- Do you support or oppose the Independent Redistricting Commission and Standards Act that Utah voters approved in 2018? Please explain your reasoning.
- I support the Independent Redistricting Commission because I firmly believe Utah voters should select their representatives, rather than elected officials artificially drawing boundaries to favor one political party. This is approved by a vote of the people. Fair maps are key to having a representative government.
- What should happen when the legislature disagrees with a map the commission produces, and what would you do in that situation?
- I would do just as I did in 2021 and vote in favor of the Independent Redistricting Commission maps and against the maps that the legislature constructed behind the scenes.
- Do you support Utah's vote-by-mail system as it stands?
- Absolutely! I also oppose the 2026 legislation that required voters to OPT IN to receive a ballot starting in 2029. I believe that every registered voter should receive a ballot instead of forcing them to jump through hoops designed to reduce voter participation. We should have a government that works FOR the people instead of creating barriers.
- What would you do to encourage more people to vote who currently don't vote?
- I believe more people would vote if they had a personal stake in the outcome. Showing how voting can bring about change is critical to convincing people to vote.
- 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, the threshold should not be changed. The Utah Constitution added the ballot initiative process after the ballots were cast in 1900. When legislators vote on a bill, it passes with more than 50%, but requiring a ballot initiative to pass with 60% takes power from the people. This isn't about taxes, because any law change requires spending money. This is all about tilting the balance of power.
- What do you see as the relationship between transparency and corruption?
- Transparency and corruption are interconnected. Unfortunately, corruption and self-dealing is often accomplished behind closed doors in a setting where transparency does not exist. We need to demand more transparent disclosure laws and eliminate decision-making outside of public view.
- Does Utah's GRAMA support the public's right to know, or does it need strengthening? Or is it too stringent?
- GRAMA does support the public's right to know. I believe that the fee structure can keep individuals from determining the truth.
- 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 will commit as a legislator to making constituent services accessible to everyone. My office can help residents navigate agencies, access interpreters, resolve bureaucratic problems, and understand which programs they legally qualify for all without making citizenship a condition of receiving assistance from the legislative office. This was the principle that I embraced when I served from 2021 to 2024 in the Utah legislature.
- Is there anything else you think is relevant that our questions did not reach?
- Thank you for the important work of lifting democracy in our state.
