A climbing center with a public plaza, new lights on Main Street and a Sugar House tower: the projects reshaping Salt Lake City

What they'd do in office

• cut barriers to building homesRead moreShow less

  He told the Tribune he has spent five years since Congress writing housing policy with cities for walkable, affordable homes near transit. His campaign site adds increasing housing supply, cutting red tape and expanding opportunities for first-time homebuyers.

• put underused public land to work for housingRead moreShow less

  A May 2026 Brookings report he co-wrote proposes building homes on underused Postal Service land while keeping postal operations running, up to 237,000 homes nationwide. It names the post office at 1953 South 1100 East in Sugar House as one candidate site.

• go after anti-competitive practices he blames for grocery, gas and health care prices
• attach water accountability to public subsidies for developers and data centers in the Great Salt Lake watershedRead moreShow less

  He told the Tribune he would invest in conservation and is "working on legislation to bring private dollars to help pay for it," because the private investment driving Utah's growth "can also help secure the water it depends on."

• oppose the tariffs and the war with Iran that he says are raising costs

Record

County minutes from December 2018 record his resignation as county mayor after he won a seat in Congress.

In the state Voter Information Pamphlet he points to early childhood education and Medicaid expansion as mayor, and Great Salt Lake and public lands work in Congress. Since then, the Tribune reports, he has consulted on housing.

What they'd do in office

• push to get big investors out of single-family homes
• tie federal money to local zoning changes such as smaller minimum lot sizes and backyard cottages (accessory dwelling units)Read moreShow less

  His campaign site says he would make federal funding for localities conditional on "common-sense zoning reform." In the Tribune questionnaire his examples were reduced minimum lot sizes and allowing accessory dwelling units.

• expand business tax credits for employers that offer paid maternity leaveRead moreShow less

  His campaign site specifies expanded tax credits for businesses that offer six weeks of paid maternity leave.

• pay farmers to lease water to the Great Salt Lake only for water measured reaching the lakeRead moreShow less

  He told the Tribune he would lease water rights from willing agricultural users, with payment tied to measured water that reaches the lake. He would also remove water-hungry invasive plants like phragmites and make new development pay its own water costs.

• back congressional term limits and a ban on stock trading by members, staff and federal officialsRead moreShow less

  His campaign site says he would sponsor legislation to end stock trading by members of Congress and staffers, and fight for a constitutional amendment overturning Citizens United and "establishing term limits of 6 for representatives and 3 for senators."

Record

He co-founded the wildlife conservation foundation Sentala, he writes in the pamphlet; the Tribune reports he was a White House policy analyst in the first Trump administration.

He told the Tribune he feels the cost of housing himself, as a renter. He takes no corporate PAC money.

What they'd do in office

• lower prices and make government accountable, the goals on his campaign website as summarized by the TribuneRead moreShow less

  His site lists how: discourage large-scale institutional purchases of single-family homes, legalize "missing-middle" housing like duplexes and townhomes, require every spending item to get its own public vote, and post every federal agency transaction over $25,000 online.

Record

He argues that electing either major party "will not change" housing and health care costs.

What they'd do in office

• vote to cut federal spending, starting with money sent overseas for warRead moreShow less

  He told the Tribune he would cut spending from bills that send money overseas for war. His platform calls for ending U.S. involvement in undeclared conflicts, bringing troops home from non-strategic deployments and requiring Congress to authorize any new military engagement.

• lower taxesRead moreShow less

  His platform says he would simplify the tax code, lower rates across the board and end corporate subsidies and industry-specific tax breaks.

• back voluntary water conservation and water banking, with decisions kept in UtahRead moreShow less

  He told the Tribune Congress should remove barriers for businesses and support technology for better water measurement and farm efficiency, while keeping water allocation decisions in Utah.

Record

His website pitch is "a vote for me is a vote to ski, not war," the Tribune reports.

Ballotpedia lists a history degree from the University of Tennessee and a 2021 law degree from Lincoln Memorial University.

What they'd do in office

• fight federal spendingRead moreShow less

  His campaign site says he would challenge wasteful spending, modernize outdated federal technology, eliminate duplicative programs, reduce fraud and improper payments, and require agencies to measure outcomes.

