Most cities in Utah ask potential council members to file a petition and face each other in a primary or general election. Voters in Fruit Heights pick their council members in a different way, reminiscent of the old New England town hall meetings.
Two political parties, the Pinecone Party and Sagebrush Party, meet before the November balloting to nominate candidates, who then face each other in the general election.The parties don't exist except for a single night for a nominating convention. There are no dues, no memberships and no election committees. There is also no primary election.
Other than organizing and running the caucus, the party chairman has no other job, and the term expires at the end of the meeting - as does the party for another couple of years.
The two names, Pinecone and Sagebrush, along with the whole nominating procedure, dates back to the 1950s when residents decided on it after the city's incorporation.
Residents living in the foothills called themselves the Pinecone Party, while those living farther down in the valley picked Sagebrush for their party affiliation.
The names also reflect the non-partisan nature of city elections. Candidates run on those tickets, not as a Republican or Democrat.
City officials believe the system is unique in Utah. They also believe it works as well as any other system in their small, close community and see no reason to change it.
To run for the council, a candidate shows up at one of the party caucus meetings - scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10, in Barton Elementary School.
The potential candidate makes a brief presentation about his or her qualifications, why they are running and any issues that are important. A vote is taken, and the candidates are selected.
With both caucus sessions being held at the same time and in the same building, it's not unknown for a candidate rejected by one party to walk down the hall and make his appeal to the other, sometimes winning a spot on the ballot.