Utah
Conservatives have lost trust in elections. Here’s how Utah leaders are trying to help
Utah leaders are at the forefront of a nationwide initiative to increase election confidence among conservative voters.
The state’s top election officers, Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson and her director of elections, Ryan Cowley, spoke at a Sutherland Institute event on Tuesday along with the man behind an ambitious project to bring together hundreds of election administrators and scholars across the country to promote “a conservative agenda for democracy.”
Scott Warren, who leads the joint program from the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University and the center-right think tank R Street, presented the initiative’s “conservative principles for building trust in elections” in a message that was echoed by Henderson, Cowley and former Utah Gov. Gary Herbert.
“Voter access and ballot security are paramount, especially in the age of some saying elections are illegitimate or have been stolen,” Herbert said in a prepared video statement. “Unfortunately, this has become an all too common feature of campaigns and it undermines our system of self government.”
Herbert called on attendees to adopt the principles developed by the Agora Institute and R Street partnership, which Henderson and the Sutherland Institute have been involved with since shortly after it was formed about 18 months ago. The principles are: 1) publicly affirming the integrity of elections in Utah and across the country, 2) using transparency and outreach to boost election confidence, and 3) inviting continuous improvement in election processes to increase trust in election results.
As part of the event held at Utah Valley University, Warren released new polling data commissioned by the partnership on Utahn’s election confidence, candidate preferences and media consumption.
Do Utahns trust federal elections?
The poll, conducted by Gallup in March, found that a majority of Utahns who identify as “conservative” are not confident that President Joe Biden was the legitimate winner of the 2020 presidential election. Only 17% of Utah conservatives are “very confident” that Biden won fairly and 20% were “confident.” Over 30% were “not too confident” and another 30% were “not at all confident.”
The distinction between conservatives who believe Biden’s win was legitimate and those who don’t correlates with other divides among conservatives. Utah conservatives who believe Biden won are more likely to have voted in 2020 (82%) than those who don’t believe he was the legitimate winner (62%), the poll found. They are also more likely to have always been a Republican, 70%-61%.
The divide extends to feelings surrounding the 2024 election: 90% of Utah conservatives who believe Biden’s win was legitimate, and 53% of those who don’t, have some or a lot of confidence that other states’ legislatures will certify the winning presidential candidate in 2024 “regardless of party.” 51% of Utah conservatives who believe Biden’s win was legitimate, and just 19% of those who don’t, think that Democrats will accept the 2024 presidential election if they lose.
Utah conservatives who believe Biden won the 2020 election are unique in the nation in describing themselves as Romney Republicans (31%) or Never Trump Republicans (25%) and are twice as likely, at 39%, than that same cohort in any other state polled by Johns Hopkins and R Street to say they will vote for someone other than Trump and Biden in 2024, the poll found.
Nearly 80% of Utah conservatives who don’t believe Biden won the 2020 election fair and square say they will vote for Trump in 2020, compared to just 36% of conservatives who have confidence in the results of the 2020 election.
Do Utahns trust state elections?
Utahns are much more united in their perception of their own state’s election integrity.
Election policy scholar Derek Monson presented a Sutherland Institute poll conducted by Y2 Analytics in February which found over 70% of Utahns have confidence that the state’s decade-old vote-by-mail system counts ballots accurately, produces fair outcomes and is secure.
The same percentage of Republicans say they like how vote-by-mail allows them to avoid lines at polling places but around half of Republicans are worried about mail-in ballots being hard to track or being sent to the wrong home.
“There’s a high level of confidence that elections in Utah are accurate and receive fair outcomes and that they’re secure,” Monson said.
The state’s mature vote-by-mail laws and willingness to pursue reforms to increase election integrity have made Utah an example for the country on election administration, Monson said. This is why the Agora Institute-R Street initiative convened officials and academics from across the country in Park City a year ago to talk about how Utah election officials are doing their job and “persuading Republicans to kind of resist the erosion of trust in things like election outcomes.”
Henderson and Cowley invited Utahns to come and see the processes that build democracy to remind them who it is that makes elections tick: their neighbors.
