Listen to this articleMail-in ballots for this year’s primary election must be postmarked today to be counted. Live voting will be held tomorrow, Aug. 15, across the state for municipal and special service district offices, including numerous city mayors, county and city council members, water, sewer, and parks and rec officials. Also, Utah’s 3rd Congressional District will hold a special election primary to decide who will be on the general election ballot Nov. 7 to replace outgoing Rep. Jason Chaffetz.
Salt Lake County voters can find their vote centers here. Utah voting information is available at vote.utah.gov.
Candidates in races QSaltLake is following:
U.S. 3rd Congressional District Republican Primary Candidates
Only the Republican Party has a primary to determine who will be on the general election ballot:
Christopher Niles Herrod, herrodforcongress.com
Herrod is the most conservative of the three candidates in the Republican primary to replace Chaffetz. He has written that SB 296, which extended protections in employment based on sexual orientation and gender identity, was a burden on businesses and threatened religious freedom. His platform includes complete repeal of the Affordable Care Act, transfer of federal land into state hands, deportation of illegal immigrants and support for Trump’s travel ban.
Tanner Ainge, aingeforcongress.com
Another ultra-conservative, Ainge is focused on smaller government. He is a licensed attorney with experience in the investing and health care industries. In his campaign literature, he says “I will fight with any means necessary to defend and protect religious freedom,” and “I am firmly pro-life and believe in the sanctity of marriage.”
John Curtis, johncurtis.org
Curtis is a moderate Republican who made headlines while Provo was considering passing nondiscrimination ordinances. He posted a personal and thoughtful appeal for compassion and unity on his blog for Provo residents. “Every citizen of Provo — whether we realize it or not — associates with someone who publicly or privately identifies as LGBT,” Curtis wrote. “They are our friends, our neighbors, our coworkers, our siblings, our children… Even still, for most of my life I’ve made casual judgments about the LGBT community without the benefit of thoughtful consideration. I regret my uninformed judgment.”
“No matter where I turn or where I look I’ve had an overwhelming confirmation that we need to treat our gay friends, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters with dignity, love and respect,” he continued. “While this seems obvious to me, there are many places in our world, and places in the state of Utah (including Provo) where gay and lesbian people feel marginalized, shunned and severely judged. It pains me to watch my loved ones in a world that is so quick to judge them without knowing how hard they try to be good people. There is so much good in Provo, but sometimes I worry that our kindness is reserved for people who look, act and believe like we do.”
Midvale Mayor
Andrea B. Person, facebook.com/rightPerson4Mayor
Person has little out about her personal views, but a read of her Facebook wall shows several posts about “proper” gender roles, debunked anti-Hillary memes and anti-liberal sentiment.
Matthew Hansen
Hansen lists himself as a director at Rocky Mountain Hospitality, which owns and operates Super 8 Hotel properties. We could find no political views or candidate website.
Robert M. Hale, facebook.com/hale4midvalemayor
Hale is a former Midvale city councilman and has served on city boards and committees for over 30 years. He has worked for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for much of his career.
Sophia Hawes-Tingey, sophiahawes.com, facebook.com/SophiaForMidvaleMayor
Hawes-Tingey is a software engineer and U.S. Navy veteran who moved to Utah in 2010, hoping to work in a discrimination-free zone for a company that valued diversity in order to send money to her daughters living in Texas, during a time when the economy went flat in the Lone Star State. She has been an LGBT advocate since then. Her objective is to make Utah a welcoming place, with fairness and opportunity for all, celebration of diversity, access to clean air and water, and excellent education. If elected, she would be the first openly trans person to hold office in the state.
Phil Jankovich, twitter.com/MayorDrPhil
Jankovich is a mechanical engineer and owner of the newly-created JANCO Sciences. His campaign is focused on green space, curb and gutter, and recreational activities in the city.
Mont L. Millerberg
Millerberg is a board member of the Canyons School District, elected in Nov. 2016. He is a retired certified public accountant. No website or other information can be found on his beliefs.
Salt Lake City Council District 1 — Rose Park/Fair Park/Airport
David C. Atkin, davidcatkin.com
Atkin’s Facebook wall is riddled with anti-immigrant, pro-Trump, anti-Hillary memes. His website states that he would like to empower Salt Lake City police with the ability to question minorities to see if they are in the country legally. He wants to remove funding for homeless shelters.
James Rogers, jamesmrogers.com
Rogers is the current District 1 city councilman, serving his first term. He voted in favor of designating a section of 900 South to be called Harvey Milk Boulevard, and he was the only councilperson to vote in favor of Jim Dabakis to be the Salt Lake City representative on the UTA Board.
Arnold M. Jones
Jones works at the Salt Lake City Aging Services Department as a driver. We can find no information on his campaign.
Salt Lake City Council District 3 — Avenues/Downtown/Federal Heights
As the current councilman, Stan Penfold, is not seeking re-election, a long list of candidates have entered the race to replace him.
Christopher Wharton, votechriswharton.com, facebook.com/ChrisWhartonforSLCCouncil
An attorney whose firm focuses on family law and LGBTQ equality, Wharton has experience in public service, serving two terms on the Salt Lake City Human Rights Commission and on the Utah Pride Center’s board of directors. Among the lower Avenues residents key issues: affordable housing, preserving the character of historic neighborhoods and expanding the city’s environmental initiatives.
Jeffrey Garbett
Garbett is a contractor, real estate broker and screenwriter who just finished film school. His foremost priorities are public safety and homelessness, he said, followed by a desire to make the city affordable for families and to improve its air quality.
Brian Fukushima, facebook.com/Brian-Fukushima-For-Salt-Lake-City-Council-1762929507056354/
Fukushima is an orthopedic surgeon who is president and CEO of Utah Orthopedic Specialists, and owner and medical director of the Brighton Medical Clinic. He was a founder of the Asian American Student Association at the University of Utah and says he represents the increased diversity of Avenues residents.
Laura Cushman, cushmanforcouncil.com, facebook.com/Cushman4Council
Cushman served as an intern in the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice and as an advocate on behalf of disadvantaged children. A resident of the Avenues, Cushman said improvements to the city’s infrastructure would encourage more residents to walk or ride their bikes, and thereby improve its famously poor air quality.
Phil Carroll, Votephilcarroll.com
Carroll is the founder and president of Community Housing Services, which has 200 low-income units in Salt Lake City. He was also chair of the Greater Avenues Community Council for two terms, the annual Memory Grove Clean Up for 20 years and the Avenues Street Fair.
