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.
