An ad in an Eagle Mountain newspaper comparing candidates' marital status is completely legal, though perhaps "unseemly" in its message.

The anonymous ad ran Thursday in the Crossroads Journal, a bi-weekly paper, and prompted an "emergency" news conference by candidates. While state code indicates that political ads involving public office must show who paid for them, municipal positions aren't considered public offices in the code, said Joe Demma, chief of staff in the Lt. Governor's Office, which oversees elections.

Demma said that his office frowns on unseemly and anonymous ads, but that "there is no provision in the state or municipal code against that activity."

That activity is a half-page ad with the title "Know who you are voting for!" Under the title was a photo of mayoral candidate Richard Culbertson with the title "Been divorced!" and a photo of mayoral candidate Heather Jackson with the title "Great Marriage."

Four other candidates and Councilman David Lifferth, who is not running this year, were favorably mentioned in the ad, but everyone tied to the ad has disavowed it.

Candidate Eric Cieslak took the photo of him and his family that ran in the ad off his Web site, adding that the thing that bothered him the most was that whoever is behind the ad used the image to stake him to a position without his permission.

Computer records indicate that it came from a computer or software tagged with the name William Fowlke, husband of state Rep. Lorie Fowlke, R-Orem and the brother-in-law of Michael Karr. Karr is a volunteer with the Culbertson campaign.

Phone calls to Fowlke, Karr and the Journal were not returned Monday.

The idea that municipal offices are not considered public offices is one that Demma would like to see changed.

"It's kind of a big deal," he said.

Lifferth, who has doggedly followed the race for mayor in his city, said he wants the law changed as well.

"I think then that the state Legislature should do something about that," he said.