• cut regulations he says raise the cost of building homes and shipping foodRead moreShow less

  For housing, his site says he would reduce unnecessary barriers, encourage local zoning reform, speed permitting and use federal incentives carefully without overriding local control.

• back American energyRead moreShow less

  His site backs an all-of-the-above energy strategy, including nuclear power and responsible domestic production, instead of blanket bans and mandates.

• "put every vote and every dollar in the open"Read moreShow less

  His site pledges to publish clear positions, explain major votes, and tell constituents what was promised, what was delivered and what still needs work.

Record

His parents brought him from Iran in 1974 as an infant, and he worked in information technology, cybersecurity and risk management, the Tribune reports.

What they'd do in office

• treat county tax hikes "as a last resort"Read moreShow less

  She told the Tribune that, like families, the county should cut what it cannot afford and what no longer provides a worthwhile service. She named eliminating wasteful and duplicative spending as her top priority.

• performance audits "at every level," readable budgets, posted votes and regular constituent hours
• end the tax on food
• put watershed protection first in the canyons the county controlsRead moreShow less

  In Big and Little Cottonwood canyons, which the county controls, she told the Tribune her rule is not to pollute streams that supply the valley, and to back conservation that does not strip vegetation that cools the air.

What they'd do in office

• more money for low-income housing and first-time homebuyer programsRead moreShow less

  He told the Tribune he would also offer incentives to build affordable housing. His campaign site adds working with community organizations on cost-effective housing.

• oppose the recent data center proposals and require any future ones to disclose water and energy useRead moreShow less

  His other guardrails, from the Tribune questionnaire: data centers would have to mitigate infrastructure impacts, pay for their own energy and protect neighbors, with community input at the start, not after the fact.

Record

He has served two terms on the Sandy City Council; county minutes from October 2022 show him speaking for Sandy on Wasatch Boulevard.

He says affordability is the issue he hears about most.

What they'd do in office

• vote no on every tax increase
• give residents the final say on projects like data centersRead moreShow less

  He told the Tribune that if residents say no, the answer is no, and that any business wanting to share profits with a town would leave that decision to the people.

What they'd do in office

• more treatment and alternatives to incarceration
• more public and transitional housing and affordable childcareRead moreShow less

  He told the Tribune the county would invest in public and transitional housing to fight homelessness and partner with cities and the state on incentives for starter homes and affordable apartments near transit.

• explain every voteRead moreShow less

  He told the Tribune he would give his reasoning when he votes and push for residents to get full access to the information behind every council decision.

• require any data center to run on renewable energy with no net water useRead moreShow less

  He also wants protections so the technology cannot be used to surveil residents, and union labor on any construction, he told the Tribune.

Record

The council's June 17, 2025 agenda lists his appointment to fill the District 1 vacancy after Arlyn Bradshaw left to become the mayor's Associate Deputy Mayor for Finance and Administration.

What they'd do in office

• review the county budget line by lineRead moreShow less

  He told the Tribune the review would aim to eliminate wasteful spending and give residents clear, timely information about how their money is spent.

• lower taxes, cut regulations that raise costs and remove barriers to building housing
• keep the county's data center moratorium while it writes standards, with water as the top concern

What they'd do in office

• let victims and witnesses report crimes without fear of deportationRead moreShow less

  He told the Tribune his office prosecutes Utah law and is not a federal immigration agency, and that it will treat victims and witnesses with dignity and respect regardless of immigration status.

• strict review of water, energy and environmental impacts for data centers and any large federal projectRead moreShow less

  He told the Tribune that strictly enforcing environmental statutes is a good start, and that he was an early advocate of National Environmental Policy Act review for both data centers and ICE detention centers.

Record

He sent the Legislature an open letter with 22 proposals on police use of force, arguing that different outcomes require different laws.

On November 7, 2023, County Council minutes show, he presented a 2024 office budget carrying a net reduction of $1,285,127 under the Mayor's recommendation.

What they'd do in office

• publish written charging standards and performance numbersRead moreShow less

  His campaign site says he would put filing standards in writing so similar cases get similar treatment, document the reason for each declined case, and publish case-processing, workload and outcome numbers on a public dashboard.

