Primaries are only held when there are two or more candidates from the same party competing for their party’s nomination in the general election. Not all races that will appear on the November ballot have a primary in June, only competitive party races have a primary election.

To add to the confusion, each political party makes its own rules.

Some are open, some are not

In Utah the Democratic party holds open primaries. So, for instance, any voter living within Utah’s new 1st Congressional District (“CD1”) can vote, regardless of party affiliation. Registered Democrats in CD1 will automatically be mailed a ballot, and any other voter can request one. This is also true of voters anywhere with a Democratic primary, like Senate District 14.

However, in Utah, Republican primaries are closed—meaning only voters affiliated as Republicans can vote in that primary. Most voters live within GOP-controlled districts and thus only have a vote if they are a registered Republican. For instance, all voters in Davis and Utah Counties who are registered Republicans should have received a ballot, since there are county-wide races.

Note that it’s too late to switch parties (the deadline was April 1), but unaffiliated voters can still, if they choose, register as Republican and request a ballot be mailed to them until June 12. That is the last way to receive a ballot by mail. Never fear: new and unaffiliated voters can also register and vote in person at any county polling place with the proper ID on Election Day, June 23rd.

Vote early, please

A reminder that since last year, ballots are now due by 8pm Election Day. Ballots that arrive after Election Day will not be counted, so mail your ballot in early, drop it off in any dropbox in your county, or make a plan to vote in person. If you believe you should have received a ballot but didn’t, check your voter registration status here.

We always recommend voting early, and we believe your vote matters!

Resources

• Visit vote.utah.gov for general election info

• Enter your address for personalized election information

• Find your new congressional district

• Locate your state representatives

• Learn how to request a ballot

The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) is a constitutionally established, elected, partisan body that exercises general control and supervision over the public education system in Utah. The board establishes the state’s educational core standards, educator licensing policies, and high school graduation requirements.

USBE’s 15 board members are elected to four-year terms to represent their geographical area. Board members meet for two days each month doing study sessions, committee meetings, full board meetings, and separate meetings as the board of the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (USDB). The State Board appoints the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to administer all programs in accordance with established policies and standards.

Both the State Board and State Superintendent are responsible for compliance with state and federal laws and administrative rules affecting education and for the distribution of over $4 billion to charter and district schools.

USBE District 14 covers Beaver, Sevier, Iron, Emery, Utah, Millard, Juab, Carbon, Sanpete, and Grand Counties. See the district map.

Candidates

Top priorities come from candidates’ official websites. We view this guide as merely a starting point. Please research more and reach out to the candidates directly to learn more about their issues and experience.

Find the values and attributes we’re looking for in candidates.

Linda Hanks

About: Ms. Hanks is a long-term resident of Levan who has dedicated 16 years to the Juab School Board, including four terms as president. With 12 years of experience as an elementary and special education teacher, she has also served as President of the Utah School Boards Association, where she advocated for rural interests for a decade.

Top priorities: empowering families and teachers, representing rural communities, local control, collaborative approaches

Insights: We’ve been impressed by Ms. Hank’s experienced and consistent communication with constituents during over a decade of school board leadership, both through in-person gatherings and digital engagement. Her candidacy has garnered notable support within local community groups, including an endorsement from a former superintendent who praised her as “level-headed” and “wonderful to work with.”

Ms. Hanks possesses a deep understanding of the tension between state-level mandates and the specific needs of rural interests. Her extensive history of collaborating with state officials would help her to effectively navigate bureaucratic hurdles while championing local school autonomy.

Nichole Isom

About: Ms. Isom has lived in Hurricane and Sigard. Ms. Isom is a dedicated homeschool educator and parent and has served as County Delegate for Republican Party. From 1997–2001, Ms. Isom worked as a special education paraprofessional within the Iron County School District. She’s also worked as an ESL teacher for students in China, provided private instruction in American Sign Language, and as the director for a foreign exchange student program.

Top priorities: Homeschooling rights, limit computerized instruction and data collection, encourage patriotism

Insights: We are concerned about Ms. Isom’s lack of relevant experience, unsubstantiated claims and attack ads, and strong ideology (despite her campaign slogan). After talking with Ms. Isom and looking at her record, we’re unsure if Ms. Isom has spent much time in public classrooms, which is critical for USBE.

Even more worrisome, some of her claims have not stood up to scrutiny. She claims she started a charter school; she was actually a parent volunteer. She claimed to have worked in special ed—when asked to clarify, responded that she worked as an aide for a few years over two decades ago. Several other claims were not able to be confirmed.

And frankly, we’re also troubled by Ms. Isom’s ideology and campaigning. While her campaign slogan is “Academics over Ideology,” her example was student walkouts during ICE claiming students are being directed by educators. Her campaign is focused on the idea that homeschool is under attack and that children are being used for data. We note she’s worked with other parents to remove books from local schools and is in favor of using a Book Rating system statewide.

During her campaign, Ms. Isom has employed AI attack ads against her opponent, which we find highly distasteful and disappointing.

Our recommendation

We strongly encourage residents within USBE District 14 to vote for Linda Hanks. Ms. Hanks brings both strong experience and rural ties; she understands public education, the challenges of operating in rural environments, and wants to ensure the classroom remains a space for learning rather than political agendas. We believe Ms. Hanks will represent her community well and bring a needed voice for rural communities to the state school board.

If you’re a voter in a competitive primary, your mailbox—and email inbox, and text messages—might be filling up with candidate mailers. What you’ll notice in most races are the endorsements front and center. In a perfect world, the best candidate for each seat would garner the biggest, best endorsements.

Unfortunately, we find this is not always true. This is politics, after all.

Some officials are reluctant to publicly endorse the people they support privately, for a variety of reasons. Moreover, endorsements generally favor incumbents. We find that often party endorsements—the candidate selected during convention—may not reflect important Utah values.

Endorsements favor incumbents

Whether in national or local races, incumbency bias (the tendency for people already in office to win re-election) tends to be strong. It’s simply easier to imagine someone doing the job who is already doing the job.

Some incumbents are good leaders who remain accessible and try hard to represent their constituents well. Others do not. Either way, endorsements typically go to the most well-known candidate, often the person already doing the job.

Why is this?

Reason 1: Incumbents are already known

People who already in office have a record. Their positions and abilities are already familiar to the people they’ll be working with—and relationships really matter in politics.

In some scenarios, folks live by the adage “the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t know” and stick with incumbents they don’t like. Frankly, we’ve found ourselves supporting the person we know how to work with, even when we know they don’t live up to our values.

Reason 2: Incumbents have a proven ability to win (and $$$)

Money matters in elections. Lobbyists, PACs, and others like to donate to winners, since incumbents’ “electability” and ability to fundraise is already proven.

Since name recognition builds momentum (plus political signs, mailers, and ads can run very costly), fundraising tends to be an important part of winning elections. (Friendly reminder to donate efforts or money to good candidates near you to help counteract this!)

Reason 3: Endorsing a powerful incumbent mitigates risk for the leaders endorsing them

Withholding an endorsement can prove costly to political and business leaders, especially if they choose not to endorse a powerful incumbent favored by current party or legislative leadership.

This is a real risk. We (quite unfortunately) know of local officials here in Utah who have faced threats that their constituents, city, or county may lose needed funding or face other political repercussions should they endorse another candidate.

Not endorsing a candidate (or worse, endorsing their opponent) can lower their ability to get things done—especially if the candidate is known to be petty. Especially if they believe the incumbent is likely to win. Because once the election is over, current officials will likely need to work with this person again.

Party endorsements

In a one-party supermajority state with few competitive seats between parties, party endorsements become important. Let’s back up a moment to explain how candidates qualify to appear on your primary ballot… it’s not just filing to run.

Utah law currently allows for two “paths” to get on your primary ballot and become your party’s nominee.

Path 1: Convention

The more traditional path is convention. Delegates elected at neighborhood caucuses meet at county and state conventions and vote on their preferred candidate.

Depending on the size of the race, candidates may receive anywhere from a few dozen delegate votes (for offices like state representative) to several hundred delegate votes (for bigger races like US representative). For example, this year Alexis Wheeler got the GOP nomination for House District 29 after receiving just 26 votes at the state convention. See the full results.

When two candidates both receive 40–60% of their party delegates’ votes at convention, they both head to a primary. Candidates who receive 60%+ of the vote at convention skip a primary unless someone else has successfully gathered enough verified signatures.

This happens more than you think. Most Utah voters don’t get a say in their party’s representation unless they participate in the caucus-convention process.

