With ballots sent on Tuesday, voters can submit their ballots by mail or vote in person on June 23. Six candidates will face a primary election this June. 

Primary elections are triggered when candidates are unable to secure the party nomination or if they opt for signature gathering, which can automatically trigger a primary. Candidates running for county office must gather signatures from 3% of registered voters in their party who are residents of the relevant area, according to state code. 

Wasatch County Sheriff

Two Republican candidates are vying for Wasatch County sheriff: Incumbent Sheriff Jared Rigby and Wasatch County Emergency Management Director Jeremy Hales. Rigby and Hales opted for signature gathering, which automatically puts them on the primary election ballot. 

Rigby and Hales participated in a candidate forum hosted by KPCW and The Wasatch Record on May 27. The candidates shared their views on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the department’s future, growth in the county and fiscal responsibility. 

Hales has worked in Wasatch County for nearly 25 years and now serves as the director of emergency management and 911 communications. Hales ensures everything from emergency calls to disaster planning runs smoothly.

Hales said his time as a school resource and D.A.R.E. officer made a big impact, saying that working with children and the school district was “really remarkable.”

As sheriff, Hales said he hopes to help the department grow alongside Wasatch County, which has seen and will continue to experience rapid growth. 

“I want to bring a new voice and a new opinion that people will understand,” Hales said, adding that he hopes to support people’s constitutional rights as sheriff. 

Rigby, who is running for a third term, began working as a Wasatch County corrections officer in 2001 before transitioning to patrol. He said he accomplished “many changes” in the Sheriff’s Office throughout his tenure. 

As sheriff, Rigby said he would continue to address the top issues in Wasatch County. Growth, to start. Then, fostering public trust and working with law enforcement agencies across the Wasatch Back. 

Rigby is currently under public scrutiny as an investigation by the Summit County Sheriff’s Office into Rigby’s actions is underway. That’s preceded by multiple investigations into the Sheriff’s Office over recent years. 

Rigby addressed these allegations and investigations at the candidate forum. 

“There have been five allegations and five investigations in the last year and a half, having to do with me or our office,” Rigby said. “Four out of five, there have been determinations, findings that there is no criminal conduct, there is no policy violations, there’s no wrongdoing, there’s no serious misconduct.”

Rigby said he is grateful to serve the Wasatch County community and hopes to continue to do so in the future. 

Clerk-auditor

Park City Recorder Michelle Kellogg and incumbent clerk-auditor Joey Granger, both Republicans, will appear on the primary ballot for the clerk-auditor position. 

The Clerk-Auditor’s Office maintains all countywide elections, prepares agendas, takes minutes during Wasatch County Council meetings and keeps all approved county ordinances and resolutions on file. The office is also responsible for the county’s financial functions, conducting reviews, internal audits and issuing financial statements and reports. 

Kellogg, a Heber City resident, worked for Heber City for nearly eight years before her 10-year tenure as Park City’s recorder. The Park City position is appointed by the city’s manager. 

Kellogg said she is looking to use her experience and skills to benefit the Wasatch County community. She is well-versed in Government Records Access Management Act requests and managing elections, which is a major part of the job. 

Though she thinks it is a “good office now,” Kellogg said she wants to bring it “from being a good office to being an excellent one.”

Granger said she does not feel she is finished with her work as clerk-auditor. She is proud to have “modernized” the office in the past five years and “clean up financials,” too. 

“I want to continue to implement new processes or improve existing services that will serve the public’s needs,” Granger said. 

County Council

Republicans seeking Wasatch County Council Seat A include Rachel Kahler and William (Brett) Vance.

Vance is Wasatch County’s self-proclaimed “America First” candidate. The former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot and test pilot said it’s time to bring conservative values back to the County Council. 

“We have a very clear set of values in this party, and the voters elect us because they trust we will vote on their issues the way we said we would,” Vance said. 

At April’s GOP nominating convention, Vance was the only confirmed party nominee who earned more than 60% of the vote. 

Kahler, a former Heber City Council member, said she wants to run for Seat A to continue the fight for responsible growth. She chose signature gathering rather than the convention route and was not considered at the nominating convention. 

Kahler said she is most proud of her willingness to work with fellow councilors. She asserted that transportation is a major issue in Wasatch County, but so is public trust, communication and growth. 

“For me, the biggest thing is communicating to the public what is going on,” Kahler said. 

The winner of the June primary election will face Democrat Patrick Saucier in November’s general election. Saucier was the lone Democratic candidate to submit his candidacy for Seat A. 

How to vote

The primary election will determine who earns their party’s vote for office. Several of the candidates will go on to face Democrat or unaffiliated challengers, such as in the elections for county sheriff and Seat A on the County Council.

Other elections, such as the clerk-auditor race, will almost certainly be secured after the primary election, as no other candidates have emerged.

Ballots were mailed to registered Republicans on Tuesday. There is no county-level Democratic primary election this year. All ballots must be received by the county offices by June 23, which is also when in-person voting will take place. 