• track whether people who finish the office's alternative-to-incarceration programs reoffend, and publish it every yearRead moreShow less

  He would set clear admission criteria, track participants and later charges, and give auditors the access they need, his site says. He told the Tribune he would change what is not working.

• set a firm deadline for charging decisions in police shootings, with a public written explanation of eachRead moreShow less

  He told the Tribune this would be a change for legislators to make, so the rule does not depend on one D.A.'s practice.

• sign the federal visa certifications that let immigrant crime victims who cooperate stay in the country

Record

He cites a 2025 legislative audit that found the office does not track whether program graduates reoffend.

What they'd do in office

• keep the office out of the federal 287(g) program, under which local deputies act as immigration agentsRead moreShow less

  She told the Tribune she would follow the state law requiring notice to federal authorities before release, and deputies would not question community members about citizenship.

• change state law to reduce required local involvement with ICE
• strict limits on what license plate reader data is kept and who can see it, with logs and auditsRead moreShow less

  She told the Tribune she would limit what is collected and kept, restrict access to a few trained users, limit use by other states, and that misuse should carry serious legal consequences.

Record

She oversees about 1,100 employees and volunteers and says the office reached full staffing and ended releases forced by jail overcrowding.

In April 2025 the county asked to reopen a third housing unit at the Oxbow jail, adding 184 beds to reduce "the need for overcrowded releases."

What they'd do in office

• oppose 287(g), saying fear of deportation keeps domestic violence victims from coming forward, while keeping standard jail record-sharing with ICERead moreShow less

  He told the Tribune he would cooperate with federal law at the jail while local deputies keep the trust they need to protect every victim.

• limit license plate readers to serious investigations like missing children and violent crimeRead moreShow less

  He told the Tribune he would also enforce stricter limits to keep private entities from capturing public data.

• favor diversion for low-level offendersRead moreShow less

  He told the Tribune nonviolent offenders who pose no safety threat belong in diversion programs, with people connected to substance abuse and mental health help once they are sober and stable again.

• use the jail's secure medical unit for detox and stabilization before connecting people to treatment

Record

He told the Tribune he once took command of a 759-member military unit after serious problems with its culture and rebuilt it by putting diverse leaders in key roles and focusing on trust.

Record

County minutes from April 2024 record him telling the council that the Association of Local Government Auditors gave his office a "pass," its highest rating, in its first peer review.

His campaign notes that a 2025 state law now requires county auditors to hold at least one of five certifications.

What they'd do in office

• test county controls before problems happenRead moreShow less

  Her campaign site describes the Certified Internal Auditor approach she would bring: testing internal controls, assessing risk and identifying where processes can run more efficiently, "before problems occur rather than after."

• bring "new best practices" from years of private-sector audits to county processes

Record

She holds bachelor's and master's degrees in accounting from the University of Utah and sits on the board of Clean Slate Utah, which helps people clear old records.

Record

County minutes record Clerk Sherrie Swensen swearing her in as clerk on January 3, 2023. Her county biography lists national awards for vote center maps, ballot reconciliation, a poll worker database and a "Try Before You Vote" program for voters with disabilities.

After a June 2024 County Auditor audit of her office's election agreements with cities, she told the council her office was writing policies in line with County policy.

What they'd do in office

What she wants to do:

• build more attainable housing, help first-time buyers and renters, and push for wages that keep pace with costs, plus affordable health care and childcareRead moreShow less

  She told the Tribune she would also remove unnecessary barriers that drive up housing costs and back responsible tax policies.

• tie new development to realistic water supply and make sure conserved water actually reaches the Great Salt Lake, while protecting Utah's share of the Colorado RiverRead moreShow less

  She told the Tribune she supports stronger conservation and investing in farm and city water efficiency, and protecting the Colorado River share through responsible use and regional cooperation.

• protect kids' health, privacy and individual rights
• earn public trust by being open about where she standsRead moreShow less

  She told the Tribune she works to earn trust by listening, being transparent about where she stands, following the evidence and making decisions in good faith.

Record

She won this seat in 2022 after beating then-Sen. Derek Kitchen by 61 votes in the Democratic primary and serves as the Senate Democrats' assistant whip.

