Hello John ,

The day after an election, we usually have a mixed bag of news to deliver to our supporters with some wins and some losses. Today, we’re ecstatic. Local and rural leadership matters now more than ever. We know progress grows from the ground up through neighbors, city councils, and mayors who know their local communities best. Stewardship Utah endorsed more candidates than in any municipal election before, and 75% of our endorsed candidates won their races (or are on track to, for those that are still close)!

Most of our endorsements in city elections this year are focused on the Community Renewable Energy Program (CREP), which allows cities on Rocky Mountain Power’s electricity grid to opt into receiving 100% renewable energy for their constituents. We hope to see several new cities join the program. There are other races we’re following that will have a major impact on Utah’s public lands, our air quality, and water conservation across the state.

A few highlights:

Sandy Mayoral Race: Monica Zoltanski’s win carries big implications for the controversial gondola proposal in Little Cottonwood Canyon—one of the most closely watched environmental issues in the state. The outcome will shape how one of Utah’s fastest-growing cities balances growth, transportation, and the protection of our treasured canyon landscape - and opens the door for Sandy to join the Community Renewable Energy Program (CREP).

West Jordan City Council: With several City Council seats on the ballot, West Jordan’s results play a major role in moving the city closer to joining CREP. Two of our endorsed candidates will win there, creating a clean energy majority and paving the way for Utah’s third largest city to move toward 100% renewable energy.

Price Mayoral Race: Public lands champ Terry Willis currently holds a narrow lead over the incumbent mayor in what could be a huge upset, showing that rural Utah is ready for new, visionary leadership.

Moab Mayoral Race: We’re closely watching the results in a city that continues to set an example for sustainable tourism, water stewardship, and community-driven public lands protection. Mayor Joette Langianese crushed her challenger, proving that protecting our public lands and championing renewable energy are priorities in Moab.

Congratulations to all of our endorsed candidates for running outstanding campaigns. We’re thrilled to announce the candidates that won their elections are:

Unfortunately, not all of our climate and air champions won. We applaud the following candidates for running great races and we hope to work with them again soon:

*These races are too close to call, but we're optimistic that these candidates will succeed:

*These races are in a dead heat and could change, but we’ve listed who’s leading and trailing as of this morning.

The momentum from campaigns has been incredible, and we’re grateful to every candidate, volunteer, and voter who stood up for clean air, renewable energy, and a healthier Utah. We couldn’t do this work without our volunteers and supporters who helped us knock on hundreds of doors and make thousands of phone calls over the last few weeks on behalf of our endorsed candidates. We’re deeply grateful. 

We all know the work doesn’t end on Election Day—it begins with turning these victories into action. We’re hosting a Post-Election Webinar on Tuesday, Nov. 18th, 6:30 - 7:30pm. Join us for some detailed analysis of election results and a conversation about what’s next for these cities and the rest of Utah.

Onward!

TJ

TJ Ellerbeck

Co-Director

[email protected] 

www.stewardshiputah.org