In January, current Commissioner Randy Elliot decided not to seek reelection — opening up the seat. Republican John Crofts and Michael Lambert, an unaffiliated candidate, are seeking the seat. Crofts is the earthquake program manager at the Utah Division of Emergency Management and Lambert is a clinical social worker with experience in mental health.
We asked county residents what mattered to them and that feedback informed this voter guide.
Methodology: An identical survey was sent to both campaigns. Provided answers were fact-checked before publication of this guide and we included links and/or editor’s notes on our findings. If a candidate did not respond, KUER leaned on public statements, interviews and additional reporting to provide voters with useful information. Candidates appear in alphabetical order by surname.
When speaking to voters who have never been engaged in local politics, what is your elevator pitch as a candidate for Davis County Commission?
Crofts My platform centers on putting Voters First, ensuring transparency, and fostering active voter engagement (including all political parties). If you're a first-time voter, visit vote.utah.gov for registration instructions. You can also connect with engaged candidates, like myself, (801.888.4272) and organizations such as the Utah League of Women Voters, who are dedicated to increasing voter participation.
I encourage all eligible voters to stay informed, attend local meetings, and engage with elected officials. Local decisions often impact us more than national politics, and informed, engaged voters ensure that elected officials do an even better job.
Recognizing that Davis County lacks a free, widely-reaching newspaper, I created www.davisutahweekly.com to provide quick recaps of Commission meetings. This resource offers an easy way to stay updated on County government activities.
Lambert This is the only remaining County Office race that you'll have a choice in this November's election. All others were decided by delegates in a party Convention or went uncontested, while one was in a closed primary election. The Commission race would have been decided in April by delegates before even Republican voters had a say in a primary election if I wasn't running. I believe in a bipartisan approach and have been concerned about the increasing divisiveness and polarization in politics. I'm the only unaffiliated candidate to run for County Office this year, and the first non-majority party candidate in 6 years. There were originally 12 Commissioner candidates who filed to run*. However, delegates advanced only one nominee out of Convention by less than a percent, despite there being a number of well-respected and moderate Republicans who then didn't make it to a primary election. I care about issues impacting children and co-chair a local school community council. I care about our older adult population; mental health; balanced, sustainable growth and housing security in this tough market; as well as conservation, the Great Salt Lake and our air quality.
Editor’s note: *While 12 candidates originally filed, one was unaffiliated and two Republicans withdrew before the Davis County Republican convention. The Davis County Republican Party considered nine candidates for nomination.
What do you think are the top three issues facing voters in Davis County?
Crofts High Prices of Home Ownership and Rent.
Preservation of Community Values and Traditions.
Engagement of Elected Leaders.
Lambert Balanced, sustainable growth: We are the third most populated county in the state, although have the smallest land area. Some cities have no more room to develop. Our population has grown rapidly.* We must keep conservation in mind when making decisions if we want to preserve the quality of life we've enjoyed for our children and future generations.
Affordable housing: Housing is expensive for most of us, let alone younger people coming out of school. We must have adequate, affordable housing for everyone if we wish to maintain continued prosperity. The young people of today will drive our economy, run our schools, be our leaders, fill our churches, and make up our communities of tomorrow. We must support those needing secure housing.
Representation: Though a variety of people and moderates reside here, many don't often have much say in our political leadership up through state levels. Many are left without a voting choice between elected officials. Republican voters don't even vote in some elections that are decided in Conventions. Delegates often decide our leadership before hundreds of thousands of voters can. We need more engagement and access.
Editor's note: *While it is true that some cities in Davis County have no more room for outward expansion, multiple municipalities in the county experienced growth between 2020 and 2023 according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. While cities like Syracuse and West Pointe have undeveloped land to build on, cities like Clearfield are experiencing upward growth through the construction of apartment buildings.
How would you work to get people more civically engaged and foster an environment of transparency within politics? (Brennan, Bountiful)
Crofts To get people more civically engaged and foster an environment of transparency within Davis County, I will work to:
Provide County Updates: I provide weekly updates on Davis County Commission meetings at www.davisutahweekly.com. This includes brief 1-3 minute summaries of Commission meetings. There is no subscription fee and it is a free service.
Hold Town Halls and Public Forums.
Adjust Meeting Times to evening hours so more voters can attend. The current meetings are held on Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. This time is challenging for many voters, due to work and other responsibilities. I propose working with the other commissioners to explore alternative meeting times that could better accommodate more voters' schedules.
