Jenny Wilson, the current mayor of Salt Lake County, is seeking her second term in office. She was the Democratic Party's choice to replace Mayor Ben McAdams who resigned to take a seat in Congress in 2019. She later was reelected in 2020. Her opponent, Republican Erin Rider, is a corporate attorney with political connections as a law clerk in Washington, D.C. during her college years and as a board member with Utah Women Run.
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 Salt Lake County Mayor?
- Rider: I am running for Salt Lake County Mayor because I am concerned about losing the quality of life we have here in the county. We see the issues facing our county - housing affordability, homelessness, rising taxes, etc., and it's not hard to see that we are on a path towards becoming the next San Francisco, or the next Portland. The only way you change the direction of that ship is to change out the captain. Local politics are where the rubber meets the road, literally. The choices made by local politicians have a more immediate impact on our lives than anything that happens at the national level. Here in Salt Lake County, the County Mayor is the executive over all of the county operations. The tone of county policy, the budget - all of that is set by the County Mayor. If you want to see meaningful change at the county level, you want a strong council, but you need a strong mayor. My opponent has been in office at the county government for nearly 20 years. She has never met a taxpayer-funded project she didn't like. It is time for change, for a fresh perspective, and that is why I am running for Salt Lake County Mayor.
- Wilson: I’m a common-sense public servant who wakes up every day laser-focused on the issues that matter most to Salt Lake County families — lowering their cost of living, improving their quality of life through amazing County programs, and making our communities safer. I work across party lines and don’t get distracted by culture wars or political extremism. I’m proud to lead many of the critical programs and priorities that Salt Lake County offers, from “meals on wheels” to criminal justice reform to canyon preservation and trail development, just to name a few. I work to ensure that programs are run efficiently and am proud that each of my budgets has been balanced and passed by the County Council with bipartisan support.
What do you think are the top three issues facing voters in Salt Lake County?
Rider: The top three issues facing voters across Salt Lake County are 1) taxes and the economy, 2) housing affordability, and 3) homelessness.
There are also a number of region-specific concerns across the county - concerns about the future of Abravanel Hall in Salt Lake City, the lack of infrastructure and support from the County Mayor's office in the west and southwest parts of the valley, and redevelopment needs on the east side of the county.
- Wilson: Access to affordable housing and the cost of living are the issues I’ve heard about most often the last few years. Additionally, homelessness, and its intersection with the criminal justice system are big concerns. Environmental issues such as protecting our water supply, the declining Great Salt Lake and clean air are also on Salt Lake County voters’ minds these days, and with good cause.
There are so many differing opinions in politics. How can you bring people together as a community to solve problems? (Vienna, Midvale)
- Rider: As a corporate attorney, it is my job to be the quarterback of a deal anytime one of my clients is merging with, or acquiring/being acquired by another company. That means I have to involve experts in certain areas of law (tax, patent, employment, etc.) to make sure I haven't missed something, even though I am ultimately responsible for drafting the contract and negotiating with the other side. I see the County Mayor as the same role. As Mayor, it will be my job to bring the right people to the table (i.e., industry experts, community members, non-profit advocacy groups, etc) for any given issue to make sure I don't miss something important. The issues facing us in Salt Lake County are non-partisan in nature, and it's time we had a County Mayor who acted like it. Salt Lake County is the most diverse county in the entire state, and 1/3 of the state's population lives here. I want every resident, no matter their background or which part of the county they live in, to know not only that they belong here, but to feel a sense of pride in saying they are residents of Salt Lake County.
- Wilson: Our diversity of ideas and opinions makes us stronger and should be embraced, not feared. I think it comes down to three things: First, by accepting that as an elected official it’s not about you, but rather it’s about the people you serve.. Second, by genuinely listening and trying to understand where others are coming from before leaping to assumptions and conclusions. And third, by communicating. Being transparent, accessible, and communicative earns trust. I seek to govern by including all perspectives and working effectively with people of the opposite political party.