Path 2: Signature gathering

The second “path” to the primary ballot was established in 2014 under SB54, which allowed for candidates to gather signatures from voters in their district.1

To qualify to appear on the primary ballot, candidates must gather some threshold of signatures from voters registered with their party: 1,000 verified signatures for state representative, 2,000 signatures for state senator, etc.2

Becoming your party’s nominee

Sometimes political parties claim that their convention winner is their party’s nominee even before the majority of their party’s voters are consulted. We find this practice unfortunate, particularly since a small group of often-extreme delegates are the only ones voting at convention.

Candidates who gather signatures often meet with hundreds or thousands more voters from their party (and not just delegates) to get on the ballot. In our view, signature-gathering candidates often have more on-the-ground experience and stay more responsive to all their constituents, rather than just to a handful of party delegates.

Do endorsements matter?

Yes, just use caution. Endorsements can be helpful, especially endorsements from people who actually know and have worked with the candidate. Endorsements can highlight competence and a real record of doing good in office—or they can manipulate. Both happen.

So before you’re swayed, think about what may have incentivized someone to endorse this candidate. Might they have been disincentivized from endorsing opponents? And know that occasionally, endorsements are coerced, falsified, or made up outright.

We share this to explain the real dynamics that new candidates face when challenging current elected officials. Endorsements for big races almost always favor political insiders.3

Endorsements are wonderful when given freely, and unfortunate when otherwise. We advise taking endorsements of powerful incumbents with a grain of salt. Stay curious. If you have questions, reach out to the person making the endorsement. You may get more of the story.

Utah House District 38 (“HD38”) represents portions of West Jordan in the Utah House of Representatives.

State representatives serve two-year terms and vote on state laws affecting education, transportation, taxes, public safety, economic development, health care, and other issues that impact Utah families and communities.

The winner of this race will replace Rep. Cheryl Acton (R), who is stepping down at the end of the current term. House District 38 covers parts of western Salt Lake County, like West Jordan. Find your district.

Candidates

Chris McConnehey

About: Chris McConnehey is a lifelong West Jordan resident, husband, and father of five. He was educated at Westminster University in Salt Lake City and works in the technology sector as an Executive Product Advisor focused on reporting and analytics systems. Mr. McConnehey represented District 1 of West Jordan on the City Council for 12 years (2014–2026).

Top Priorities (from campaign materials): Transparency, accountability, fiscal responsibility; Local control and decision-making; Public safety, emergency preparedness; Protecting individual liberties, limiting government action; and more.

Insights: During his years of City Council service, Mr. McConnehey built a record of practical governance, with an emphasis on budgeting, infrastructure, and bipartisan problem-solving. He was twice elected by the council to serve as chair.

Supporters value his ability to work with people who hold differing views to deliver results at the local level. He is also known for a strategic perspective, adhering to community planning processes and questioning rezoning requests when they conflicted with previously approved plans. He qualified for the ballot through signature gathering, which involves gathering verified signatures from at least 1,000 Republicans in his district.

Gloria Vindas

About: Gloria Vindas is a longtime Utah resident, a wife, mother, and grandmother. Her campaign highlights decades of community involvement in the Republican Party. She has served as a state and county delegate, previously served on the Utah Republican State Central Committee, and is Vice President of the Women’s Republican Club of Salt Lake. Her campaign also emphasizes her relationships with elected officials and grassroots activists.

Top Priorities (from campaign materials): Limited government and individual liberty; Fiscal responsibility and local control; Protection of constitutional rights; Support for Utah families and conservative values.

Insights: Her deep involvement in Republican politics over many years has earned her endorsements from several Republican elected officials and conservative leaders, including outgoing HD38 Rep. Cheryl Acton and outgoing Congressman Burgess Owens. Ms. Vindas does not appear to have direct governing or legislative experience.

We note that Ms. Vindas qualified for the ballot by winning a majority of delegate votes at the state Republican convention, which tends to mean getting 50–100 votes from Republican delegates, who skew ultraconservative in most districts.

Recommendation:

We recommend Chris McConnehey in this race. His governing experience and record of integrity, strategic planning, fiscal discipline, and collaborative problem-solving would bring strength to the state legislature should he be elected.

What’s Next?

The winner of the Republican primary will advance to the November general election for Utah House District 38 to face unaffiliated candidate Sergio Sotelo in the general election. There is no Democratic or other party candidate in this race.

The Salt Lake County District Attorney is the county’s chief prosecutor and legal advisor to county government and law enforcement agencies.

The office prosecutes felony crimes, oversees major criminal investigations, and plays a significant role in shaping public safety, criminal justice, victim services, and diversion policies throughout the county. As Salt Lake County is by far the largest county in the state, this DA’s office is one of the largest criminal prosecution offices in Utah.

This is a Democratic primary, which is open to all voters. Any registered voter in Salt Lake County—affiliated with any party—can request a ballot to be mailed to them (until June 12), or go in-person to vote during early voting and on Election Day.

Find info about Salt Lake County elections.

Candidates

Find the values and attributes we’re looking for in candidates. We view this guide as a starting point. We recommend you read their websites, watch debates, attend events, or simply reach out to the candidates directly to learn more about their issues and experience.

When possible, top priorities come from candidates’ official websites.

Sim Gill

About: Raised in Kearns, Mr. Gill has served as District Attorney for Salt Lake County since 2010. In addition to earning degrees from the University of Utah and Lewis & Clark Law School, he served as Salt Lake City’s Chief Prosecutor before being elected District Attorney.

During more than three decades as a prosecutor, he’s handled major criminal cases, pursued public-corruption investigations, and become a nationally-recognized advocate for therapeutic justice and diversion programs.

Top priorities (from campaign materials): Expanding mental health and behavioral health interventions; therapeutic justice and treatment programs; reducing recidivism while maintaining public safety, etc.

Insights: Mr. Gill has overseen the Salt Lake County Attorney General’s office for sixteen years. dDuring that time he’s advocated for therapeutic justice programs, including mental health courts, veterans programs, pre-filing diversion initiatives, and more. Supporters point to his reform-minded approach and his efforts to address the causes of crime rather than relying solely on incarceration.

His tenure has also been marked by controversy. Critics argue that the office could benefit from greater accountability, transparency, and organizational change after sixteen years under the same leadership. Public debate around Mr. Gill has often been intense, with criticism coming at different times from both law-enforcement voices and police-reform advocates. While opinions vary widely, few dispute that Gill has significantly shaped the county’s criminal justice system over the past decade and a half.

Shawn Robinson

About: Salt Lake County resident for approximately 30 years, trial attorney for more than 30 years, public defender for several Utah cities for over two decades. Mr. Robinson is currently an Assistant Attorney General prosecuting white-collar financial crime. Mr. Robinson was also a partner at Cook, Skeen & Robinson for 25 years, handling commercial litigation, criminal defense, and civil matters.

Top priorities (from campaign materials): Fully staffing the District Attorney’s office; improving transparency and accountability; expanding victim advocacy services; improving office morale and management.

Insights: Mr. Robinson brings an unusual combination of criminal defense, civil litigation, and white-collar crime prosecution. This work often requires navigating complex investigations involving fraud, financial misconduct, and coordination among multiple agencies. Supporters argue that this breadth of experience has prepared him to manage a large prosecutor’s office while bringing a balanced perspective to criminal justice issues.

His legal peers have awarded him one of the profession’s highest ratings for legal ability and ethical standards, Martindale-Hubbell’s AV Preeminent rating, He has also been recognized multiple times by Utah Business Magazine’s Legal Elite program.

Robinson’s campaign has focused on office management, transparency, accountability, staffing, and victim communication, arguing that the District Attorney’s office has become understaffed and overworked and that victims deserve more information and engagement throughout the prosecutorial process.

Our recommendation

We recommend voters seriously consider Shawn Robinson in the Democratic primary for Salt Lake County Attorney. While Mr. Gill deserves credit for years of experience and effort in expanding therapeutic justice, we believe it’s time for a change. Mr. Robinson offers fresh and ethical leadership for the next chapter of Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office.

Mr. Robinson’s emphasis on transparency, accountability, victim communication, and effective management address real concerns. We note that Mr. Robinson received more delegate support than his opponent at the Salt Lake County Democratic Convention, which suggests that many active Democratic voters are interested in new leadership.

What’s next:

The winner of the Democratic primary will face Republican Kent Davis in the November general election.

Make sure to return your ballot before June 23—and much earlier if by mail—to any Salt Lake County official dropbox.

As one subscriber put it:

“It’s encouraging to know that there are people who still believe in dialogue, compromise, civility, and upholding constitutional checks and balances, and want to restore these values to our political system.”

We wholeheartedly agree.