“As we move into the 2024 election, it’s essential for all of us to continue to promote Utah’s strong track record of election integrity while we strive to continue to improve things so citizens can continue to have high levels of trust in our voting system,” Henderson said in a prepared video statement. “It’s important to remember that elections are not done at a national or even a state level. They’re performed at the local level by our neighbors and members of our communities.”
Cowley, who oversaw elections in Summit and Weber counties before joining the lieutenant governor’s office, lamented the loss of institutional knowledge that has taken place with 20 of Utah’s 29 county clerks leaving since 2020 because of the unprecedented pressure and harassment directed toward local election officers.
According to Cowley, distrust in elections is bipartisan and has more to with whatever the results were of the most recent election than with a faulty election system.
“I think it’s honestly a mechanism of when the polling is done,” Cowley said. “If you were to go back four years, when you have a Republican President and Democrats lost the election, I think the polling would show probably an inverse number.”
Cowley said the best way to improve confidence in elections is to increase transparency surrounding election processes, invite community members to watch their neighbors oversee vote counting and gradually reform the election system based on public feedback, similar to how the state’s vote-by-mail system was developed over two decades.
Tuesday’s event included a panel on supporting election administrators with Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane, a breakout session on potential election reforms and a discussion on media reporting and election trust featuring Deseret News executive editor Doug Wilks, Salt Lake Tribune executive editor Lauren Gustus and KSL NewsRadio Inside Sources host Boyd Matheson.
The Utah Jazz, while 3-5 on the season thus far, have had a few pleasant surprises in the early parts of their campaign.
One of those pleasant surprises has been found within an unsung hero in the Jazz’s starting lineup: veteran guard Svi Mykhailiuk, who’s started in all eight games of Utah’s season, and in their latest showing vs. the Detroit Pistons, came together for a career-high of 28 points on 10-16 shooting from the field.
An awesome start to the season for the journeyman NBA guard, and someone that Jazz head coach Will Hardy is a huge fan of– not just for what he brings on the floor, but as a teammate as well.
“Desperation is a heck of a thing,” Hardy said of Mykhailiuk, via Eric Spyropoulos of NBA.com. “I think he models really good professional behavior for our young players, because Svi is in a moment where you look at his contract and he’s playing for something. But the way he carries himself, the way he interacts with all of his teammates, he would never let you know that there’s that desperation — he doesn’t make it about himself.”
During his eight games so far this year with Utah, Mykhailiuk has averaged a strong 9.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists on 45.9% shooting from the field and 35.6% from three.
Mykhailiuk is in his second season with the Jazz, but has been a part of eight total teams through his eight years in the NBA, including three years with the team he just posted his career-high against in the Pistons.
But in Utah, he’s found a solidified role as a stable veteran on the wing with the ability to make shots, and for Hardy, a stellar example for his young talent of how to be a high-end professional.
“He’s steady in terms of his approach, his professionalism, kind of understanding where he is in his career and how he can play off the other guys,” Hardy said. “We’ve had him in certain moments, handle the ball a bunch, because we needed it — and he grew up as a point guard. So, yeah, he’s an overall pretty skilled basketball player and a really competitive guy.”
“He really gives himself to the group,” Hardy said. “And I think that’s something that we can all take from Svi.”
Mykhailiuk, now 28, is the ideal veteran fit for Hardy in the process of Utah’s rebuild. He’s an excellent teammate, has been a versatile contributor with experiences across multiple different teams, and so far, has provided some ideal shot-making that should keep him with an established role in this rotation for the foreseeable future.
Be sure to bookmark Utah Jazz On SI and follow @JazzOnSI on X to stay up-to-date on daily Utah Jazz news, interviews, breakdowns and more!
Utah
Changing of the guards: Here’s a look at preliminary election results in southern, northern Utah
SALT LAKE CITY — Preliminary results from the 2025 general municipal election on Tuesday signal potential leadership changes at the mayoral level in communities throughout southern and northern Utah.
Several incumbent mayors — in St. George and Hurricane in the south and Hyrum and Smithfield in the north — look poised to lose their positions to new challengers.
And a handful of cities are likely watching their mayoral elections closely, awaiting the replacement of longtime leaders who aren’t seeking reelection.
Here’s a rundown of some of the notable preliminary results from races in southern and northern Utah, respectively.