A lot of money goes toward gas and groceries each month. How can you ease some of that burden when everything feels so expensive? (Stephany, West Valley City)
Rider: This is one of the main reasons I'm running. The county's budget is roughly $2 billion annually, and yet one of the main complaints I hear is that the county never has money to maintain or invest in the projects they are responsible for. Some county residents are even being priced out of their homes just because of their property tax bill*. I believe the county is going through an identity crisis right now. Twenty years ago - about the time my opponent was first elected to the county government - the county was both a regional and a municipal government, and provided municipal services (like trash and snow removal) to most of the county**. Over the past 20 years, most of the cities incorporated and took over those municipal services**. However, the county, now led by an entrenched career politician, never fully adjusted to those changes, meaning that the size of the county government has continued to grow, even though the services provided by the county have shrunk, and taxes have gone up as a result*. I intend to bring a fresh perspective to the county and right-size the county government, bringing down the budget and taxes in the process, and ease some of the burden on SLCo residents.
Editor’s notes: *For context, property tax rates vary across the county based on cities and tax districts. In 2023, there were 168 different tax rates across 394 tax areas in the county. The highest rates were in South Salt Lake and the lowest in Murray. Out of 103 taxing entities in 2024, 13 are tied to the county, others are cities, districts, schools and libraries.
** According to the Wasatch Front Waste and Recycling District reorganizing resolution, in 1977, the county established the Salt Lake County Special Service District No. 1, which handled garbage services until municipalities annexed or incorporated its service area. In 2013, the district was renamed to WFWRD and the Salt Lake County Council delegated governance to the Admin Control Board. In 2022, it reorganized from a special district to a local district.
- Wilson: Inflation — which fortunately is stabilizing — and the high cost of housing have created a cost of living crisis. I believe it’s on every level of government to look for ways to make things easier where we can. It’s the reason that we opened up our County recreation centers free for every school-aged kid in Salt Lake County and why I eliminated late fees at our libraries for kids too — to help parents save money and get a meaningful service. Parks and trails also save residents money by creating no-cost options for recreation and exercise. We’ve built three massive new regional parks while I’ve been mayor — including the 25-acre Pioneer Crossing Regional Park along the Jordan River in West Valley City, the Bingham Creek Regional Park in South Jordan, and the 28-acre Magna Regional Park. We opened 16 miles of multi-use trails in Butterfield Trailhead Regional Park and completed the western half of Parley’s Trail. We opened a new rec center in Draper and expanded the rec center in South Jordan, and we’re remodeling the Kearns and 10th East senior centers. People love county parks, recreation centers, libraries and senior centers and we love providing these services to our residents.
How do you define “affordable housing” and how will you work to make housing more affordable for people? (Sarah, Magna)
- Rider: I define affordable housing broadly to include rental options as well as ownership options for first-time homebuyers. For renters, we need to make sure that we have a progressive path for people to utilize rental assistance programs to get into apartments but then build job skills to earn a livable wage and become self-sufficient on their own. For homebuyers, I want to make sure we put homebuyers, particularly first-time homebuyers, on parity with corporate buyers and investors. We need to have a strong pipeline of housing options - condos, townhouses, single-family homes - but we can also look at levers like property taxes, permits, etc., to give first-time homebuyers that parity. The state is also involved in much of this process, so some of this would also include working with the state to set appropriate policies that affect the Salt Lake County housing market.
- Wilson: Well there’s the official definition, which is set by the federal government, and then there’s the practical definition, which is different for everyone. We all want the best and safest housing we can afford, so the key is increasing the housing supply across all housing types… and making it more appealing to builders to construct homes that are affordable for people who make well below — 30% to 60% — of the area’s median household income of $90,000. In Utah it’s cities that have the primary responsibility for permitting and the policy choices that affect housing, but last year I pressed forward with $25 million in investments in 17 different projects designed to create affordable housing units in the county. These investments make it more appealing for private developers to create affordable units instead of creating units that will earn them the most profit. Additionally, Salt Lake County is working diligently to build and partner on the building of 1,000 units of deeply affordable housing with wrap-around services over the next five years.
