⏰ Tick Tock

The 2025 municipal elections are today. Get your ballots in by the time polls close or they won't count.
Days to the start of the 2026 Utah Legislature (1/20/2026) - 77
Days until the 2026 midterm elections (11/3/2026) - 364
Days until the 2028 presidential election (11/7/2028) - 1,099

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📰 Above the fold

We hosted our first "Press Room" live chat for paid subscribers of Utah Political Watch. Here are the key takeaways on Utah politics and policy you should know this morning.

First up: a fringe lawsuit backed by Phil Lyman supporters seeks to throw out the 2024 election results and install their slate. The complaint asks a federal judge to remove Gov. Spencer Cox, Sen. John Curtis and Attorney General Derek Brown, who gathered signatures, and replace them with Phil Lyman, Trent Staggs and Frank Mylar, who won the delegate vote at the GOP convention.

  • The complaint runs 93 pages and includes more than 90 exhibits.
  • Multiple federal judges have recused. One participant called it a “spicy one.”
  • Not in my original story: discredited COVID conspiracy promoter Richard Fleming filed an amicus brief supporting the plaintiffs.

If you’re not yet a subscriber, here’s what you’re missing: live strategy chats, early scoops and analysis on Utah races and policy fights, clear election-law explainers, and members-only insights into our reporting.

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Municipal races to watch:

  • Sandy mayor: Incumbent Monica Zoltansky vs. Cyndi Sharkey, who has notable GOP backing.
  • Layton mayor: Trevor Lee Faust faces charges for allegedly threatening his wife. If he wins, it could create an immediate conflict of interest. Court date: Nov. 25.

Utah’s new election rules may hit rural voters hardest:

  • Ballots must be received by the close of polls to count—no postmark grace. Fewer drop boxes in rural counties could compound the problem.
  • In the 2024 GOP primary between Celeste Maloy and Colby Jenkins, Iron County voters saw ballots tossed when mail routed through Las Vegas missed the postmark deadline despite timely drop-offs.
  • The changes risk disenfranchising GOP-leaning rural voters.
  • One participant called the rules “security theater” driven by election-denial politics.

On Prop. 4: Republicans are working to repeal Utah’s anti-gerrymandering law and are testing messaging in case they secure enough signatures for the ballot.

  • Early GOP pitch: Prop. 4 “gerrymanders a seat for Democrats.” Expect that frame to anchor their campaign.

Redistricting update: the judge in the case is expected to select a new congressional map by next week.

  • Democrat Ben McAdams is signaling a run: he updated his FEC filing to start fundraising, and a centrist PAC has stepped up a “recruit McAdams” push.
  • Sen. Dan McCay says he won’t seek re-election to the Legislature if his wife wins Riverton mayor. He’s seriously eyeing a 2026 U.S. House race; he floated a challenge to McAdams in 2020.

Quick ask for subscribers: email me with the best day/time for our next livestream.