Meet the Candidates Events

Some Network members have told us about in-person candidate events coming up. When making voting decisions, we’ve found it especially helpful to go listen to (and chat with) candidates in person. It can be very revealing to learn about how candidates respond and treat others as well as their governing philosophy and policies.

In our experience, only a few citizens show up to these events—which can give those few voices outsized weight. wot everyone can go, but show up when and where you can. We’ll always encourage informed, engaged citizens!

Senate District 21

For those in Senate District 21, tonight is a chance to meet both candidates for state Senate (sorry for publishing this so late). SD 21 includes much of northeastern Utah County, from parts of eastern Lehi, over to Alpine, down to parts of Lindon and most everything in-between. (SD 21 might be gerrymandered

Utah County Candidates

Our friends at Engage Forum are hosting a Meet-the-Candidates night for all county-wide Republican candidates this upcoming Monday.

Other events that would be helpful for our members? Let us know at networkofutahmoderates@gmail.com

Subscribe now

Voting Guides

The primary election ends June 23, and tomorrow (June 12) is the last day to request a ballot online. Voters can still register or vote in person with proper ID at their county’s election sites up until June 23. Learn more at vote.utah.gov.

Meanwhile, we’re keeping busy adding voter guides for important primary elections. In the past few days, we’ve published the following (sans email—trying not to spam anyone):

• Utah State Board of Education District 11: Tracy Nuttall and Terry Hutchinson

• Utah State House District 14: Kara Toone and John Taylor

• Davis County Clerk: Brian McKenzie and Jona Whitesides

• Davis County Sheriff: Jon Atkin and Aaron Perry

• Davis County Commissioner Seat A: Kendalyn Harris, John Adams, and Scott Fletcher

You may note these are all Republican primaries. Frankly, most of Utah’s competitive elections are between Republicans—and often that is the “real” election. (But at least one Democratic primary guide coming soon!) If you’re an affiliated voter who wants to vote in your local Republican primary, note that you can still affiliate with the party to vote.

We’re planning to add more voter guides in the coming days, so check back on our Substack. Reach out at networkofutahmoderates@gmail.com if you have insights, questions, or if there’s a specific race you’re looking for more information on.

Thanks to those of you who’ve reached out so far, and happy Thursday!

The Utah House of Representatives consists of 75 members who draft, debate, and vote on state laws, budget allocations, and public policies. Each representative serves around 45,000 Utah residents in their district.

Like their counterparts in the Senate, House Representatives are part-time legislators who serve passing bills and budgets during Utah’s yearly legislative session, which runs for 45 days from January to March. They also serve during each interim session and on various boards, committees and commissions. Legislators are influential in shaping regional infrastructure, public education investments, and state budget priorities.

House District 14 (“HD14”) encompasses parts of Clearfield and Syracuse in Davis County. HD 14 is an open seat following incumbent Representative Karianne Lisonbee’s decision to run for US Congress. Find your district.

Candidates

Kara Toone (R)

About: Born in Vernal, Utah, Ms. Toone has lived in Davis County for more than 40 years. Educated at Snow College and Weber State University, with a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the University of Utah. Ms. Toone has been a state and county delegate for the Republican party, chaired county conventions, and has also served as a community leader, including Davis Chamber of Commerce, Layton Rotary, and school Community Council and PTA. She currently serves as Executive Director of the Davis Education Foundation.

Top priorities (from website): Housing affordability; growth and infrastructure; government transparency, fiscal responsibility, and local control; strong public schools and supporting families; and more.

Insights: Ms. Toone is focused on legislative restraint and has pledged not to sponsor any new bills during her first legislative session to reduce compliance burdens for citizens. She aligns as a traditional conservative while avoiding populist rhetoric or nationalized election grievances.

We find that Ms. Toone’s service in community and educational leadership demonstrates a commitment to public education with a particular focus on vulnerable students and families—which is important in a state with as many young students as Utah has. She calls for greater government transparency and strict regulation of artificial intelligence and data center expansion, and supports an independent commission to determine political boundaries (which we value).

John Taylor (R)

About: Lived in Davis County for 25 years. Army Intelligence Officer and a corporate business leader in the pharmaceutical industry. For two decades, he has been politically active as a precinct chair, county delegate, and state delegate.

Top priorities (from website): Protecting constitutional principles, faith, family values, individual freedoms; housing affordability; safety, fairness, and morality in schools, parental choice and parent-approved curriculum; and more.

Insights: Mr. Taylor enters the primary race having won a large portion of the vote at the Davis County Republican Convention. He was recruited to run for the seat by party leaders, including outgoing incumbent Representative Karianne Lisonbee (vacating to challenge Blake Moore in 2^nd Congressional District race).

He notes that his military background has prepared him to recognize threats—a high-vigilance perspective is evident in his campaign materials and public statements, and he uses protective rhetoric regarding faith, family, freedom, education, and culture that mirrors the messaging of the far right. He also calls for strict government accountability and transparency, and strict regulation of artificial intelligence and data center expansion. He supports what he calls the right of the political majority in the state legislature to determine political boundaries.

Our recommendation

We strongly recommend that voters in HD 14 support Kara Toone in the Republican primary. We recommend Ms. Toone due to her years of experience working to strengthen her community, longstanding commitment to public education, and her pragmatic, respectful, and balanced approach to public policy.

We feel that Ms. Toone is better prepared to represent her entire constituency and appeal to more voters in the fall general election. We also note with some worry her opponent’s endorsements from ultraconservative Utah leaders.

What’s Next?

The winner of the Republican Primary will advance to the general election to face Democratic nominee Brandon Young.

The Davis County Commission is a 3-member body that represents all of Davis County—with nearly 380,000 residents. The county commission makes administrative, legislative, and executive decisions for Davis County, working closely with local and state leaders.

County commissioners oversee many county departments. They work with local clerks, auditors, and sheriffs, and help manage natural resources and infrastructure on county land. They also create legislation for the county. Their budget comes from property taxes.

You can see the specific assignments of each of the three current commissioners here.

Candidates

Top priorities come from candidates’ official websites. We view this guide as merely a starting point. Please research more and reach out to the candidates directly to learn more about their issues and experience.

Find the values and attributes we’re looking for in candidates.

Kendalyn Harris

About: Ms. Harris is a lifelong Davis County resident, residing in Bountiful, Utah. Ms. Harris’ career has been in public service, communications, healthcare administration, entrepreneurship, and local government. She served as Mayor of Bountiful from 2022–2026. Prior to this she served 8 years on the Bountiful City Council.

Ms. Harris spent more than a decade in municipal government and has worked with numerous regional boards and organizations throughout Davis County. Throughout her campaign, she has emphasized experience, collaboration, fiscal conservatism, and local-government expertise.

Top priorities (from website): Open and responsive government, fiscal stewardship and responsible budgeting, safe communities, reliable infrastructure, thoughtful land use, support of economic opportunity while preserving quality of life, small business support

Insights: We believe county government benefits from leaders who already understand local government operations and can work effectively with cities throughout the county—and Ms. Harris is that leader. We’re impressed with her background and over a decade of municipal leadership experience. She’s already managed budgets for Bountiful City and served on regional boards related to transportation, fire services, sewer infrastructure, and regional planning.

She’s known for a collaborative governing style, steady leadership style, and focus on practical problem-solving rather than political conflict. We believe she will continue thoroughly considering all issues presented, listen to all sides, and make reasonable decisions for the county. We have interacted often with Ms. Harris, and we know her to be hardworking, smart, responsive, collaborative, and solutions focused. She works well with others, but is not afraid to use her voice to speak up and vote differently when necessary.

John Adams

About: Mr. Adams is a lifelong resident of Davis County, residing currently in Kaysville Utah for over 20 years. He is a senior sales professional and has served on the Kaysville City Council since 2019. Mr. Adams focused his campaign on repairing relationships within county government, increasing transparency, and improving collaboration among county leaders.

Top Priorities (from website): transparency and open communication, fiscal responsibility, respect for taxpayer, strong and safe community, manage growth responsibly

Insights: Mr. Adams frequently describes the current commission as “broken” and argues that his strength is bringing people together and building consensus. He emphasizes his experience on the Kaysville City Council and believes strong relationships and communication are needed to improve county governance.

We note that Mr. Adams has been critical of how recent property-tax decisions were handled. (To understand some misconceptions about property tax, see our piece for Davis County Commissioner Seat B). Mr. Adams also advocates for more public engagement in county decision-making.

Scott Fletcher

About: Mr. Fletcher is a lifelong resident of Davis County, and currently resides in Layton, Utah. Mr. Fletcher is an engineer, physicist, and business executive who has centered his campaign on data-driven decision-making, fiscal oversight, and government accountability.

