- Do you support or oppose the Independent Redistricting Commission and Standards Act that Utah voters approved in 2018? Please explain your reasoning.
- I absolutely support Proposition 4. Utah voters approved it in 2018, and the Legislature should have honored that decision instead of replacing it in 2020. Fair maps equate to trust. People should know who represents them, and their communities shouldn't be split apart to protect anyone's political advantage. I spent seven years on the Ogden City Council, and I saw how much residents care about having a representative who knows their neighborhood and answers to them.
- What should happen when the legislature disagrees with a map the commission produces, and what would you do in that situation?
- As a legislator, I would follow the commission's process and its standards: keep communities and cities together and don't draw lines to favor any party or incumbent. I would also oppose any future effort to weaken or repeal the law. When voters speak through an initiative, the Legislature's job is to carry out their decision, not overturn it.
- Do you support Utah's vote-by-mail system as it stands?
- Yes, 100%. Utah has one of the strongest, most popular vote-by-mail systems in the country. It’s secure and convenient, and it has increased accessibility to the voting process. There are recent changes made by the Legislature, however, that I do not agree with. The 2025 changes to the law are phasing out automatic mail ballots by 2029, requiring voters to opt in. They also tightened the deadline so a ballot has to arrive by Election Day instead of being postmarked the day before. Those changes put new barriers in front of eligible voters without solving a real problem, and our county clerks have demonstrated time and time again that our voting system is secure. In the Legislature, I will support repealing the voter opt-in and restoring a reasonable postmark deadline. I'd also support clear ballot-tracking and signature-cure processes so every eligible Utahns' vote is counted.
- What would you do to encourage more people to vote who currently don't vote?
- There are a number of things I would do to increase voter turnout. First of all, we can do everything we can to protect same-day registration and automatic voter registration, and keep mail ballots going automatically to every registered voter. Put more ballot drop boxes and in-person voting locations in neighborhoods and particularly across rural areas. Provide voting materials in Spanish and other languages spoken in our community, and fund county clerks to reach new citizens, young voters, and people who have recently moved. Most importantly, I'll show up. People vote when they believe their representative listens, and I'll keep holding regular community conversations across Ogden, Roy, and West Haven so residents can see that their voices shape what happens at the Capitol.
- Utah voters can put questions on the ballot through citizen initiatives and referenda. Should the threshold for passing them be changed? Why or why not?
- No. A simple majority should stay the standard for passing citizen initiatives and referenda, and I would oppose raising it. Citizen initiatives are one of the few ways Utahns can act directly when the Legislature won't. That's why I'm voting against Amendment B this November. A 60% rule means 40% of voters could overrule the majority. Look at Medicaid expansion. Voters passed Proposition 3 in 2018 with about 53% of the vote, funded by a small sales tax increase. Under a 60% rule, it would have failed, and thousands of working Utahns would have gone without health coverage.
- What do you see as the relationship between transparency and corruption?
- Transparency is one of the strongest protections against corruption. Corruption depends on decisions being made without public knowledge. When the public can see that information, it's much harder to abuse power and much easier to earn trust. As an Ogden City Councilmember, I made my calendar public. Residents could see who I was meeting with and how I spent my time on their behalf. I did it because I believe people have a right to know who has access to their elected officials. In the Legislature, I'll keep my calendar public and protect strong public records laws, so Utahns can get the information they need without high fees, long delays, or new exemptions that shield officials from scrutiny.
- Does Utah's GRAMA support the public's right to know, or does it need strengthening? Or is it too stringent?
- It needs strengthening, not loosening. In 2025, the Legislature dissolved the seven-member State Records Committee and replaced it with a single appointed officer. It also made it much harder for people who win record cases in court to recover their legal fees. These changes make getting records more expensive and complicated for everyday Utahns. I'm also concerned that the Legislature keeps many of its own records exempt from the same standards it sets for cities and counties. As a city councilmember, I followed GRAMA and went further by making my calendar public, and I believe the Legislature should hold itself to that standard.
- Describe a specific action you would take in office to make sure every person in your district has equal access to government services and equal protection under the law, regardless of citizenship status.
- I would sponsor a language access bill requiring state agencies and state-funded programs to provide interpretation and translated materials for essential services like health care, housing, courts, and public safety. No one in our district should be unable to understand a court notice, report a crime, or get emergency help because of a language barrier.
- Is there anything else you think is relevant that our questions did not reach?
- I'm grateful for BURRN's work. Democracy works best when people trust that the system is fair and that their voices count. That belief has shaped my whole career, from the classroom to the Ogden City Council, where I served as both Chair and Vice Chair. Ogden, Roy, and West Haven are too often overlooked at the Capitol. I'm running to make sure our communities are heard, to protect the right of every Utahn to vote and participate, and to lead beyond divides.
