Four Coalville City Council candidates will advance to the general election after Tuesday’s primary. Three hold commanding leads, while the last spot remains a close contest.
Voters narrowed down the field of six to the four who will advance to the November ballot. Then, only two candidates will be chosen for the seats opening in 2026.
Candidates Matthew Boyer, Jeff Peterson and Colleen Goodman emerged as the top vote-getters as of Wednesday afternoon, according to preliminary results from the Summit County Clerk’s Office.
Sixth-generation resident Boyer, a planning commissioner, appeared to be a favorite among voters. He earned 223 votes, or 30%.
“I was deeply moved when I saw the election results last night. In the lead-up to election day, I felt that I had a solid base of support judging by feedback I had gotten from diverse members of the community, but it was humbling to realize just how many of those friends and neighbors trust me to represent the best interests of Coalville,” Boyer said in an interview.
He said his experience growing up in Coalville, coupled with his employment and educational background, makes him the ideal choice to help the community navigate the challenges “we are facing now and will face in the near future.” Boyer plans to speak with as many voters as possible leading up to the general election and is working to organize a Meet the Candidate forum-style event.
Not far behind Boyer was business owner Jeff Peterson, who also spent time on the Coalville Planning Commission. Peterson received 196 votes, or 26%.
Goodman, a 23-year resident, seems to have claimed third place with 123 votes, or about 17%. Goodman said in an interview that she was surprised by the preliminary results and wasn’t sure how she would do in the election, as she’s never run for office before. Goodman previously served eight years on the Summit County Library Board and helped secure the Coalville branch.
The wife, mother of six and grandmother of 22, said her top priorities are creating a long-term infrastructure improvement plan in Coalville, prioritizing the community when considering growth and development opportunities, and improving public engagement.
Newcomer Andrew Nelson appears to be the likely winner of the final ballot slot. He earned 85 votes, or around 11%. Former Coalville City Councilor Steve Richins trailed behind with 71 votes, or just under 10%. The candidates are separated by 14 votes, or 1.88%.
A close finish between the candidates could trigger a recount that would extend the primary election, under the right circumstances. State election law says a losing candidate may request a recount if the difference is 0.25% or less of the vote total across the candidate field. Richins did not meet that threshold as of midweek.
The totals won’t be certified until the Aug. 26 canvass finalizes the results soon after the election. The losing candidate would then need to seek a recount within days after the verification.
Clerk Eve Furse said staff have counted everything in their possession that qualifies for counting as of Wednesday afternoon. There were 22 ballots that couldn’t be counted because the person didn’t provide the necessary information or there was some other defect with the ballot that could be resolved between now and noon the day before the canvass. Each municipality that participated in a primary election will hold a canvass.
Chris Tomczyk, a retired project manager, was also in the running for Coalville City Council. He will not advance after coming in at the bottom with 45 votes, or 6%.
Peterson could not be reached for comment by the time of publication.
Countywide voter turnout was 45%.
The election results are still preliminary. Formal results remain pending certification. The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 4.