What they'd do in office

What he wants to do:

• give residents a "continuous" say in legislative decisions, with real-time input before votesRead moreShow less

  His campaign site says constituents would help identify priorities and give real-time input before decisions are made. He told the Tribune he would vote based on constituent feedback.

• make it easier to build homes on land already approved, lower childcare costs, ban noncompete contracts and lower health care costs
• meet the state's pledge to restore the Great Salt Lake by 2034; he calls the shrinking lake "an existential water crisis"
• require transparency from AI labs and accountability when AI harms people

Record

He was nominated at the Forward Party's March 28, 2026 convention, according to Ballotpedia; this is his first campaign we found.

What they'd do in office

What he wants to do, from his answers to the Salt Lake Tribune's 2026 candidate questionnaire, published October 12:

• on housing: "I would focus on increasing the supply of attainable housing, reducing unnecessary barriers to construction, helping renters and first-time homebuyers, and looking for responsible ways to reduce the costs that burden families."Read moreShow less

  He also named "good-paying jobs, responsible government spending" in the same answer.

• on water: "I support practical conservation measures, more efficient water use, responsible development planning, and accountability for how water resources are managed."Read moreShow less

  He added in the same answer: "We must also work with other Colorado River states to protect Utah's long-term water security."

• on schools: "strengthening our public schools, supporting and retaining excellent teachers, improving student outcomes, and ensuring effective use of education funding."
• on trust in government: "I would work to make government more responsive to constituents, protect public access to information, and ensure that the voices of everyday Utahns are heard at the Capitol."

The Tribune reports he answered "Against" on Amendment A, which would move notices of proposed constitutional amendments from newspapers to a state website, and "Against" on Amendment B, which would require 60% for citizen tax initiatives.

What they'd do in office

What she wants to do:

• expand home ownership and help cities pay for the pipes and roads new housing needsRead moreShow less

  She told the Tribune the state should subsidize building costs and help cities invest in the infrastructure for new or retrofitted housing. Her campaign site adds support for first-time buyers.

• put "hard limits" on corporate ownership of homes and strengthen renter protectionsRead moreShow less

  Her campaign site says she would prohibit corporations from buying up housing stock.

• stabilize Medicaid and childcare costsRead moreShow less

  Her campaign site includes childcare subsidies for middle-class families.

• make water conservation mandatory, with stricter rules for agriculture, landscaping and new developmentRead moreShow less

  Her campaign site backs a Great Salt Lake water trust to encourage cooperation among water users toward lake-level goals, and more funding for river and creek infrastructure that gets water to the lake.

• modernize the power grid for reliability and a more diverse supply

Record

County minutes from July 2019 show the County Council recommending her for the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District board, which supplies water to much of the valley.

What they'd do in office

What he wants to do:

• housing that meets growth "while respecting single-family neighborhoods"
• zoning that lets homeowners use water-wise landscaping without red tape
• protection for historic properties
• more skilled-trades training for young people who skip college
• support for police and firefighters
• spending focused on roads, utilities and public safetyRead moreShow less

  His campaign site says that means not subsidizing city-owned properties that consistently run at a deficit, or nonessential programs that raise property taxes.

Record

He is Central Region chair of the Salt Lake County Republican Party. His site says he led a petition for local businesses against a high-density construction site and did a safety audit of the 300 West bike lane.

What they'd do in office

What he wants to do:

• make public transit the most convenient and cheapest option on the Wasatch FrontRead moreShow less

  He told the Tribune that means more bus and train routes and "a two-thirds cost deduction."

• have the state partner with private builders on affordable condos so more people can buyRead moreShow less

  He told the Tribune the condos would be affordable and efficient, built through a public-private partnership, to help renters buy a home.

• help farmers switch from hay and alfalfa to crops that use less water and feed UtahnsRead moreShow less

  He told the Tribune about 68% of the water diverted in Utah goes to hay and alfalfa, and he would work with farmers on the switch.

• protect mental health programs, parks and forests

Record

He says Forward lets him vote for the district instead of a national party line.

What they'd do in office

What she wants to do, per her campaign site:

• defend the voter-approved Proposition 4 redistricting mapsRead moreShow less

  Her site says she has fought to protect Proposition 4, the initiative that creates an independent redistricting commission, and will keep working with Better Boundaries, which endorsed her.

