- 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 voter-passed fair redistricting initiative. I believe that voters should be choosing their politicians, not the other way around, and the Utah legislature’s efforts, year after year, to resist fair maps are directly in opposition to the will of the people.
- What should happen when the legislature disagrees with a map the commission produces, and what would you do in that situation?
- I believe that the standards laid out in the original language of Proposition 4 should be how the process works: the commission produces fair maps, and the legislature can only reject them for a specific reason, and even then, the commission goes back and produces a new map, not the legislature. The process should be as independent from political interests as possible, and, as a legislator, I would support commission-drawn maps over partisan maps.
- Do you support Utah's vote-by-mail system as it stands?
- Yes, I absolutely support Utah’s vote-by-mail system and believe the legislature should be upholding and strengthening it, not undermining it. Our system is safe, secure, accessible, and popular, and I would never vote to weaken it.
- What would you do to encourage more people to vote who currently don't vote?
- There are so many people I talk to who don’t vote because they do not feel like their voice matters, but I am here to tell you, it absolutely does! The Democrat running in my district lost by just 67 votes in 2022, which means that every single vote was important in that race. That is why I am working so hard this year to get the word out about my campaign and encourage everyone in my district to get involved and 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, I do not support raising the threshold for voter-passed initiatives and referenda. I believe that these represent important checks against the legislature, especially when they ignore the will of the people. The process is already difficult enough; we should not be putting up additional barriers.
- What do you see as the relationship between transparency and corruption?
- I believe that corruption thrives on a lack of transparency. The process surrounding the Stratos data center is a perfect example: politicians cut shady backroom deals to give an unelected entity more and more power without real oversight, and big money interests were the ones who benefited at the expense of the people. We need more transparency and accountability in our government, and that is a big part of why I am running.
- Does Utah's GRAMA support the public's right to know, or does it need strengthening? Or is it too stringent?
- I am always in favor of strengthening public transparency measures to ensure that elected officials and government agencies are accountable to the people, and directing enough funding to allow that level of transparency. Most of all, I support proactive transparency whenever possible.
- 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.
- As the representative for House District 27, my number one goal will always be accessibility to all of my constituents, no matter their background, political party, income, or citizenship status, because that’s what the job is about. I won’t just be there to vote on and sponsor legislation, but also to keep my constituents informed about what’s happening in state government, and to connect them with resources and help them solve problems and address barriers in their lives. I don’t just want to be available to the community when it’s time to run for re-election; I want to be a constant presence across the district, listening and looking to get things done proactively.
- Is there anything else you think is relevant that our questions did not reach?
- I have been so grateful for the opportunity to run for office this year. My neighbors on the west side are facing so many challenges: rising costs, unaffordable housing, disproportionate environmental harm from the disappearing Great Salt Lake, and infrastructure that isn’t keeping up with development. Most of all, they don’t feel like anyone in leadership is listening or cares about their concerns. I am running to be a real voice for them at the Capitol, and I would be honored to have BURRN’s support in that effort!
