Phil Lyman submits injunction to prevent printing of ballots, announces write-in campaign on the same day

Governor Spencer Cox and State Rep. Phil Lyman at the 2024 gubernatorial Republican debate on Tuesday, June 11. Photo: Utah Debate Commission.

SALT LAKE CITY – Current State Representative Phil Lyman will not let up following his defeat to Governor Spencer Cox in June’s primary elections, and following a request to kick Gov. Cox out of office to Utah’s Supreme Court last week, the Blanding native simultaneously announced an injunction to prevent the printing of ballots as well as a write-in campaign on the same day.

Lyman submitted a request for extraordinary writ on August 1, filing against Governor Spencer Cox, Lieutenant Governor Deidre Henderson, Utah Republican Party Chair Robert Axson, and the Utah Republican Party.

The petition requests to remove Gov. Cox and Lieutenant Governor Deidre Henderson from their respective offices, as well as designate Lyman as the Republican gubernatorial nominee.

Lyman claims that Gov. Cox was unlawfully added on to the Republican primary elections due to Lyman winning over 60% of delegate votes at the GOP convention.

Now, while awaiting a decision from Utah’s Supreme Court, Lyman has submitted a preliminary injunction to prevent the printing of ballots until the Supreme Court rules on his previous petition.

“It is our duty as elected officials that we have free and fair elections in Utah,” Lyman said.

“We owe it to the public to ensure that elections are conducted lawfully and candidates are treated fairly. As Republicans, we also need to defend our party’s right to nominate candidates via our party’s constitution and bylaws, which state the winner of the convention is the GOP nominee for the general election.”

Governor Spencer Cox won the primary election by more than 35,000 votes.

In the same injunction, Lyman’s claims allege that Lt. Governor Henderson committed a third-degree felony, as well as committing malfeasance in office for creating a counterfeit ballot.

Lyman’s claims of Henderson creating a counterfeit ballot are based on his earlier petition, alleging that Gov. Cox and Lt. Gov. Henderson should have not qualified for the primary elections.

In congruence with Lyman’s announcement to submit a preliminary injunction to prevent the printing of ballots, the State Representative and his running mate, Natalie Clawson, released a statement detailing that they are prepared to stand as write-in candidates in the November general election.

“Of course we are prepared to run as write-in candidates. Governor Cox and his administration have provided zero transparency and zero verification of the key elements of this election. Utah deserves at least some token of sincerity in verifying our election results. We will absolutely continue to fight,” Lyman said.

Utah’s Supreme Court has yet to make a decision on Lyman’s initial petition, on which his recent preliminary injunction depends.

Gov. Cox is currently set to face Democratic nominee Brian King in November’s election, who ran unopposed during the primary.