Top Priorities (from website): lower taxes by running the county like a business, fair and transparent property tax, smart county-wide planning and zoning, preserve green space and quality of life, economic development, public safety, senior mentorship

Insights: Mr. Fletcher presents himself as an outsider with extensive experience managing large budgets and complex projects in the private sector. He has been highly critical of recent county spending decisions, property-tax increases, and what he views as insufficient transparency.

His campaign emphasizes analytical decision-making and careful scrutiny of county expenditures. While some supporters may view his technical background as a strength, we are concerned that he will indeed try to run the county too much like a business—as he claims—and question the transferability of his private-sector experience to county government.

Our Recommendations

We recommend Kendalyn Harris for Davis County Commission Seat A. Ms. Harris brings more than a decade of hands-on municipal government experience. We believe her background provides a strong understanding of how county government actually operates and how to manage growth, public safety needs, and fiscal responsibilities in a rapidly expanding county.

With the current potential loss of experience, controversy, and change in the Davis County Commission, we feel Ms. Harris would bring valuable experience, relationships, and quickly get to work.

While all candidates emphasize similar priorities such as transparency and responsible spending, we are most confident in Harris’s proven track record of collaboration, steady leadership, and practical problem-solving. Her experience working across regional boards and managing real city budgets positions her as the most prepared candidate to effectively serve Davis County at this time.

While we have no recommendation for or against Mr. Adams, we would like to note that Mr. Fletcher received endorsement and support from the Republican convention endorsement process, which often reflects more ultraconservative, ideologically engaged party delegates.

Most citizens don’t pay attention to their local county clerk race—but they should. The county clerk is an essential, full-time position managing vital records (birth, death, marriages), passports, public records, employees, and more.

Importantly, county clerks administer elections and are responsible for keeping voter rolls accurate and up-to-date as well as carrying out state law. The Davis County Clerk is responsible for election administration, records management, public services (passports & marriage licenses), transparency in government, and legal compliance for Utah’s third-most populous county, with over 375,000 residents.

Watch this video or read our state code about the duties of county clerks to learn more.

Candidates

Top priorities come from candidates’ official websites. We view this guide as merely a starting point. Please research more and reach out to the candidates directly to learn more about their issues and experience.

Find the values and attributes we’re looking for in candidates.

Jonathan “Jona” Whitesides

Lifelong Utahn, lived in Davis County for the last 23 years. MA in business. Background in auditing, finance, and public relations. Worked 18 years with the Utah Division of Emergency Management, and the last 4 years for Rocky Mountain Power.

Top priorities (from website): transparency, accountability, rule of law, public trust, leadership beyond tenure, protecting local control

Insights: Mr. Whitesides wants to increase transparency in the county clerk’s office. He’s interested in looking for opportunities beyond what’s being done currently to keep voters abreast of new developments.

For example, he’d like to provide information between ballots being mailed out and election day, such as how many ballots have been received by mail and through ballot drop-boxes. He’d like to have more open house/tour opportunities for county residents. He’s a strong supporter of the caucus-convention system, opted not to gather signatures, and has reservations about candidates’ pursuing both “paths” (his opponent used both signatures and convention to qualify for the primary.

Learn more about Mr. Whitesides in this article.

Brian McKenzie

Davis County resident for 40 years. Degree in business. 20 years working in the Davis County Clerk’s office, including 10 years as Chief Deputy Clerk and afterwards elected County Clerk (incumbent since 2022).

Top priorities (from website): transparency, election & data security, voter confidence, continual improvement, accuracy, responsiveness

Insights: Mr. McKenzie has extensive experience working in the clerk’s office and a track record of making improvements. A few examples: under his direction, the clerk’s office created and publishes candidate conflict-of-interest disclosure forms on website. Established an open meetings website for the County Commission. Created a County Data Privacy Program.

We’ve found the clerk’s office under Mr. McKenzie’s direction very responsive to residents. For instance, they discontinued phone recordings and menus so those calling the clerk’s office actually talk to a person. Mr. McKenzie holds citizen audits and created an election observation area to increase transparency and public engagement. The clerk’s office also hosts open houses (scheduled and by request) for any residents wanting to learn more and ask questions about election security.

Learn more about Mr. McKenzie in this article.

Our Recommendation

We strongly support Brian McKenzie as the Republican candidate in this race. He’s known as a knowledgeable clerk, who other clerks across the state turn to with questions.

Mr. McKenzie is continually introducing improvements in the way the office operates. We believe that in the current environment of (unfounded) skepticism about the security of our elections, this is not the time to retire someone doing a fantastic job in favor of someone who may be otherwise competent who doesn’t have the experience and wealth of knowledge so valuable for running our elections.

What’s next?

This race is uncontested in the general election this fall. The winner of the Republican primary will be the next Davis County Clerk.

The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) is the constitutionally established, elected body that exercises general control and supervision over the state’s public K-12 education system. Its primary responsibilities include setting academic standards, licensing educators, distributing funding, and ensuring compliance with state and federal laws.

USBE District 11 covers: Alpine, American Fork, Bluffdale, Cedar Hills, Herriman (the southern portion), Highland, Lehi, and Pleasant Grove (north of 200 South). Note that current USBE District 11 member Cindy Davis is not seeking re-election, so this is an open seat.

Enter your address to find your state school board member, or see the USBE district map.

Candidates

Top priorities come from candidates’ official websites. We view this guide as merely a starting point. Please research more and reach out to the candidates directly to learn more about their issues and experience.

Find the values and attributes we’re looking for in candidates.

Terry Hutchinson

About: Grew up in Alpine and graduated from American Fork High School. Also graduated from BYU Law school and served in the military for five years. Following his service, he lived in Southern Utah (Washington County) and Nevada. Terry and his wife, Jenee, raised their children in Washington County, where their children attended local schools. Terry served on the Washington County Library Board for several years. then the Washington County School Board for eight years, ending his service in 2024.

Top priorities (from website): Local values, Parents choice, School safety

Insights: We are concerned with several aspects of this candidate’s background, and worry about his ability to serve the people of District 11 in North Utah county and south Salt Lake County. We note investigations into his primary residence while serving on the Washington County School Board along with possible ethics violations, including removing materials from school libraries in violation of state law.

In general, we tend to be wary of candidates who win the GOP endorsement (as Mr. Hutchinson did), because most delegates skew ultraconservative and in our experience often are significantly further right than the overall Republican base.

Tracy Nuttall

About: Tracy and her family have lived in Alpine, UT since 2012. Their three children currently attend Alpine School District schools. After graduating from BYU Law school, she worked as a Legislative Attorney for the Utah State Legislature drafting public education policy and later for the Utah State Board of Education as a legal consultant.

Ms. Nuttall currently works as Director of Policy, Planning and Public Affairs at Utah State Tax Commission. She’s been an active volunteer in schools, both on local school community councils, PTA, and several other service programs.

Top priorities (from website): School safety, Student focused teaching, Building Relationships, Responsible funding, Keeping politics out of classrooms

Insights: We’ve personally met with Ms. Nuttall and been very impressed. She brings a depth of experience with the board of education that is rare and useful. Ms. Nuttall has relationships with current and former legislators and USBE board members, understands policy processes, and (unlike her opponent) brings deep experience in the schools from the local community she represents.

We anticipate her being a highly effective representative if elected. We echo her endorsement by the current District 11 Board Member, Cindy Davis, whose commitment to kids’ learning and responsible, pragmatic legislation we admire.

Our Recommendation

We highly recommend Tracy Nuttall as the best choice for the USBE District 11 Republican primary. Her squeaky-clean record, relationships, and lived experience in the area she would represent make her a great fit for the job.

Learn more about the district and watch the USBE District 11 debate.

What’s next?

The winner of this primary race will face Democratic candidate Lacey Peterson in the general election in November.

The Davis County Sheriff coordinates with and oversees local city law-enforcement agencies. The sheriff’s office is in charge of the Davis County Jail, county emergency management, security in the administration building, search and rescue, and civil tasks such as serving court orders and eviction notices, and more.

The county sheriff’s department also provides law enforcement for three contracted cities: Fruit Heights, South Weber, and West Point.

Candidates

Aaron Perry

About: Lifelong Davis County resident. B.A., with emphases in criminal justice, Spanish, and emergency care & rescue. Spent his first 16 years of law enforcement in Davis County Sheriff’s Office. Worked as Deputy Chief for Roy City Police Department, then Chief Deputy of the Weber County Sheriff’s Office (6 years), where he led the enforcement, corrections, and administrative divisions.

In 2014 he received an MPA, and in 2019 graduated from the FBI National Academy training. Overall, Mr. Perry brings 20+ years in law enforcement.