Secure ballot drop box locations are open 24 hours a day beginning June 3 and close at 8 p.m. on Election Day. Early in-person voting will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 15, 16, 17 and 18 at the Wasatch County Administration building. Election Day voting will be held from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the same location.

The post Here’s who is on the primary election ballot in Wasatch County appeared first on Park Record.

The Summit County Clerk’s Office received nearly 20,000 ballots as of Monday, the day before the general election.

There was an almost 200% increase in the ballots received during the 10-day period leading up to Election Day. Summit County Clerk Eve Furse reported 19,983 voted ballots had been collected on Nov. 4, compared to 6,734 ballots received on Oct. 25 after ballots were mailed out to voters Oct. 15.

The Clerk’s Office had counted 9,853 ballots with 7,292 in process, according to the ballot statistics from Monday. Just under 3,000 ballots had not been processed. Meanwhile, 347 were rejected and curable while 34 were rejected and not curable.

Most rejections are because of minor errors, which is why voters are allowed to correct the mistake and ensure their vote is counted. Ballots could be rejected if they aren’t signed or if the signature doesn’t match the one on file. Election officials notify voters if their ballot is rejected.

“Our systems have multiple security measures to prevent anyone from having multiple votes counted,” Furse said in a statement. “If someone tells you something about voting that doesn’t seem quite right, please reach out to our office or the Lieutenant Governor’s Office to verify. Please be aware that there is a lot of misinformation out there.” 

Clerk’s Office staffers have been processing ballots as needed since late October. This could include verifying signatures, opening ballots, scanning ballots, adjudicating ballots, replicating damaged or defective ballots and tabulating votes. It could take staff until Nov. 19, though they’ll likely finish before that.

An estimated 56% of ballots had been returned in Summit County as of Tuesday morning, according to Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson. That was average with Duchesne County nearing 52%, Wasatch County at an estimated 53%, and Salt Lake County around 54%. 

Statewide voter turnout was around 53% as of Tuesday morning. A total of 952,157 ballots had been processed. The majority, 915,107, were cast by mail while 37,050 voted in person.

Voters had until 8 p.m. on Tuesday to cast their vote by dropping their ballot at the Clerk’s Office, polling location or drop box. They could also vote in person on Election Day.

Ballots had to be postmarked on or before Nov. 4 to be counted by mail. Voters can track their ballot through the BallotTrax program.

There were several important issues on the ballot this year, including the elections for president, U.S. House and Senate, Utah governor, Summit County Council, board of education, Prop 18 which is the 0.5% emergency services sales tax, the $114 million North Summit School District bond and proposed constitutional amendments. 

Furse expected high participation in the general election. Voter turnout was 92% during the 2020 presidential election and 86% during the one in 2016.

Call 435-336-3040 or email elections@summitcountyutah.gov for additional information about voting.

The post Summit County sees increase in ballots ahead of Election Day appeared first on Park Record.

The 2024 Summit County Council candidate forum tackled key community issues ranging from budget deficits, affordable housing, regional collaboration and open space. Four office-seekers presented their visions for a thriving Summit County and offered solutions to address growth, governance, and even goats.

Roger Armstrong, Tory Welch, Ari Ioannides and Megan McKenna were civil throughout the debate hosted in partnership with KPCW, The Park Record, the Park City Community Foundation and the Park City Chamber/Bureau.

The candidate forum, held about a month before the general election, was intended to confront critical concerns in the community.

Armstrong, the only incumbent on the County Council ballot, stressed his 12-year tenure and achievements in affordable housing and transportation. The Democrat has been an entertainment law attorney since 1995. 

His opponent for Seat A, Republican Tory Welch, focused on reducing costs and the impact of development on eastern Summit County. Welch is an Army veteran, electrical lineman and the State Central Committee representative for the Summit County Republican Party.

Ioannides, the treasurer of the North Summit Fire District and former executive director of the Park City Institute, emphasized the need to preserve open space and for diverse voices on the County Council. The longtime East Side resident is a lifelong Republican and promises to bring a balanced approach to local governance.

McKenna championed public-private partnerships, sustainability and the local workforce. The former Park City High School science teacher and ski patroller is now a housing advocate for Mountainlands Community Housing Trust. She earned the Democratic nomination, and her spot on the November ticket, following a June primary. 

Ioannides and McKenna are competing for Seat C, which is currently held by County Council Chair Malena Stevens. Stevens announced earlier this year she would not seek reelection.

While there may be tension between Democrats and Republicans nationwide, the same did not appear to be true Tuesday night in the Blair Education Center. Topics touched on areas such as transportation and taxes but no mentions of former President Trump — at least by name.

McKenna questioned her opponent during a wild card round about whether he’s a Republican in name only, and who he supports for Seat A and on the presidential ticket. Ioannides responded that he has been a lifelong member of the GOP, and affirmed his values are aligned with the party.