Lambert Greater education to the public, as there is opportunity to access transparency if one gets involved and looks. People can attend meetings, submit comments, and review meeting minutes. I'm trying to get people civically engaged by running as an unaffiliated candidate. Often, there aren't choices in general elections for County Office races. If I were elected, even that would demonstrate increased engagement by a wider range of people, as typically non-majority party candidates don't even run for Davis County Office. As Conventions are more partisan, I'm hoping to give greater voice to bipartisan-minded and moderate residents, which I think are the majority of people even if they're not always as represented politically.
I've attended every Commission meeting in-person beginning in May, some Work Session meetings this Summer, and many of the city council meetings across the County (will go to the rest in upcoming weeks). I've met with as many elected officials and departments as have been willing to do so, and have learned so much. There is opportunity to get involved and use your voice. I've learned this firsthand and will encourage residents to as well.
What is your plan to address air quality and water issues — especially related to Great Salt Lake? (Brian, North Salt Lake)
Crofts In the 80s the population in Davis County was significantly less. Then, our air pollution was worse. We've made improvements; however, air quality continues to be a challenge. We need to continue to look for solutions to improve our air.
Great Salt Lake: The significant drop in water levels has raised alarms. The Utah Legislature established the Great Salt Lake Commissioner and a strategic plan via HB491, focusing on:
Enhancing public engagement with various stakeholders, utilizing Science and Data, making decisions based on solid scientific research. I want to support the Great Salt Lake Commissioner in preserving and protecting the Great Salt Lake.
Lambert These are very important issues to me and part of why I'm running. Commissioners do have limits on what can be done in these areas. The Governor and Legislature have significant influence. Surrounding Counties do, too, some of whom control more water into the GSL than Davis County. The lake, surrounding wetlands and Antelope Island occupy over half of our County. So, its status impacts us as much as anyone. I'd get involved with as many Boards and Committees as I can to advocate for the lake, as well as be judicious about development considerations in surrounding areas.
Like many, I'm very concerned about our air quality. It impacts so many of us. Everyone's vulnerable to long-term effects. I'd advocate for increased energy efficiency, benefiting both our air and pockets, as well as diversifying energy infrastructure. This can include optimizing building and appliance usage, increasing EV charging infrastructure, utilizing solar and other energy sources. More EV's are hitting the road, needing charging stations to support them. We must work with industries to ensure emissions are within regulation. Additional programs and education can conserve water and decrease emissions.
Editor’s note: For context, Davis County is part of the Weber Basin Conservancy District, which is a political subdivision of the state of Utah serving five counties. The state’s water conservancy districts manage water resources and conservation.
What would you do to address the high cost of housing, especially for young people trying to rent? (Paige, Bountiful)
- Crofts Work to make it easier to have mother-in-law apartments and make it easier for people to create affordable housing.
- Lambert There's a County Home Ownership Assistance program that can support low/moderate income families with upfront costs. I'd support accessibility to programs like these. It's vital we support housing for young people, as they also represent the future livelihood of our communities. Families want children and grandchildren to have the ability to live here. A wide variety of housing is necessary for this, ranging from single-family detached housing to medium and higher density rental housing, and mixed use space. This is a differentiating factor between my fellow candidate and I, who opposes high density housing. I trust cities will make the best decisions for their communities around the types of housing they need. This is largely up to cities anyway, not the County. I know I couldn't afford to buy a home straight out of high school or college when prices were much more affordable. We need well-designed housing opportunities for all residents, which will support our economic vitality. From a conservation standpoint, we also can't exclusively build large, expensive lots for single-family households. More housing opportunities, not less, will support more affordable housing.
How would you address climbing property taxes? (Douglas, Bountiful)
- Crofts Work to spend taxpayer dollars more efficiently and wisely. I'm excited to get to work.
- Lambert Property taxes are based on a variety of factors, a number of which are not decided by the County or Commissioners. Utah's truth in taxation law requires a stable tax revenue from year-to-year, adjusting property tax rates. Some may pay more if their property value has increased faster than others in the community. While the county collects and manages property taxes for entities within the county, it's actually not making all the decisions on tax increases. Cities, the school district, and most special service districts are also making their own rate decisions. As costs naturally increase to provide services, all of these entities and the County face decisions around taxes. Lowering property tax revenue means less funding for schools, public safety, public health, roads, libraries and more. My advice for residents invested in these matters is to participate in public truth in taxation processes. A number of cities just held these toward the end of the summer around proposed tax increases. What I can commit to is being a careful steward of county funds in the balance of ensuring important services, while being responsible with taxpayer money.
