Happy Friday from #OneUtah, a weekly update from the office of Gov. Spencer J. Cox. Here’s your recap of what we did this week, what's on the horizon, and more. Reply to this email with any questions or suggestions regarding the newsletter. And thank you for subscribing!

Primary Election Day

We want to thank all Utahns who voted in the special primary election this week! Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson and her staff crisscrossed the state, visiting with county clerks and their election staff who work tirelessly to make sure we have successful elections. Thanks, lieutenant governor and team for making sure our elections are safe and secure!

Check here for the latest numbers on the special election for the second congressional district. All other results for municipal elections can be found on the individual county websites. Utahns can cast their next ballot in the general election, which is set for Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023.

Visiting with local leaders

On Thursday, we spoke at the Utah League of Cities and Towns Annual Convention and enjoyed visiting with the various local officials who attended. 

Local government is where rubber meets the road, and mayors and city council members are on the front lines of some of the toughest issues we face – affordable housing, infrastructure and growth. As we learned through our recent Guiding Our Growth survey (completed by 20,000 Utahns), most Utahns don’t think we should try to stop growth, but how we grow matters. Utahns care about their communities and want to see policymakers take action to ensure Utah’s bright future. 

We’re grateful for these public servants who dedicate time and energy to their community! See photos from the event here.

Meeting the Utah Department of Commerce

We stopped by the Utah Department of Commerce this week to meet with our colleagues and serve them breakfast. If you’ve seen the Scam-A-Lot ads, that’s them!

The Department of Commerce is the licensing and registration agency for Utah’s professional and business community. They provide oversight on business registrations, trademarks, Uniform Commercial Code filings, occupational and professional licensing, consumer protection, public utilities, securities, real estate, and residential mortgage lending. What they do protects us in so many ways.

Learn more about the Department of Commerce here.

Family Meals and Disagree Better Month

September is Family Meals and Disagree Better Month in Utah! 

We encourage all Utahns to share more meals at home each week. Regular family meals are linked to kids earning higher grades and improving self-esteem. Children who grow up sharing family meals are also more likely to exhibit prosocial behavior as adults, such as sharing, fairness and respect. Those skills lead to kids learning how to Disagree Better, which is our initiative as chairmen of the National Governors Association. 

You can read the full declaration here, and learn more about our Disagree Better initiative here.

Re-opening Highway 6

Over the weekend, US-6 between Helper and Soldier Summit was closed due to flood damage. We applaud our team at the Utah Department of Transportation for their quick action in making the road accessible to travelers again. 

Thank you, UDOT, for your dedication to keeping Utah roads safe!

Spirit of Service Award: Alianza Venezolana de Utah

Meet Alianza Venezolana de Utah, one of this year’s Governor’s Spirit of Service Awardees! Alianza Venezolana de Utah was formed in 2018 to help Venezuelan immigrants resettle in Utah. They provide humanitarian help, develop programs for Venezuelans arriving in Utah, and have networked with local and federal leaders to help Venezuelans be law-abiding residents and find opportunities for them to achieve the American dream. 

Learn more about Alianza Venezolana de Utah here. 

ICYMI

• We spoke at the National Speakers Conference this week. Thanks for having us!

• Lt. Gov. Henderson was in Payson last week to celebrate the groundbreaking of Mountainland Technical College’s new 13.5-acre campus. See more here.

Coming up

Get involved!

Looking for a new job opportunity? From great employee benefits to versatile work schedules, the career opportunities with the state are truly endless. Join Team Utah today! 

Those looking to volunteer can also consider more than 300 boards and commissions. Find out which openings are available and how you can get involved here!

Get in touch!