Top priorities (from website): public safety over politics; support, staffing & retention; budget accountability & transparency; community-oriented policing; serious crime & public safety cooperation

Insights: Mr. Perry’s endorsements include both the Weber County Sheriff, with whom he’s been working most recently, and the current Davis County Sheriff. Mr. Perry oversaw the implementation of a “Bridge the Gap” inmate re-entry program in the Weber County Sheriff’s office that resulted in a 45% reduction in recidivism.

We are impressed by how personal this work is to Mr. Perry. In candidate events and on his website, Mr. Perry recounted a number of experiences that show his personal concern. He would drive newly-released jail inmates home, asking them during the drive about their barriers to successful re-entry to society. For those who lost family members due to criminal violence, he’d take them a homemade meal and explain the criminal justice process. We appreciate both the passion and deep experience Mr. Perry would bring to this office.

Learn more about Mr. Perry in this article.

Jon Atkin

About: Lived in Davis County for 25+ years. Degree in criminal justice. Currently a Davis County Sheriff’s Office sergeant (9 years), a Utah Air National Guard captain, an Air Force Intelligence Officer, and a North Davis Fire District firefighter and paramedic. Mr. Atkin also spent 14+ years in the military.

Top priorities (from website): protecting children & preserving communities, focusing on crime, upholding Constitutional rights & individual freedoms, embracing technology & combating cybercrime, building strong partnerships to serve the county

Insights: Mr. Atkin’s endorsements include former Davis County Sheriff, Bud Cox. Mr. Atkin believes the Davis County Sheriff’s department requires some changes. He feels that as a boots-on-the-ground member of the department, he’s in a position to identify those changes, including staffing and retention, creating a culture with more open communication, and implementing more technology into law enforcement. (We note that his rival, Mr. Perry, also worked in the Davis County Sheriff’s office in the past and may also bring best practices from the Weber County office.

Learn more about Mr. Atkin in this article.

Our recommendation

We strongly support Mr. Perry as the Republican candidate for Davis County Sheriff for two reasons.

The first (and most important) reason is his deep experience. We talked to someone who served in the Davis County Sheriff’s Office and knows both men. This individual thinks highly of both men but said there is no question that Perry is better prepared for this office at this time. We note that during his campaign, Mr. Atkin has emphasized his energy (perhaps as a code for “youth”). On the flip side, he doesn’t have the breadth or depth of relevant experience that Mr. Perry would bring to the office.

Frankly, we’re worried about Mr. Atkin’s endorsements from ultraconservative Utah leaders like Representative Trevor Lee and House Speaker Mike Schultz. It’s hard to get a sense for policy preferences in a sheriff’s race, but endorsements can be telling.

We note that both candidates have said that they would coordinate with ICE to some degree.

What’s next?

This race is uncontested in the general election this fall, so the winner of the Republican primary will become the next Davis County Sheriff.

Make sure to return your ballot before June 23 (and much earlier if by mail) in any Davis County official dropbox.

• A commitment to the public good and remaining accountable to constituents, not just party leaders or delegates.

• Respect towards constituents, opponents, and others.

• Willingness to put in the work to do a good job.

• Interest in basing decisions on good data, not merely ideology.

• A commitment to creating and upholding just laws and Constitutional checks and balances.

While many of us prefer nuanced or moderate policy positions, we care even more about character. As such, we sometimes recommend candidates whose preferred policies are quite conservative or progressive—not moderate—if they’ve otherwise demonstrated integrity, a willingness to work across the aisle, and other values we’re looking for.

At times we simply recommend the candidate who comes closest to embodying these values, even if we have disputes with some of their other actions. In some races we may not feel comfortable making a recommendation, and will simply provide information for you to make an informed choice.

Federal races

• CD 1 Democratic primary—Nate Blouin, Liban Mohamed, Ben McAdams, and Michael Farrell

• CD 2 Republican primary—Blake Moore and Karianne Lisonbee

• CD 3 Republican primary—Celeste Maloy and Phil Lyman

Note: there is no primary this year for Congressional District 4.

State and local races

State Senate

There are more primaries happening statewide. We’ve prioritized creating voters’ guides for the races we’re most familiar with, and would love to cover more. If you’d like to give suggestions on candidates or help make a guide, reach out at networkofutahmoderates@gmail.com

• Senate District 7 Republican primary—Stuart Adams, Stephanie Hollist, and Braden Hess

• Senate District 14 Democratic primary—Stephanie Pitcher and Taylor Khater

• Senate District 18 Republican primary—Doug Fiefia and Dan McCay

• Senate District 21 Republican primary—Brady Brammer and Kelly Smith

State House

• House District 14 Republican primary—Kara Toone and John Taylor

• House District 16 Republican primary—Trevor Lee and Bob Stevenson

• House District 38 Republican primary—Chris McConnehey and Gloria Vindas

• House District 44 Republican primary—Scott Stephenson and Jordan Teuscher

• House District 48 Republican primary—Nik Anderson and Jake Hunsaker

County Races

County races are more important than people often realize—some county commissioners may represent more constituents than your US House representative! For Democratic primaries (i.e., Salt Lake County), any registered voter in the county can vote. For Republican primaries, any registered voter who has affiliated with the Republican Party can vote.

There’s still time to register and vote! Note that anyone who will be 18 by the November election can register and vote in the primary as well. Learn how to register.

Davis County

• Davis County Clerk: Brian McKenzie and Jona Whitesides

• Davis County Commissioner Seat A: Kendalyn Harris, John Adams, and Scott Fletcher

• Davis County Commissioner Seat B Republican primary—Lorene Kamalu and Susan Lee

• Davis County Sheriff Republican primary—Jon Atkin and Aaron Perry

Salt Lake County

• Salt Lake County District Attorney Democratic primary—Sim Gill and Shawn Robinson

Utah County

• Utah County Clerk Republican primary—Corey Astill and Aaron Davidson

• Utah County Commissioner Seat A Republican primary—Brent Bowles and Michele Kaufusi

• Utah County Commissioner Seat B Republican primary—Carolina Herrin, Isaac Paxman, and David Spencer

Utah State Board of Education

• USBE District 11 Republican Primary—Tracy Nuttall and Terry Hutchinson

• USBE District 14 Republican Primary—Linda Hanks and Nicole Isom

We’ll keep adding guides to this post as we finish them, so reach out if you don’t see a race in your area that we should cover.

Make sure to vote

Note that it’s too late to switch parties (the deadline was April 1). However, new and unaffiliated voters can still register and vote in person at any county polling place! Come with the proper ID during early voting or on Election Day, June 23rd.

You should be able to vote at any polling place within your county. Find your nearest polling place at your county clerk’s website or enter your address.

Vote early, please

A reminder that since last year, ballots are now due by 8pm Election Day. Ballots that arrive after Election Day will not be counted, so mail your ballot in early, drop it off in any dropbox in your county, or make a plan to vote in person. If you believe you should have received a ballot but didn’t, check your voter registration status here.

We always recommend voting early, and we believe your vote matters!

Resources

• Visit vote.utah.gov for general election info

• Enter your address for personalized election information

• Find your new congressional district

• Locate your state representatives

• Learn how to request a ballot

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The Davis County Commission is a 3-member body that represents all of Davis County—with nearly 380,000 residents. The county commission makes administrative, legislative, and executive decisions for Davis County, working closely with local and state leaders.

County commissioners oversee many county departments. They work with local clerks, auditors, and sheriffs, and help manage natural resources and infrastructure on county land. They also create legislation for the county. Their budget comes from property taxes.

You can see the specific assignments of each of the three current commissioners here.

Candidates

Lorene Kamalu

About: Born in SLC, raised in Indiana. Thirty year resident of Davis County. Business entrepreneur for twenty years, earned an MPA in 2018. Served on Kaysville Planning Commission for four years and as Davis County Commissioner since 2019.

Top priorities (from website): transparent government, informed constituents, citizen engagement, emergency preparedness, community health & safety, Great Salt Lake, fiscal responsibility, economic development & small businesses, collaborative county leadership, transportation & infrastructure, strong local partnership. Her tagline is “Empowering the People.”

Insights: We are very impressed with Ms. Kamalu. From both personal interactions and watching her work on the commission, we find she’s smart, ethical, committed, and hard-working. In pursuit of more transparency, Ms. Kamalu worked to get commission meetings streamed and recorded, in addition to launching a monthly digital newsletter sharing updates from the county.

As a new commissioner, Ms. Kamalu created the Davis County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) to bring together various stakeholders related to the criminal justice system. It was so effective that the state legislature eventually mandated that every county have such a council.