How would you work to make mental health services better and more accessible for children and young adults? (Bonnie Jean, Bountiful)
- Crofts Davis Behavioral Health is amazing. They have tons of preventative programs, their staff is amazing, and I think it important that Davis County residents understand and know their benefits. They provide game-changing preventive services. They are widely known and recognized as the best mental health services in the State of Utah. Please visit www.dbhutah.org
- Lambert Mental health is an area I'm passionate about. I'm a licensed clinical social worker, and have served young people and families for over 20 years. My first job in the field was with Primary Children's behavioral health, then at UNI (now the Huntsman Mental Health Institute) shortly thereafter, where I worked with substance use and other challenges. Currently, I co-chair a local school community council and advocate for social emotional learning needs and counseling services where appropriate. I also support the good work the Davis Education Foundation is doing and Teen Centers for vulnerable students. Part of County services include the Health Department, as well as partnership with Davis Behavioral Health, the largest mental health provider in our community. Brandon Hatch, the CEO of DBH, has endorsed me. During this campaign, I've attended a Human Services Directors meeting, and would like to continue to support their networking efforts to make services more readily available to residents in our County. Community education is a big piece of improving access. I bring experience and a unique, uncommon perspective to political office.
Some of the county has been annexed and is now city land. Why are county commissioners still necessary? (Linette, Bountiful)
- Crofts Many county residents were recently annexed into cities. I recognize that many were upset with the decision. I was not part of this decision. Many voters disagreed with this decision. The County is necessary because the county is an extension of the state and as such, we provide essential services to everyone living in Davis County.
- Lambert There are still county lands and many essential services the county provides. Some prominent areas include the Public Health Department; County Sheriff's Office, which also provides law enforcement for some of our smaller cities, and our County Jail; the Library system; Clerk's Office, which runs and oversees elections; the Attorney's Office, who address and prosecute most major crimes in our County, as well as includes the Children's Justice Center; the Justice Court; Community & Economic Development; Public Works, which manages flood prevention, maintains county roads, and addresses noxious weeds; Information Systems, providing technology to departments throughout the county; financial processes through the Auditor's, Assessor's and Treasurer's Office; and Animal Care, just to name some of the County functions. Commissioners are liaisons to other elected County Officials, as well as assigned to various Departments and Boards. They make annual budget and expenditure approval decisions throughout the year, so have a big impact on where County money goes. They hold both executive and legislative duties and powers within the County, so their role is significant.
What do you love about living in Davis County?
- Crofts The people, the mountains, the recreation, the safety, great place to raise children, and our County's prosperity. Davis County is a wonderful place! Davis County is the best county in the State!
- Lambert There are a lot of things I love about Davis County. I love the family friendly communities. Though we're populated and still growing, we're not as big as Salt Lake or Utah County, and I think are a bit of a well-kept secret. Our proximity to some pretty special open space is phenomenal. We have good people working in and for our schools, as well as an amazing, affordable Technical College in Davis Tech, and both Weber State Davis and Utah State Extension. Our neighborhoods are friendly and safe for kids. There's definitely a sense of neighborly community. Through my experience as a candidate, I've also been able to meet many leaders and public servants in the County, who I've been very impressed by. It's a nice place to raise a family, and still has good access to both rural areas and places like Salt Lake. There are plenty of great community functions to engage in, while also having peace and quiet away from constant clamor. There are beautiful views of the valley up along the mountains, as well as opportunities to explore the Great Salt Lake area. Many good people all around and a place our family enjoys.
Just for fun: What do you think is the most underrated thing about Davis County?
- Crofts The Adams Canyon hiking trail. My children and me made that hike a regular event. It is one of Davis County's hidden gems.
- Lambert I think there are some really special outdoor and open spaces that don't get the acclaim other places in the state get, such as the National Parks in the South, and mountain ski resorts of surrounding Counties. We have amazing access to the Great Salt Lake and its surrounding wetlands through places like Antelope Island State Park, the Shorelands Preserve, the Eccles Wildlife Education Center and Farmington Bay. Then, there are the mountains, canyons, hikes and trails to the east, including some stunning views. Prominent ones include the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, the Rail Trail running through our cities, and the West Davis Trail alongside the western developed border of the county with views of the GSL wetlands. All offer great walking, biking and jogging with wonderful scenery. We may not have the same acclaim of highly visited canyons, resorts and national parks in other areas of the state, though our residents get to happily enjoy these remarkable places with less traffi`c and congestion, and more room to breathe. Davis County provides a nice balance of suburban hometown feel with accessible open space that compliments the lifestyle so many residents value.
KUER's Elaine Clark and Jim Hill contributed to this report along PBS Utah's Cailley Chells and Kelton Wells. Contributing independent fact checkers were Brisa Odenthal and Trisha Loveless.
This voter guide was produced in collaboration with PBS Utah and America Amplified.