“As far as who I’m supporting, this is a local election. My daughter works for Harris. My son, you know, I’m trying to instill integrity in him and I’m not going to put someone up in front of him that I don’t think has integrity,” Ioannides said. He didn’t vocalize support for Welch and said he would partner with Armstrong, if elected, to help achieve the county’s goals.

The tech entrepreneur turned nonprofit leader also touted how his bipartisan approach would lend a hand in terms of collaborating with Wasatch County and the state. There hasn’t been a Republican on the Summit County Council since Tal Adair vacated his seat in late 2016.

Ioannides pressed McKenna on whether she was willing to commit to preventing tax hikes to help develop affordable housing in Summit County. McKenna said she wouldn’t.

The Democrat explained she didn’t want that fear to drive her as a county councilor, and she would be willing to consider increasing taxes if it helped sustain county services.

“We currently have the lowest tax rate or among the lowest in the state. We are the richest county in the state … and our tax rate actually hasn’t increased since 2017. So just to be fiscally responsible, we will have to, and I do support, incremental tax increases as we need to meet the needs of the county as those needs grow over time,” McKenna said.

Armstrong also probed McKenna about her housing objectives. He wondered if she had an idea of how many units should be built to house the county’s workforce, what percentage of workers the county should try to house and how she would maintain the balance. 

McKenna said it’s the role of the County Council to set those goals — which it hasn’t yet done, though county councilors say that’s on the agenda during their retreat — and she pointed to Park City Municipal’s 800-unit, 15% workforce housing goal. She didn’t say a specific number Summit County should strive for.

Welch asked Armstrong which vote to fund a project, initiative or program he would change if he could. The Republican noted the projected $10 million shortfall in the 2025 budget and advocated for transparency to help the public understand where the money was going.

The incumbent defended his tenure on the County Council and said there was “nothing” he would go back and do over.

“I think we look at every budget with wide eyes. We slice every budget as thin as we can. We try and accomplish specific things that are related to our goals and our strategies, and I think we’ve done a pretty good job with that,” Armstrong responded.

Community members were also invited to ask the County Council candidates questions after the moderated period was over. The four office-seekers discussed the relocation of Recycle Utah, debated implementing green waste programs or unique land management options like using goats for weed control, building a wildlife crossing over S.R. 224, the importance of public transportation and microtransit options as well as opportunities to help Latino community members participate in local government.

County Council seats A, B and C will appear on the November ballot. However, Vice Chair Tonja Hanson is running unopposed after she earned the Democratic Party’s nomination. Voters will have their choice between the other candidates.

The Summit County Clerk’s Office plans to mail ballots on Oct. 15. People who have not voted since the last presidential election in 2020 or did not respond to requests from the Clerk’s Office to verify their status could be marked as inactive, meaning they may not automatically receive a ballot by mail.

Visit vote.utah.gov for more information about voter registration. The Clerk’s Office can be reached by phone at 435-336-3204.

The post Summit County Council candidates present solutions for community appeared first on Park Record.

Most people want to participate on Election Day, but in some states, there are a few things residents must do to be prepared and ready to vote.

Tuesday is National Voter Registration Day, an effort to educate Americans about what needs to be done as a prerequisite for voting. Summit County Clerk Eve Furse said this helps local election officials and voters alike make sure the election runs smoothly in the long run.

People who have not voted since the last presidential election in 2020 or responded to requests from the Clerk’s Office to verify their status could be marked as inactive, meaning they may not automatically receive a ballot by mail.

Furse said this doesn’t mean someone’s voter registration has expired or that they can’t vote.

“It just means you need to activate your registration. … I’m not going to mail you a ballot because I’m not sure that it’s actually going to get to you if you’re inactive. If you show up to vote in person, that’s all you need to do to reactivate it,” she explained.

Voters are more likely to cast their ballot by mail rather than in person, so residents need to ensure their registration is active. People who vote by mail cannot do so in person.

The Clerk’s Office will start mailing ballots on Oct. 15, which is 10 days before the deadline to register to vote. Ballots will continue to be sent out until around Oct. 28 to guarantee they arrive in time for Election Day.

Furse anticipates there will be around 90% voter turnout on Tuesday, Nov. 5. The vast majority of ballots are submitted by mail and around 5% of votes are cast the day of or in person a few days before.

There are several key local issues on the ballot this year including the races for Summit County Council Seats A and C, the 0.5% emergency services sales tax, the $114 million North Summit School District bond and the proposed constitutional amendments. 

Furse said officials will learn next week whether the Utah Supreme Court decides to count the controversial Amendment D in the vote.

Visit vote.utah.gov for more information about voter registration. The Clerk’s Office can be reached by phone at 435-336-3204.

The post Ready to vote? Check your registration before Election Day appeared first on Park Record.

In this week’s collection of portraits from For The Record, we asked people at the Park City Sports Complex why they think it’s important to vote. (Photos by Tanzi Propst/Park Record)

The post PHOTOS: For The Record | Sept. 7, 2016 appeared first on Park Record.