Visit her website to see many other accomplishments, and learn more about Ms. Kamalu in this Ogden Standard-Examiner article.

Susan Lee

About: Davis County resident for over 55 years. Degree in accounting. Served on the Kaysville City Council; helped organize and serve on the Kaysville Power Commission for three years. Also served as president of Davis County GOP’s Lincoln Club, in addition to serving in other local GOP party leadership positions.

Top priorities (from website): Leading tagline: Fighting for taxpayers. Strengthening our communities. Protecting conservative principles. Also: protecting taxpayers & fiscal responsibility, infrastructure & smart growth, public safety, transparency & accountability, strengthening education partnerships

Insights: Ms. Lee wants to cut spending and is very much opposed to the tax rate increase the commission approved last year. We worry that enacting her ideology rather than looking at county needs may negatively impact Davis County.

She’s been endorsed by ultraconservative candidates such as Karianne Lisonbee. At the Davis County “Lincoln Day dinner” she organized last year, they awarded their “Legislator of the Year” award to state representative Trevor Lee—her son. Mr. Lee’s years in office have been controversial because of his culture war bills, divisive rhetoric, and revelations of a potential abuse of power. Read more about Mr. Trevor Lee. Learn more about Ms. Lee in this Ogden Standard-Examiner article.

Our recommendation

We strongly support Lorene Kamalu as the Republican candidate in this race. She has a proven track record as a public servant and is more closely aligned with moderate, reasonable voices within the GOP.

We believe this race is critical for good governance in Davis County. Current commissioner Bob Stevenson is leaving to run against Trevor in House District 16. The commissioner not up for re-election this year, John Crofts, has been the subject of a months-long investigation for his behavior in office, including dozens of allegations of his making it a toxic work environment for county staff.

If Ms. Kamalu loses her re-election bid, that leaves Mr. Crofts—who has only served since 2025—as the lone continuing commissioner. Losing experience and competent, principled leadership would be a deeply unfortunate outcome for Davis county.

Clearing up misconceptions

We see Ms. Kamalu taking serious hits based on misconceptions in this race. Let’s clear those up.

Most significantly in the eyes of many voters, last year Ms. Kamalu voted for a 15% increase on the county’s portion of the property tax revenue, which costs the owner of a $600,000 home an extra ~$50 each year. The county hadn’t raised taxes since 2017, despite 32% inflation since then.

Let’s talk property tax

Utahns should be aware that property taxes are revenue-neutral—as your home’s value goes up, the rate comes down (watch the simplest explainer we’ve found). Utah’s property taxes do not account for inflation. Some mistakenly think that because their assessed values increase, their county, city or school board gets that additional money. They don’t.

We note that many counties, cities, and school board across the state have pursued tax increases in recent years (and this year) to keep needed services amidst rising inflation. Sometimes tax increases are necessary to attract and retain great employees, adequately staff the jail—right now staff work mandatory overtime—run secure elections, and more.

Additionally, counties must pay for unfunded mandates from the state. Our legislators often boast that they’ve cut taxes year-after-year. In our experience, these cuts simply force other entities to either raise taxes or scramble to cut services or reapportion existing funds.

Ultimately, Davis County commissioners were able to defer tax increases because of one-time COVID-era funds before approving the tax increase last year.

Earmarked funds

Ms. Kamalu supported investing money to develop the old fairgrounds into the Western Sports Park. Some seem to think this was done with the county’s general operating fund. The sports park was actually built with tourism revenue ineligible to be spent on general county expenses (in essence, this money couldn’t have deferred a tax increase longer).

Of note, the Western Sports Park is an investment that’s already generating far more tourism revenue in the county than was put into it. That’s fiscally responsible in our eyes.

What’s next?

There is no challenger from a non-Republican for this seat. As such, the winner of the Republican Primary will be the next Davis County Commissioner.

The Utah County Commission is a 3-member body who represent all of Utah County—with over 700,000 residents. The County Commission makes legislative and executive decisions for Utah County as a whole, and works with local and state leaders. See Utah’s forms of county government.

County commissioners control zoning and development for unincorporated land in the county, oversee the Sheriff’s Department, manage natural resources and infrastructure on county land, and create legislation for the county. Their budget comes from county property taxes.

Learn more about the Utah County Commission and see Utah’s forms of county government.

Candidates

Isaac Paxman

About: Paxman has a Master’s Degree in Law and Taxation from Georgetown University and a law degree from BYU. He served as Provo’s deputy mayor for 8 years and currently serves as Utah’s Assistant Attorney General. He has several honors and awards associated with his law practice.

Top priorities (from website): Fiscal Discipline – Taxpayer Protection; Supporting Public Safety; Wise Investment in Transportation; Land, Agriculture & Water

Insights: Paxman has experience and education that would help him succeed in this role. When we met with him, we were impressed by his willingness to consider issues from multiple sides and not simply defer to the views of party leadership. Specifically, Mr. Paxman expressed a willingness to find the best solutions for the county’s needs, regardless of political rhetoric surrounding those solutions.

Carolina Herrin

About: Born in Brazil, came to Utah at age 13. She’s worked as a corrections officer, a Highway Patrol Trooper, and an undercover agent for the Utah Attorney General’s Office, working alongside ICE and DHS. She also holds office in the Utah County Republic Party, as chair for House District 63.

Ms. Herrin worked with current county Commissioner Beltran and was endorsed by him.

Top priorities: Fiscal Responsibility, Public Safety, Roads & Infrastructure, Transparency, Agriculture

Insights: When we met with Ms. Herrin, she focused on transparency, which we appreciated. She discussed moving the County Commission meetings to a weekday evening and holding public office hours. We appreciate these efforts and her depth of experience, along with her geographic diversity, having lived in fast-growing areas like Eagle Mountain and now Spanish Fork.

We are, however, concerned about some of her more partisan activities. First: Ms. Herrin was one of the larger participants in the effort to repeal Prop 4. At delegate meet-and-greets, she often touted being a big proponent of ICE. Ms. Herrin has shown herself to be incredibly responsive to GOP leadership and delegates; we’re concerned that her loyalty to party might outweigh her commitment to representing Utahns as a whole.

David Spencer

About: Spencer has served on Orem City Council, but lost his most recent reelection campaign. Other aspects of his career history are not available on his website.

Top priorities: Put Utah County citizens first; Create a Strategy & Innovation Department; Real transparency, not lip service; A county “Connect” portal for citizen engagement; Control government costs & hold leadership accountable

Insights: While on Orem City Council, Mr. Spencer promoted balanced budgets and keeping taxes low—the council was able to build new city buildings without debt by building in stages (we note there are pros and cons to this approach).

Mr. Spencer fought hard against high density housing and transportation infrastructure projects, claiming that these undermine family values. We feel that his emphasis on preserving neighborhood character may sometimes harm minority families and low-income families trying to make a home in Orem, and has resulted in a shrinking population. His behavior while on city council was not universally respected, and some report him yelling at constituents during council meetings.

Our Recommendation

We recommend Isaac Paxman in this race, both because of his more pragmatic problem-solving style that is not solely confined to party lines, and because of his years of relevant government and legal experience.

What’s next

The winner of the Republican primary this June will face Forward Party challenger David Hinckley and Democratic challenger J. Allen on the November ballot. (No primary elections for those parties).

Learn more about this race from the Lehi Free Press—note that several Republican candidates were eliminated before the primary election.

Utah has 29 state senators who form one of the two chambers. Each senator represents around (or just over) 100,000 Utah residents.

Senators are part-time legislators who serve during Utah’s yearly legislative session, which runs for 45 days from January to March, as well as during each interim session and on various committees and commissions. State senators also confirm judicial appointments, department heads, and other appointed positions.

Senate District 14 (SD14) includes Millcreek, Holladay, and parts of Murray and southeastern Salt Lake City. Find your state senate district.

Candidates

Top priorities come from candidates’ official websites. We view this guide as merely a starting point. Please research more and reach out to the candidates directly to learn more about their issues and experience.

Find what values and attributes we’re looking for in candidates.

Stephanie Pitcher

About: Moved to the Millcreek area in her teens, earned a B.A. at Utah State University and a J.D from the University of Utah. In 2018, Ms. Pitcher won the House district 40 seat. Since 2021, she has served as state senator for Utah’s Senate District 14.

Top priorities (from website): fighting government corruption, affordability, environmental stewardship, public education, supporting women and working families.

Insights: As a Democratic senator, Ms. Pitcher is committed to progressive causes but has earned a reputation in the state legislature for pragmatism (most of us view this as a good thing). She’s known for reaching across the aisle, finding common ground, and has been highly productive at passing bipartisan legislation, including legal system reforms and measures to reduce unlawful vehicle emissions.