• act on the Great Salt Lake, air quality and renewable energyRead moreShow less

  Her site lists farm water efficiency programs, less corporate water waste and more money to raise lake levels. On air, she passed SB208, which cracks down on unlawful vehicle polluters, and ran SB176 to move the state to electric lawn equipment.

• invest in public schools and end school vouchersRead moreShow less

  Her site lists adequate funding, competitive teacher pay, smaller classes, mental health supports and paraprofessionals. She voted against the Utah Fits All voucher program.

• lower housing, health care and childcare costsRead moreShow less

  Her site says she would push for fair wages, strong unions, support for small businesses and work-family supports.

• strengthen labor laws and equal payRead moreShow less

  Her site notes she voted against HB267, which banned public sector unions from collective bargaining.

• keep an ICE detention facility out of Utah

Record

An attorney and former deputy district attorney who led the county's Mental Health Court, she is an eight-time Utah Women's State Chess Champion and served in the Utah House from 2019 to 2023 before moving to the Senate, according to the Utah Senate Democrats.

What they'd do in office

What she wants to do:

• Move sales tax money out of narrow earmarks into the general fund for housing help, utility assistance and food programsRead moreShow less

  She told the Tribune she pushed this session to free up earmarked transportation dollars for those needs.

• Require public buildings to swap thirsty landscaping for low-water designRead moreShow less

  She told the Tribune she would also keep pushing incentives for energy- and water-efficient buildings.

• Cut fossil fuel subsidies whenever renewable subsidies are cut
• Expand affordable health care

Record

She says she voted against expanding the Utah Supreme Court from five to seven justices.

What they'd do in office

What she wants to do:

• pair water incentives with accountability, including higher rates for excessive outdoor use and fines for wasteRead moreShow less

  She told the Tribune she would also expand xeriscaping and water-wise landscaping policies.

• push on housing, health care, transportation and childcare costsRead moreShow less

  She told the Tribune the House Democratic Caucus has made affordability its top priority for the 2027 session and will push the majority on those costs.

• find uses for closed school buildings that earn money for schools

What they'd do in office

What he wants to do:

• improve affordability by reducing regulations and taxes and keeping markets open
• focus on safety and cleanliness

Record

On water, he stresses conservation and planning for both short and long term.

What they'd do in office

What he wants to do:

• require every residential zone in the state to allow apartments and other multifamily homesRead moreShow less

  He told the Tribune the state should mandate it, ending what he called cities "banning poor people and apartments."

• give universal basic income a serious look

Record

His single issue is electoral reform, including ranked-choice voting.

What they'd do in office

What he wants to do:

• renter protections, collective bargaining and prevailing wages, and a halt to corporate home buying
• water metering and a moratorium on new data centersRead moreShow less

  He told the Tribune he would also set up water recycling to cut reliance on the Colorado River.

Record

City Council minutes from January 2020 show him interviewing for a council vacancy and describing growing up in Salt Lake City.

What they'd do in office

What he wants to do:

• cut taxes on everyday needs like food and gas
• require stricter water efficiency from industry and water-wise landscaping on government propertyRead moreShow less

  He told the Tribune industry would also have to recycle or reuse wastewater, and he would offer incentives for homes, businesses, farms and ranches to switch to water-smart landscaping and delivery.

• teach financial literacy in schoolsRead moreShow less

  He told the Tribune lessons would cover preparing taxes, credit scores, investing, insurance, buying a home and debt.

Record

He has posted his own draft proposals on housing and health care costs on his website.

What they'd do in office

What she wants to do:

• Affordable childcare, keeping health coverage for vulnerable residents and expanding workers' rightsRead moreShow less

  She told the Tribune her caucus will sponsor legislation on these this session.

• A bill to account for the water and environmental impact of data centers while they are plannedRead moreShow less

  She told the Tribune she is writing it with the House Minority Caucus.

• In the next session, a focus on preventing sexual assault and domestic violence

What they'd do in office

He told the City Council on October 6, 2026, that in the Legislature he would work on:

• "water conservation, environmental conservation"Read moreShow less

  He told the Tribune he would pass a bill for statewide xeriscaping and water recycling.

Record

His Tribune answers call for a statewide xeriscaping and water recycling bill and less screen time for students.

