County Attorney Election

Washington County Attorney Eric Clarke Resigns

The Washington County Attorney has officially submitted his resignation, effective August 7, 2025. We thank Eric Clarke for his service and dedication to our county and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

Pursuant to this vacancy, we want to provide an overview of the applicable legal framework and filing requirements for individuals who may be interested in seeking this office.

Vacancy Process – Utah Code § 20A-1-509.1

Under Utah Code Section 20A-1-509.1, when a county elected official affiliated with a registered political party resigns before their term ends, the county party is responsible for selecting a replacement. Specifically:
The County Central Committee of the political party to which the resigning officer belonged must nominate three qualified individuals.
These names are submitted to the county legislative body, which in this case, the Washington County Commissioners will then appoint one nominee to fill the vacancy.
The appointee will serve until the next general election, at which point the office will be up for election if the original term has not yet expired.

Candidate Filing Requirements – Utah Code § 20A-9-201

Any person interested in running for the office in the next election must comply with the filing requirements set forth in Utah Code Section 20A-9-201, which include:

Being a U.S. citizen and registered voter in Washington County.
Filing a Declaration of Candidacy during the filing period of July 9, 2025 to July 24, 2025.
Meeting any specific qualifications for the office of County Attorney (e.g., being licensed to practice law in Utah).

We encourage qualified and committed individuals to consider this important position of public trust. If you have questions or wish to express interest in the nomination process, please reach out to the Washington County Republican Party at wcrpsecretary.utah@gmail.com. To declare your intent to run please fill out and follow the directions on County public office Declaration of Candidacy.

County Central Committee Meeting

The official Call to Meeting for the upcoming County Central Committee Meeting was sent out to CCC members on 7/22/2025. This meeting will be held on August 7th @ 6:00pm (Abbey Inn - 1129 S Bluff St). Among other county party business, the election for three candidates to present for the Washington County Commissioners will take place.

County Attorney Special Election Rules

The following link provides the specific rules that will govern this special election: County Attorney Election Rules

Candidate Speaking Order

Candidates are listed in speaking/ballot order as determined at a random drawing held 7/28/2025 at 6:30pm.

CCC members are encouraged to review the Candidate's Platform Disclosure Statements in County Attorney Candidates.

County Attorney Candidates

Zac Weiland

With over 25 years of experience in criminal prosecution, I have dedicated my career to serving the people of Washington County with integrity and a commitment to justice. As a prosecutor since 1999, I have prosecuted thousands of cases ranging from DUIs to homicide and child sexual abuse, with over 80 jury trials to verdict. I have worked closely with the Drug Task Force, leading efforts to reduce drug related crime. From 2014 to 2024, I served as the Special Victims Prosecutor, handling many of the county’s most sensitive and high-profile cases.

I was on the prosecution team in State v. Ruby Franke, assisting with critical child interviews and jail evidence. I served as lead prosecutor in State v. Julie Budge, securing a conviction in a tragic double-fatality DUI case. In 2024, I was honored to present State v. Brandy Jaynes at the Children’s Justice Symposium, a nationally recognized child abuse case. The presentation helped influence changes in Utah’s child abuse sentencing laws.

I have served for nine years on the Leadership Academy Board, mentoring high school students in leadership and ethics. Recognized as Prosecutor of the Year in 2009, I remain committed to justice, victim advocacy, and public service.

Jerry Jaeger

As the lead special victims prosecutor at the Washington County Attorney’s Office, Jerry Jaeger is handling many of the county’s toughest cases, including the Bailey double homicide case and the recent Hansen attempted murder case. Having worked as a deputy sheriff, an FBI agent, and almost 23 years as a prosecutor, Jerry has proven his commitment to keep the community safe for 30 years. He is respected by law enforcement and has received the Honorary Sheriff's Award, St. George Police Department’s Chief's Award, and the Washington City Service Award. Over the past several years, Jerry has prosecuted more jury trials than any other prosecutor in the office. Including four homicides and the most serious child sex abuse case that has been reported in Washington County against defendant Bryce Taylor, he has a 100% conviction rate in his special victims trials. Jerry balances compassion for victims, the totality of evidence, and being tough on crime in his constant pursuit of justice. A lifelong republican, Jerry is committed to the republican conservative core values. He has served the Washington County Republican Party as parliamentarian, county delegate, state delegate, and precinct vice chair. Jerry's love of Washington County began as a student at Dixie College and grew when he and his wife, Stephanie, returned to her hometown of St. George in 1999. They’ve raised their four children in this beautiful community, and he is dedicated to maintaining its safety and security.

Larry Meyers

Larry and his wife, Marlee, have three adult sons, all Dixie High graduates, and a wonderful daughter-in-law. The family has resided in Winchester Hills for 25 years.

Larry was a prosecuting attorney for Washington County and St. George City before going into private practice. He owns Liberty Law Firm, where he has been successfully helping clients solve their legal problems for over twenty years. Larry graduated from BYU with a B.A. in Political Science (1991) and from BYU’s Law School (1995).

Larry is an experienced local government leader. He was appointed and re-elected to the Board of the SWSSD, which supervises the Winchester fire department, serving as clerk and chairman.

Larry helped organize the Liberty Action Coalition, the Dixie Republican Forum, Pro-Life Utah South, and the Citizens Council on Illegal Immigration, taking the lead in advocating for liberty and school choice, protesting Planned Parenthood, and opposing illegal immigration.

Larry is a leader in the Utah GOP. He has served in all the precinct-level offices, as a county and state delegate, as a county party vice-chair, and as a state central committee member. In 2008, 2016, and 2024, he served as a national delegate at the Republican National Conventions.

Steven Scott - WITHDRAWN 7/28/2025

I am currently a Washington County Deputy County Attorney, in the Civil Division, where I and the Civil Team are in-house counsel for all legal matters pertaining to Washington County. I am a Utah native, growing up in the Ogden area and returning back to Utah, this time in Washington County after graduating from law school. I have been in my current role for 5 years and interned for three summers at the Weber County Attorney’s Office, where I split my time between Criminal Prosecution and Civil matters.

I am a Husband and Father of 5 children (soon to be 6 in September), and we love all that Washington County has to offer, outdoor recreation, a safe and family-friendly community, and near perfect weather (10 months of the year).

Prior to working as an attorney, I worked in business management, leadership, and sales for major organizations, Target, T-Mobile, and Focus Services, LLC, where I managed hundreds of people and a variety of business operations and metrics.

If selected as the Washington County Attorney, my focuses would be: adherence to the Constitutions of the United States and Utah, aggressive and fair prosecution, government transparency and efficiency, environmental-regulation reform regarding NEPA, and professional growth for all County Attorney Office staff.