FARMINGTON —Davis and Weber county prosecutors will ask that a grand jury be impaneled to investigate complaints of election law violations in the Utah State Treasurer’s race.

Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings announced the decision Tuesday morning, saying that while the process will take additional time, even past the election, “Our concerns and mandate require that the ends of justice and fairness are obtained concerning the completeness and impartiality of the investigation and subsequent result.”

Meanwhile on Tuesday, one of the principals in the case, former lawmaker Mark Walker hopes to cut a plea deal to a class B misdemeanor violation of state election laws in his failed bid for State Treasurer. He is expected to testify before the grand jury when they meet.

Rawlings and Weber County Attorney Mark DeCaria were appointed in June to investigate allegations that Walker attempted to bribe Richard Ellis, his opponent in the State Treasurer’s primary, to drop out of the race.

Ellis, the Deputy State Treasurer filed an elections complaint with the lieutenant governor’s office claiming Walker had told Ellis he could keep his job at a higher salary if he gave up his race for State Treasurer.

Walker, from Sandy, denied wrongdoing, saying he never offered a bribe, but that Ellis and others in the office would keep their jobs if he won.

Walker’s attorney, Jim Bradshaw had not returned a call to the Clipper as of press time, but told KSL that there were inappropriate discussions made, not just by Walker.

He called Walker’s discussion a technical violation, “not anything like the corruption that’s been alleged in the media and elsewhere.”

Rawlings, a Republican, and DeCaria, a Democrat, were asked to conduct the investigation in late June by the criminal division of the state Attorney General’s Office.

A statement released by Rawlings and DeCaria on Tuesday said their offices have spent the last three and a half months interviewing concerned individuals, scrutinizing available documents and reviewing all relevant media accounts.

The grand jury will have up to 15 members, who will determine what, if any, indictments are appropriate.

If an indictment is determined, the two county attorneys will then proceed with prosecution.

Ellis won the primary and faces Democrat Dick Clark in the general election.

mwilliams@davisclipper.com