Jefferson County Democrats squabble over candidate nomination rules.

In a move that is certain to bolster the State's defense of its need to regulate partisan candidate nominating proceedures Jefferson County Democrats have splintered over an allegedly nonbinding vote by the county democratic party executive committee to endorse a recently appointed county clerk for reelection. State party rules provide for nominating conventions, but the issue of pre-convention endorsements is hotly contested, and 6 members of the county executive committee have resigned over the matter.