’s Office for months. His short tenure as county clerk began this summer during a special election — in December, less than six months later, the Lt. Governor’s Office was made aware of an election irregularity stemming from ballot errors sent out to voters in parts of Logan, Paradise and Amalga. 

Benson recused himself from the clerk’s office days later and placed two election workers on leave. He and one of the election workers returned later that month, but the other worker resigned. In February, the worker was charged with willful neglect of duty/corrupt conduct by a poll worker, a third-degree felony, according to court documents. The charges were filed in Utah’s 1st District Court.

In court documents, prosecutors say the worker presented a document related to a test on the county’s vote tabulating machines to the Lt. Governor’s Office. After inspecting the document, the office believed it had been altered. 

“The ballot errors for Paradise and Amalga, those weren’t discovered until November 1, yet the logic and accuracy test reports that we were given by the county had those corrected races. So it was something that could not have possibly existed at the date and time that was created on that report,” Utah Elections Director Ryan Cowley said in February. 

Cowley said the report from the Lt. Governor’s Office did not find any evidence of fraud, but it did point to “numerous and multiple violations of Utah election law,” listing 31 recommendations related to election security. In a letter to the lieutenant governor, Benson said that most of the recommendations were addressed. 

In his letter, Benson named Dianna Schaeffer, tax administration supervisor to the Cache County clerk/auditor, as his temporary replacement. 

“As a member of my staff, she has demonstrated an unwavering dedication to fiscal integrity, public service, and principled governance,” Benson wrote. 

Cache County will officially choose Benson’s replacement during its regular scheduled election this November. Schaeffer is among seven candidates running for Cache County clerk or auditor.