Iron County
With Cedar City’s incumbent Mayor Garth Green not seeking reelection, voters appear ready to elect Steve Nelson as the next leader of Cedar City, as he holds a strong lead on Phil E. Schmidt. Preliminary results show Nelson outpacing Schmidt with 60.26% of the votes compared to Schmidt’s 39.74%.
Enoch’s incumbent Mayor Geoffrey Chestnut isn’t seeking reelection this year. Preliminary results point to a tight race between current leader Jim Rushton (50.36%) and Katherine A. Ross (49.64%), with Rushton leading by less than 1%.
Mollie Halterman will serve another term as Parowan mayor, as she ran unopposed this year. Incumbent Rochell Topham (28.12%) and newcomer Lyle Barton (31.96%) are leading the votes for two seats on the City Council.
Washington County
Hurricane’s incumbent Mayor Nanette Billings (32.34%) is trailing Clark Fawcett (67.66%) in Hurricane’s mayoral race. Fawcett worked as the city manager for over 37 years and is a current city council member.
St. George’s incumbent Mayor Michelle Randall, who was elected in 2021, is seeking reelection for a second term and trying to defend her position from newcomer Jimmie B. Hughes. Preliminary results show a change in leadership could be coming, with Hughes (54.85%) holding a lead over Randall (45.15%).
For the first time in nearly two decades, Santa Clara voters will be selecting a new mayor, with incumbent Rick Rosenburg not seeking reelection. Jarett Waite (54.93%) is currently holding a lead over Ben Shakespeare (45.07%). Incumbent Christa Hinton (43.80%) and newcomer Mark W. Hendrickson (35.31%) are in the lead to secure two spots on Santa Clara’s City Council, with Jimi Kestin (20.89%) trailing.
Cache County
In Hyrum, newcomer Steve J. Miller leads incumbent Mayor Stephanie Miller with 66.58%% of the votes to her 33.42%.
Incumbent Logan Mayor Holly Daines is not seeking reelection, having served as Logan’s mayor since 2017. Mark A. Anderson (61.32%) currently leads Alanna Nafziger (38.68%). Anderson has been a City Council member since 2018.
Richmond Mayor Paul Erickson is not seeking reelection this year. Instead, the race is between Amber Ervin (47.03%) and Jeff Young (52.97%) to be the city’s next mayor.
Smithfield’s incumbent Mayor Kris Monson (48.91%) is trailing challenger Aaron Rudie (51.09%).
With Wellsville’s longtime incumbent Mayor Thomas Bailey not seeking reelection, Carl P. Leatham (43.90%) trails Chad Bankhead Lindley (56.10%) in Wellsville’s mayoral race.
Box Elder County
Garland’s incumbent Mayor Linda Bourne (40.70%) is trailing Daniel Nolan Austin (59.30%).
In Tremonton, City Councilman Bret G. Rohde (71.20%) leads incumbent Mayor Lyle Holmgren with 71.20% of the votes to Holmgren’s 28.80% in the mayoral race.
A full list of preliminary results for Utah can be found on the state’s elections website.
OREM — The first wave of results from the 2025 general municipal election is signaling several political shake-ups, as many cities will have new mayors replacing leaders who decided it was time to step down — and in some cases, incumbents who were defeated by their challengers.
Here are the results of some of the biggest races in Utah’s second-most populous county:
Vineyard
In preliminary results Tuesday night, Zack Stratton, an entrepreneur and businessman, had received 58% of the vote toward becoming the city’s next mayor. City Councilwoman Mardi Sifuentes trails Stratton with 41% of the votes.
Julie Fullmer has been the mayor of Vineyard for the last eight years. But she has faced some pushback from adherents of City Councilman Jacob Holdaway, who claims she is deceptive and corrupt. Fullmer, however, has said Holdaway has been combative and slowed progress in the city.
Fullmer previously announced she would not be running for reelection this year, opening the door to significant change in the small city.
Sifuentes has served with Fullmer for several years now, and Stratton is backed by Holdaway. A Stratton win could mean a shift in the dynamic among City Council members as well as other changes within the growing city.
Vineyard residents were also tasked with electing an additional council member after 74% of voters favored Proposition 10 in last year’s election, which adjusted the city’s government structure by adding an additional council position.
