Utah

Salvadorans in Utah casting ballots in Central American nation’s presidential election

Published

2 years ago

February 3, 2024

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Salvadorans in Utah casting ballots in Central American nation’s presidential election

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KEARNS — Sofia Zelaya, now living in Utah, is thousands of miles away from her native El Salvador.

That doesn’t mean she’s left the tiny Central American country behind.

With presidential elections in El Salvador set for Sunday, she and many other Salvadorans and Salvadoran-Americans in Utah are paying close attention to what’s happening in the country and aim to have a say in the process. The government has created new openings for voting by expatriates, with Salt Lake City to host one of many remote polling sites around the United States and beyond on Sunday to accommodate the global Salvadoran diaspora.

“We still have loved ones at home. We want our loved ones to live in a peaceful environment,” said Zelaya, a naturalized U.S. citizen and dual national who was offering voting information to Salvadorans at a table set up inside the Kearns Library in Kearns. Some 13,000 to 20,000 Salvadorans and Salvadoran-Americans live in Utah, according to varied estimates, and the money they and others around the world send back to relatives is a pillar of the Salvadoran economy.

Indeed, becoming a U.S. citizen, Zelaya went on, “doesn’t mean we don’t have cultural and family ties to where we came from.” The pride is still there and she and many more Salvadorans in Utah have already voted online — which started for eligible expatriates on Jan. 6 — or will do so in person on Sunday at the Salt Lake polling site, 850 E. South Temple, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Gladis Rodriguez and Sofia Zelaya talk while at the Kearns Library waiting to assist anyone who might need help understanding the voting process for elections in El Salvador, on Friday. (Photo: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)

Fernando Pérez, consul general of the Salvadoran Consulate in Salt Lake City, called the expatriate community “a fundamental part of our nation,” noting the money those living and working abroad send to family members in El Salvador. According to the Salvadoran newspaper El Mundo, expatriate Salvadorans sent $8.2 billion to El Salvador in 2023 — more money than generated by exports — benefitting 25% of households in the country.

The laws allowing expatriates to vote “aim to make sure that the voices of our compatriots are heard, that their opinions are taken into account and that their rights are respected in the electoral process,” Pérez said in a message to KSL.com.

Laura Morales, originally from El Salvador but now living in Kaysville, already cast her ballot online, a new option this election cycle open to Salvadorans who have registered their foreign addresses with Salvadoran election authorities. Now she’s keeping tabs on what’s happening in El Salvador in the lead up to next Sunday.

“It’s my first time voting in 24 years, and for my kids it’s the first time in their lives,” except for balloting in U.S. elections, she said. “It’s been a month of civic joy.”

The Salvadoran elections come at a critical time, observers and others say. Incumbent President Nayib Bukele, elected to his first term in 2019 and widely expected to win his second term handily, has spearheaded a massive crackdown on the gangs that once dominated life in the country. He warns the country could slide backward if he’s not reelected, according to Reuters. But he’s not without critics, who charge his administration with employing repressive tactics and blast changes to election laws enabling his reelection bid.

Among the other hopefuls are Manuel Flores, a leftist former mayor and Salvadoran Legislative Assembly deputy, and Joel Sanchez, a conservative aspirant, according to CNN en Español.

Whatever the case, Zelaya and Morales are enthusiastic Bukele supporters, both crediting the leader with turning the country’s fortunes around. Back in the 1980s and 1990s, the country was wracked by civil war, violence that pushed many out of the country. Mara Salvatrucha and other gangs dominated the urban landscape after that, also pushing many from the nation.

“Mara Salvatrucha — that’s all we were known for, crime and nothing more,” said Zelaya, who fled El Salvador in 1981 during the nation’s civil conflict and now lives in Herriman. She was operating the information desk at the Kearns Library Friday with Gladis Rodríguez, another Salvadoran now living in Utah, as part of their volunteer efforts with Comunidad Salvadoreña de Utah, a cultural group.

Street crime, kidnappings and gang violence pushed Morales and her family from the country to the United States in 2000. “The last 20 years has been difficult for our country,” she said.

Changes implemented by Bukele, though, have inspired a renewed sense of pride in El Salvador, prompting much of the excitement among expatriates in Utah like Morales in the presidential contest. What’s more, Bukele has pointedly reached out to Salvadorans living abroad, opening more consulates, including the Salt Lake consulate, and streamlining the voting process for expatriates, she said.

“It’s a peaceful environment,” she said, describing the changed atmosphere in El Salvador thanks to the crackdown on gangs and street crime. “All the Salvadorans living abroad support the president so we can keep cleaning up the country.”

Francisco Raymundo, a Salvadoran expatriate now living in Taylorsville, is an unabashed supporter of Bukele and his New Ideas political party, promoting the incumbent’s candidacy among Salvadorans here in Utah. He left El Salvador with his wife and four kids in 2002, worried about crime and violence and fearful of getting caught up in it.

Gladis Rodriguez and Sofia Zelaya answer questions while at the Kearns Library waiting to assist anyone who might need help understanding the voting process for elections in El Salvador, on Friday. El Salvador expatriates have started presidential online balloting ahead of Election Day in the country, Feb. 4. Among the voters are many in Utah excited over the prospect of being able to have a say in the country's future. — Gladis Rodriguez and Sofia Zelaya answer questions while at the Kearns Library waiting to assist anyone who might need help understanding the voting process for elections in El Salvador, on Friday. El Salvador expatriates have started presidential online balloting ahead of Election Day in the country, Feb. 4. Among the voters are many in Utah excited over the prospect of being able to have a say in the country’s future. (Photo: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)

“We really didn’t want to go but we left to keep my family safe,” he said. “It was personally painful to see people dying every day, people being extorted.”

Accordingly, seeing the change in the country and being able to vote and have a say in the nation’s future is exciting for him. “We are excited and engaged,” he said.

Salvadorans in Utah who wanted to vote in the 2019 elections had to travel to the Salvadoran consulate in Las Vegas, the closest one before the Salt Lake office opened, or cast a ballot by mail. Raymundo had hoped to vote by mail, but his ballot arrived from El Salvador after voting ended.

Morales, too, is charged by the new atmosphere in El Salvador. She already cast her ballot online and recalled the strong emotion as she clicked the screen prompt on her computer so her vote could be tallied.

“You cry. When you click and it says, ‘You voted,’ you cry,” she said.

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Tim Vandenack covers immigration, multicultural issues and Northern Utah for KSL.com. He worked several years for the Standard-Examiner in Ogden and has lived and reported in Mexico, Chile and along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Will Hardy Highlights Utah Jazz’s Under-the-Radar Standout

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8 hours ago

November 6, 2025

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Will Hardy Highlights Utah Jazz’s Under-the-Radar Standout

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Utah

Changing of the guards: Here’s a look at preliminary election results in southern, northern Utah

Published

1 day ago

November 5, 2025

Press Room

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.

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Utah

Here are the new and returning elected leaders in Utah County

Published

2 days ago

November 5, 2025

Press Room

Here are the new and returning elected leaders in Utah County

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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