Taylor Khater

About: (Khater is pronounced “cater”) Mr. Khater has deep roots in the Millcreek area, where he was born and raised. He’s an award-winning educator, and has a devoted following in the schools and communities of Granite School District where he has both taught and served as principal. He is known for consensus-building and taking action to meet needs.

Top priorities (from website): Integrity and accountability, strong public schools, thriving communities, science-based environmental stewardship.

Insights: As a beloved teacher and principal, Mr. Khater is highly regarded for his attention to both the academic success and personal well-being of students. He is deeply committed to strengthening public education in Utah and participates actively in building communities.

Our Recommendation:

We’re glad to see two candidates who seem to live the values we’re looking for. Both Democratic candidates are known to be productive consensus builders. As such, we don’t have a firm recommendation for this race.

Ms. Pitcher is the more avowedly progressive, though her actual record is relatively moderate. Mr. Khater is untested. Moderate voters who are uncomfortable with Ms. Pitcher’s views despite her record of bipartisanship might take a closer look at Mr. Khater.

Of note: Since Democrats have open primaries, any voter in Senate District 14 who would like to vote in this race can request a ballot. Registered democratic voters in the district will automatically be sent a ballot for the primary, but unaffiliated voters and voters registered with another party can also participate.

Find more about how to vote, update your registration, and more at vote.utah.gov.

What’s next?

No other party nominated a candidate for this Senate seat. The winner of the Democratic primary this June will be the only candidate listed on the November ballot. If someone chooses to challenge the winner, official write-in candidate filings are due by August 28.

Utah has 29 state senators who form one of the two chambers. Each senator represents around (or just over) 100,000 Utah residents.

Senators are part-time legislators who serve during Utah’s yearly legislative session, which runs for 45 days from January to March, as well as during each interim session and on various committees and commissions. State senators also confirm judicial appointments, department heads, and other appointed positions.

Utah Senate District 18 includes parts of Herriman, Riverton, Bluffdale, Draper, and a tiny bit of northern Saratoga Springs.

Candidates

Top priorities come from candidates’ official websites. We view this guide as merely a starting point. Please research more and reach out to the candidates directly to learn more about their issues and experience.

Find the values and attributes we’re looking for in candidates.

Doug Fiefia

About: Works in sales and operations for tech companies, developer, nonprofit founder. Current Utah House representative since 2025 (one term).

Top priorities: Protect families. Responsible technology. Smart growth.

Insights: During two years in the Utah House, Mr. Fiefia has often been responsive to folks within his constituency, as well as being proactive in reaching out and listening to local leaders. Mr. Fiefia seems to understand the needs of high-growth areas and is technologically savvy, which means he’s primarily focused on AI policies that protect children—which we appreciate.

As political moderates, we remain wary of some of his very conservative social policies, his support for the Utah Fits All scholarship, as well as his sponsorship of an election reform bill that would have cut off voter access for thousands of legitimate Utah voters.

See Mr. Fiefia’s Twitter feed.

Dan McCay

About: Lawyer and real-estate developer, Utah Congressman since 2012 and state senator since 2019 (two terms).

Top priorities: Lowering taxes and fees. Property tax relief. Making Utah more affordable.

Insights: In all honesty, we haven’t had positive interactions with Mr. McCay, although we do like the new Utah state flag, which he sponsored.

In our experience he seldom responds to constituents; when pressed, he tends to answer them with disdain. We’re watched Mr. McCay display unwillingness to work with counties, school boards, and municipalities on important tax issues; earlier this year he introduced legislation that would put Utah’s cities and towns in financial straits.

We worry about his antagonistic attitude towards both educators and his political opponents. Despite his long service in the statehouse, we find Mr. McCay’s temperament (and online trolling) unsuitable for public office. See what you think at his Twitter/X feed.

Our Recommendation

While we are reluctant to make a full recommendation in this race, we overall feel that Mr. Fiefia comes closer to the values we’re hoping to see in our leadership.

Find more information on the candidates from interviews by a local journalist and on Ballotpedia.

The winner of the Republican Party primary for Senate District 18 will face Democratic candidate Dane Anderson this November.

Utah has 75 state representatives in its House of Representatives. Each House Representative serves around 45,000 Utah residents in their district.

Like their counterparts in the Senate, House Representatives are part-time legislators who serve passing bills and budgets during Utah’s yearly legislative session, which runs for 45 days from January to March. They also serve during each interim session and on various boards, committees and commissions.

Utah House District 48 comprises parts of southwest Salt Lake County, including parts of South Jordan, Herriman, and Riverton.

Candidates

Top priorities come from candidates’ official websites. We view this guide as merely a starting point. Please research more and reach out to the candidates directly to learn more about their issues and experience.

Find the values and attributes we’re looking for in candidates.

Nik Anderson

About: 20+ year resident of southwest Salt Lake County. Small business owner of a local events business.

Top priorities (from website): family first, personal responsibility, liberty and limited government

Insights: Mr. Anderson seems to be primarily running on frustration about COVID legislation. While we appreciate his perspective and stated desire to default to “no” on bills, we do note the bulk of his endorsements come from those we don’t feel best represent the values we’re seeking.

Jake Hunsaker

About: Utah native. Career in tech; currently serves in Republican party leadership roles within the state and local party.

Top priorities (from website): local advocate on growth and local control; governing with discipline and respect; fighting for Utah families and quality of life

Insights: Mr. Hunsaker is explicitly campaigning on building a big tent and Ronald Reagan conservative values, which is unusual in today’s politics. We’ve talked extensively with Mr. Hunsaker and feel confident that he will support funding for public education, stand against retributive partisan bills, and try to make data-backed decisions about public health and other important issues.

On the campaign trail Mr. Hunsaker has promised to “stay accessible, explain my reasoning and be accountable for both the intent and impact of the legislation I support.” (Salt Lake Tribune article)

Our Recommendation:

We recommend Mr. Hunsaker as the more experienced and moderate candidate in the June 2026 Republican Primary.

The winner of the Republican Primary will face Democratic candidate Bendye Walker in the November. Read more about this race.

The Utah County Commission is a 3-member body who represent all of Utah County—with over 700,000 residents. The County Commission makes legislative and executive decisions for Utah County as a whole, and works with local and state leaders. See Utah’s forms of county government.

County commissioners control zoning and development for unincorporated land in the county, oversee the Sheriff’s Department, manage natural resources and infrastructure on county land, and create legislation for the county. Their budget comes from county property taxes.

Learn more about the Utah County Commission and see Utah’s forms of county government.

Candidates

Top priorities come from candidates’ official websites. We view this guide as merely a starting point, please research more and reach out to the candidates directly to learn more about their issues and experience.

Find the values and attributes we’re looking for in candidates.

Brent Bowles

About: Mr. Bowles has lived in Utah for more than 30 years. He’s worked as a firefighter for 23 years and currently works as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. He has a Master’s Degree in nurse anesthesia. Mr. Bowles has served for 9 years as the president of his local Homeowners’ Association.

Top priorities (from website): Government efficiency and county commission reform, taxes and fiscal responsibility, public safety, illegal immigration

Insights: We met with Mr. Bowles and were concerned by his lack of experience. He seemed to be confused over the powers and duties of commissioners, which include both executive and legislative duties.

During his run for convention, Mr. Bowles expressed interest in using the commission to manage the school boards, and in keeping children who do not speak English out of public school, neither of which are powers granted to the commission. He may have promising ideas about expanding the commission size and reducing commissioners’ pay, yet we continue to worry about a fundamental misunderstanding and lack of experience for such a powerful role.

Michelle Kaufusi

About: Kaufusi is a lifelong Utahn, raised in Provo. She served on the Provo school board and has served 2 terms as mayor of Provo, until her recent defeat in the mayoral race. She has also served on various state and federal boards. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Geography from BYU.

Top priorities (from website): Small, efficient government; public safety; transportation; long-term planning

Insights: Looking at Ms. Kaufusi’s successes and failures as mayor of Provo can give us an idea of her strengths and weaknesses. She avoided debt in building the Provo Airport by starting small. She seems willing to accept differing perspectives, appointing people of different ideologies to boards and commissions to allow better deliberation. She supported the creation of an Environmental Sustainability Commission in Provo.

We note that she was not in favor of some public health measures taken during the Covid-19 pandemic. She also tends to take a fairly partisan stance on issues like law and immigration enforcement, which are relevant to the commission. While her views are not moderate, we appreciate that it seems like she’s been willing to work across the aisle on important issues.