In the race for the new seat, Parker McCumber was leading with 21% of the vote Tuesday night, followed by Jacob Wood with 20.6% of the vote and David Lauret with 20.2% in the unofficial results. Current Councilman Brett Clawson was trailing with nearly 14% of the vote, and Utah County administrator Ezra Nair, who is also vying for the role, had 12.8% of the vote.
Orem
In Orem, Mayor David Young is running again. Young ran on the idea of making Orem “Family City USA,” with a strong emphasis on opposition to high-density housing. But his time as the city’s mayor may be coming to an end.
Tuesday night’s preliminary results show Young’s opponent, Karen McCandless, outpacing the incumbent with 52% of the votes to his 47%.
McCandless is CEO of Community Action Services and Food Bank. She previously served on Orem’s City Council from 2001 to 2014.
As mayor, Young has pushed for an Orem-only school, which was ultimately shot down by voters. He also faced some public scrutiny when his son was involved in a million-dollar fraud lawsuit in 2022. That lawsuit was resolved in December 2024 in an out-of-court settlement that the mayor was happy with, according to the mayor’s spokesman.
Three City Council seats are also up for grabs in Orem. Newcomer Quinn Mecham was leading the way in Tuesday’s unofficial results with 17.9% of the votes, followed by Doyle Mortimer (16.9%) and Angela Moulton (16.38%).
Current council members LaNae Millett and David Spencer were both trailing their opponents Tuesday night. Millett had 16.37% of the vote, and Spencer had 15.9%.
Crystal Muhlestein, who serves as the chairwoman for House District 56 for the Utah County Republican Party, is also vying for a seat on the City Council. She had 16.2% of the vote on Tuesday night.
Provo
Mayor Michelle Kaufusi has been leading the city of Provo since 2018. Attempting a third term, she faced off against former Utah Rep. Marsha Judkins.
In a tight race, Kaufusi had 50.6% of the votes Tuesday night, but Judkins wasn’t far behind with 49.3%.
Provo residents are also voting on several seats on the City Council:
- In the race for the citywide seat, current Councilwoman Katrice MacKay was up with 61.2% of the vote to Adam Shin’s 38.7%.
- Two newcomers are vying for the District 2 seat in an extremely tight race. Early results show Jeff Whitlock ahead, with 50.13% of the vote, and Hannah Petersen right behind with 49.87%. The winner will replace current Councilman George Handley,
- In the District 5 race, incumbent Councilwoman Rachel Whipple was outpacing newcomer Sam Blackburn with 67% of the vote to his 32%.
Eagle Mountain
Eagle Mountain is sure to see some change, as current Mayor Tom Westmoreland did not make it past the primary election, despite being endorsed by both Gov. Spencer Cox and former state Rep. Phil Lyman. This outcome may have stemmed from the city considering changing code to allow for a nuclear power plant to be built in Eagle Mountain, which residents vehemently disagreed with.
Council members Melissa Clark and Jared R. Gray faced off for the open position. In another tight race, Gray had 52.55% of the votes to Clark’s 47.45% Tuesday night.
Other elections of note
Wade Menlove is running unopposed to be the first mayor of Spring Lake, a newly incorporated town situated between Payson and Santaquin.
In the race for Spring Lake’s town council, two candidates will be selected to serve four-year terms. David Charles was in the lead with 32% of the vote Tuesday, followed by Joy Benson with 29%.
Two candidates are also being selected to serve two-year terms on the Town Council. Robert Marsh was leading the way with 31% of the votes, with Sharon Bascom with 29% Tuesday night.
In the north end of the county, Lehi will also have a new mayor, as current Mayor Mark Johnson did not run for a third term. Councilwoman Paige Albrecht is vying for the spot to fill his shoes, facing off against newcomer Paul Binns. The race was tight Tuesday night, with Binns in the lead at 52.07% and Albrecht at 47.93%.
In a similar situation, Pleasant Grove Mayor Guy Fugal did not throw his hat in the ring this year. Two council members, Eric Jensen and Cyd Lemone, faced off for the seat. Jensen was in the lead with 57.87% of the votes, with Lemons trailing at 42.13%.
A full list of Utah County results can be found on the state’s election website.
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