Races for mayor getting crowded in Utah’s capital city, county
Dec 11, 2018, 12:42 PM
The Salt Lake City and County government building. (Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY — People are lining up to be the next mayor, of both Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County.
Tuesday morning, State Senator Jim Dabakis became the latest candidate to announce he is running for Salt Lake City Mayor in a live Facebook video: “I say, ‘I’m in.'”
“It’s going to be a fun year in 2019, and I hope you’ll consider well your vote,” he said.
Just jumped in! The water is fine! #dabakisformayor #utpol pic.twitter.com/LmC0lKMp22
— Jim Dabakis (@JimDabakis) December 11, 2018
Last week, businessman David Ibarra announced a candidacy. David Garbett also plans to run. In November, it was former council member Stan Penfold. Mayor Jackie Biskupski is running for re-election in 2019.
A Utah Policy poll in September showed 56 percent of city residents think it’s probably or definitely time for a new mayor.
Meanwhile, on January 2, 2019, the Salt Lake County mayor’s office will become vacant. The sitting mayor, Democrat Ben McAdams, is leaving to replace Rep. Mia Love, R-Utah, as the state’s 4th District congressional representative.
Democrats Jenny Wilson and Arlyn Bradshaw from the county council want to replace him; so does Shireen Ghorbani, who, like Wilson, just lost an election in November. Ghorbani, also a Democrat, challenged Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah, for his congressional seat. Wilson sought to prevent Mitt Romney from replacing Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.