Our recommendation

We recommend Michelle Kaufusi in the June 2026 Republican Primary for Utah County Commissioner. While we do not find Ms. Kaufusi particular moderate in her views, we appreciate her understanding of the commissioner role, experience in public office, and history of working with those with whom she may disagree.

Learn more about this race from local news coverage like Utah Politics and American Fork Citizen and by watching their debate.

What’s next?

The winner of the June Republican primary election will face Democratic candidate Jeanne Marie Bowen and Independent American candidate Jacob D. Oaks in the November general election.

Of note, 100% of Utah County’s current partisan elected officials are Republicans. (Municipal leaders and local school board members are nonpartisan races)

Utah has 29 state senators who form the upper of two chambers. Each senator represents around (or just over) 100,000 Utah residents.

Senators are part-time legislators who serve during Utah’s yearly legislative session, which runs for 45 days from January to March, as well as during each interim session and on various committees and commissions. State senators also confirm judicial appointments, department heads, and other appointed positions.

Senate District 7 (“SD7”) comprises a small part of Morgan County as well as parts of Layton, Kaysville, Farmington, and Centerville, in addition to all of Fruit Heights in Davis County. Find your state senate district.

We note that because it features one of the most influential incumbent politicians in Utah, Senate District 7 is one of the most important races in the state.

Candidates

Stuart Adams

About: Incumbent. Born and raised in Layton. Owner of a real estate, construction, and development firm. Former Layton City Council and Utah State Transportation Commission member. Mr. Adams has served in the legislature for over twenty years after being selected by delegates for a mid-term appointment to the House in 2002, then to the Senate in 2009. Utah Senate President since 2018.

Top priorities (from website): cutting taxes, keeping trans men out of women’s sports, school choice vouchers, and ending DEI

Insights: Since Republicans have a veto-proof supermajority in the legislature, Mr. Adams is arguably the most powerful politician in Utah—and has been for some time. We note that with Mr. Adams at the helm, the legislature has reduced government transparency, extended control relative to the judiciary, and overturned the will of voters on three ballot initiatives that became law. He has also been involved in state road projects that appear to have benefitted him personally and, anecdotally, made the Senate a hostile place for Republicans who don’t fall into lockstep on major votes.

Most recently, Mr. Adam has taken heat for his role as the chair of MIDA, the Military Installation Development Authority, which is pushing a mega data-center in Box Elder County with little public input or study. Last month, Mr. Adams’ PAC received almost $140,000 in donations from firms with MIDA-related interests.

Braden Hess

About: Born and raised in Davis County. Attorney. Worked for Utah’s Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel. Now has his own law firm and also works as a realtor.

Top priorities (from website): Defending families, free market, and the Constitution. Also, vetting judges carefully, reforming and lowering taxes, and making housing affordable.

Insights: Mr. Hess’ campaign website contains relatively little information. A look at his campaign Facebook page suggests that he is challenging Mr. Adams from the right—making a campaign appearance with Phil Lyman and fully supporting the Trump administration’s ICE efforts.

Interestingly, Mr. Hess suggests that the government asking for a 75% reduction in the Box Elder data center is the wrong approach because “business’s core duty is creating value for shareholders.” We wonder who he believes government’s “shareholders” to be.

His social media and a podcast episode in which he appeared suggest that Mr. Hess is hoping to eliminate “activist” judges. As moderates who oppose gerrymandering we worry that, if elected, he’ll continue his predecessor’s opposition to Prop 4, the citizen initiative Utah voters approved in an effort to end partisan gerrymandering.

Stephanie Hollist

About: Born and raised in Davis County. Worked as an attorney for state and municipal government, including as general counsel for Weber State University. Ms. Hollist currently works as VP and general counsel for a heavy machinery company in Salt Lake City.

Top priorities (from website): Building trust, good government, supporting youth, and helping working families provide for their families through affordable housing, a robust job market, educational opportunities, etc.

Insights: Ms. Hollist feels strongly about upholding the Constitution, listening to constituents, and restoring trust in government. She’s taught government ethics for a decade.

Ms. Hollist has experience crafting bills with legislators and understands the law-making process—as well as the potential unintended consequences of new laws and the hardships often created by unfunded mandates. In our discussions with her, we’ve learned that she is committed to collaborative problem solving and tackling tough issues. She’s also a strong supporter of public education (in fact, her husband works at a public school).

Our Recommendation

We strongly support Stephanie Hollist as the Republican candidate in this race. In our view, Ms. Hollist is the only candidate in this race who exemplifies the values and attributes we look for in candidates.

After many interactions with her, we strongly anticipate that Ms. Hollist would bridge differences, listen, serve with integrity, and do right by SD7 residents. We believe electing her would mean far more ethical and responsive leadership in the Utah Senate.

What’s next

The winner of the 3-way Republican primary for Senate District 7 will face Democratic challenger Garrett Rushforth and Constitution Party candidate Jeffrey Ostler in the November general election.

Learn more about Senate District 7.

Utah has 75 state representatives in its House of Representatives. Each House Representative serves around 45,000 Utah residents in their district.

Like their counterparts in the Senate, Utah’s House representatives are part-time legislators who serve passing bills and budgets during Utah’s yearly legislative session, which runs for 45 days from January to March. They also serve during each interim session and on various boards, committees and commissions.

House District 16 comprises parts of eastern Davis County around Hill Air Force Base, including parts of Layton and South Weber east of 1-15.

Candidates

Bob Stevenson

About: Mr. Stevenson is a lifelong resident of Layton, Utah. His experience includes teaching at Layton High School, working at Nestle, and owning a residential construction company. He is the former mayor of Layton City, a Layton City council member, and current Davis County Commissioner. Mr. Stevenson has also served on multiple other community boards.

Top priorities (from website): attainable housing, smart water policy, reform property taxes, economic growth, education, teamwork and collaborative leadership

Insights: Mr. Stevenson is known in Davis County for his collaborative, business-oriented approach to leadership. His campaign focuses on practical governance, economic growth, and long-term planning for Davis County communities. Mr. Stevenson is generally viewed as both a reasonable and an experienced local leader with deep knowledge of Davis County government and regional planning.

Supporters point to his long record of working across groups and focusing on practical solutions rather than ideological conflict. His approach reflects a more traditional Utah conservatism centered on stability, economic development, and community relationships rather than national political fights.

We strongly recommend Mr. Stevenson as the most competent, principled candidate in this race.

Trevor Lee

Mr. Lee is a lifelong Davis County resident and currently resides in Layton, Utah. He’s worked in wealth management and business consulting. Mr. Lee currently serves as the Utah House representative for District 16 and has served since 2023.

Top priorities (from website): Tax relief, education quality, expanding school choice, parental rights, secure elections, rule of law and limiting public benefits for immigrants, pro second amendment

Insights: Mr. Lee has become a well-known divisive figure in Utah politics and has repeatedly drawn controversy over inflammatory rhetoric and social media behavior. Critics, including many Republicans, have raised concerns about Mr. Lee’s statements regarding immigrants, which can seem racially charged.

Mr. Lee has also faced criticism for promoting legislation viewed by many as overly punitive toward immigrants (and disconnected from Utah’s historically more compassionate, pragmatic approach to immigration policy).

His record shows that Mr. Lee is at the forefront of ultraconservative culture-war legislation, including sponsoring bills to restrict public benefits for undocumented immigrants. He has also been a proponent of election and voting restrictions. During the 2026 legislative session, Lee served as the primary sponsor of 10–15 bills, none of which ultimately passed into law. With his controversial leadership style, he seems to have faced trouble building consensus within the Legislature. Lee has additionally faced scrutiny over past controversial conduct, including allegations of fraud by former employers as well as a secret online twitter account that he has since deleted.

Our Recommendation

We strongly recommend support for Bob Stevenson in the House District 16 Republican Primary race. We believe Stevenson represents a more experienced, reasonable, and community-focused style of leadership that better reflects the collaborative and solutions-oriented values many Utahns expect from their elected officials.

Mr. Stevenson’s long history in local government demonstrates an ability to work with diverse groups, manage growth responsibly, and focus on practical governance rather than political division—values we really care about.

While Mr. Lee has built a following among some ultraconservative ideological activists, we’re concerned by the increasingly divisive (and occasionally racist) tone of his politics. We also worry about Mr. Lee’s repeated controversies, rhetoric about immigrants and culture, and overall legislative record.

We believe Utah benefits most from leaders who can build trust, work constructively with others, and represent the broad interests of their communities. We find that in Mr. Stevenson, and have not found that in Mr. Trevor Lee.

What comes next?

The winner of the Republican Primary this June will face Democratic nominee Abigail Treasure in the November election. Find more about this seat.