What they'd do in office

What he wants to do:

• put Utah in the top three states for education

Record

• a sixth straight income tax cut
• a 15% gas tax cut
• an expanded child tax credit
• nearly $100 million toward the Great Salt Lake
• more than $145 million in new public school money, with starting teacher pay near $60,000

What they'd do in office

What he wants to do:

• build more affordable housing and limit corporate investors buying homes
• end the state tax on Social Security
• protect vote by mail
• have developers pay for the infrastructure their projects need
• restore collective bargaining for public workersRead moreShow less

  He told the Tribune this means undoing HB 267, which took collective bargaining away from firefighters, teachers and police officers.

What they'd do in office

What she wants to do:

• back her caucus's affordability bills on childcare and workers' rights
• push for transparency on data center water useRead moreShow less

  She told the Tribune she is supporting a House Democrats bill to increase transparency about data center water use.

• support public schools and teachers

What they'd do in office

What she wants to do:

• study housing data before acting, especially new homes that sit vacant at high pricesRead moreShow less

  She told the Tribune that regulating rent increases and add-on fees, and zoning for small units, can help.

• check water supply whenever development is planned and press industry and agriculture to cut useRead moreShow less

  She told the Tribune she would also discourage high-demand crops grown mainly for export, and look at moisture harvesting, phragmites control and monitoring lakebed dust.

• welcome newcomers who come here legallyRead moreShow less

  She told the Tribune that means helping them integrate and contribute.

What they'd do in office

What he wants to do:

• more attainable housing near jobs and transit, and help for first-time buyersRead moreShow less

  He told the Tribune he would also preserve existing affordable homes and scrutinize tax incentives that shift costs onto families.

• better water-use data and conservation incentivesRead moreShow less

  He told the Tribune he would also optimize farm water use and require water-intensive developments to account for their impact.

• the legislative study of data centers' effects on water, air and the Great Salt Lake that he says won unanimous committee supportRead moreShow less

  He told the Tribune he will keep pressing for transparent water and energy use, fair allocation of infrastructure costs, and safeguards so communities and ratepayers do not carry the burden of private development.

What they'd do in office

What she wants to do:

• routine scrutiny of taxes, fees and spending
• strong conflict-of-interest rules
• research into new water sources such as recycling, atmospheric capture and desalination
• protecting patients from one-sided medical consent agreementsRead moreShow less

  She told the Tribune informed consent should be meaningful, not buried in pages of legal language.

She opposes Amendments A and B.

What they'd do in office

A feasibility study is a report that checks whether a specific plan, here reusing or selling particular buildings, can actually work and what it would cost.

Record

If your neighborhood lost an elementary school, her votes are worth a look.

In January 2024 the board voted to close Hawthorne, M. Lynn Bennion, Mary W. Jackson and Riley elementaries. In September 2025, deciding what to do with those empty buildings, the board voted 5 to 2 to order a feasibility study.

Anderson wanted a wider look first: a study of what the whole district needs and what shape all its buildings are in.

She was one of the two no votes, and in April 2026, minutes show, she raised a formal objection when her request to put that needs study on the agenda had not been added.

Record

District minutes show him presenting the West High School clinic to the board in November 2022.

Record

Board president Nate Salazar, re-elected president 5 to 2 in January 2025, is not running, and no one filed to have their name printed.

One person has registered as a write-in candidate, according to the county clerk's certification notice: Amanda Finlayson. Her campaign site describes her as a 15-year resident, a school social worker and a parent at Bryant Middle School.

Because write-in votes only count for registered write-in candidates, a few hundred neighbors writing a name could decide this seat.

To vote for a write-in candidate, write the name on the write-in line and mark the box next to it, following the instructions printed on your ballot.

Record

A first motion to appoint Elisabeth Bunker failed; the board then voted 5 to 1 to appoint Ann Elizabeth (Annie) Romano, who was sworn in that night by County Clerk Lannie Chapman. Romano has a nonprofit management background, according to the district.

Record

In October 2025 he and Romano voted against removing language about preferential applications from Policy B-1, the board's "Legal Status, Responsibilities and Ethics" policy; the change passed 4 to 2, according to the October 21, 2025 minutes.