With Utah growing so fast, how will you work to make sure we aren’t overstretching our resources and hurting the environment? (Angela, Cottonwood Heights)
- Rider: In addition to an audit of the county finances and operations, I want to put in place a 10-year plan for the growth and development of the county. We have 10 years before the Olympics return and the world shows up on our doorstep again, and we have a lot of work to do to get ready. That master development plan will include things like housing development and affordability issues, infrastructure development, and resource management. I want to make sure we find a balance between healthy growth and development and preserving natural areas and wildlife habitats in the county. That may mean things like providing incentives for landscaping with native plants, sustainable trail development in our canyons and foothills, and being creative with all of the energy resources available to us here in Utah. As mentioned in a previous comment, this is one area where bringing the right people to the table will matter as we put this plan in place.
- Wilson: Salt Lake County serves as the regional authority and therefore coordinating housing, transportation and infrastructure is a primary responsibility of the County. We have a talented and engaged regional development team whose task is to focus on housing supply, costs and access, transportation and planning. I serve as a board member of Wasatch Front Regional Council who has primary responsibility for regional transportation planning and facilitates projects that are funded through federal and state dollars. I was a founding member of the Jordan River Commission, a regional body that supports the preservation of the river and seeks to assure it is an asset for all. My leadership and voice in this area seeks to enact and promote strong regional planning that protects our environment. Along with supporting good planning, I speak up when a project jeopardizes our environment as I have with my strong opposition to the proposed Little Cottonwood gondola.
What can you do as mayor of Salt Lake County to improve air quality and make sure water gets to the Great Salt Lake? (Chris, Cottonwood Heights)
Rider: Speaking about air quality first - There is no question that air quality is an issue in Salt Lake County. In some ways, we will always be battling the geographic bowl we live in, but that is no excuse for not continuing to make improvements along the way. As a county, I would like to work with the state to provide incentives for upgrades to old houses that are not energy efficient. Same for cars. We are not at a point where it is realistic to replace gas-powered vehicles, and many people in the county and the state are dependent on the power provided by those vehicles for their livelihood, but we can work to increase the effectiveness of our emissions by incentivizing further research and getting older cars off the road.
In terms of water, the Jordan River is certainly an area where the county could work to improve water flow to the Great Salt Lake. There are a number of invasive plants, like phragmites, along our waterways that soak up unnecessary water and prevent water from flowing to the Great Salt Lake. Getting rid of such plants has a relatively large impact with a relatively low cost, and doesn't even require new infrastructure development.
Wilson: Preventing the demise of the Great Salt Lake is an existential crisis for us, so it’s been a priority of mine to ensure the county government is conserving water and helping others to conserve, too. We've replaced the grass at three county playing fields with synthetic turf and I’ve led a multi-year “Flip the Strip” effort* to reduce water use at public facilities by replacing grass turf with xeriscaping. We’ve replaced 132 park strips at our own facilities*, and we’ve awarded grants to six cities to help them replace theirs. We’ve reduced water usage at county facilities and I’m actively fighting the gondola in Little Cottonwood Canyon and the proposed new rock quarry in Parleys Canyon, in part because of the threat they pose to our water supply. We are placing the county’s fleet with all-electric and hybrid vehicles**, and building new EV charging stations. We joined the Community Renewable Energy Agency to bring net-100% renewable electricity to residents of unincorporated areas and partnered with UTA and the University of Utah to install air-quality monitors on six UTA buses. I’ve been vocal about supporting state-wide policy change to assure we are returning water to the lake.
Editor’s notes: *The “Flip the Strip” project is funded with American Rescue Plan Act money. As of the end of 2023, the county’s ARPA performance report did not show any replacements. However, reports indicate projects broke ground in 2024.
** "The County currently has 19 all-electric vehicles and 106 hybrids," according to July 2024 SLCo debt and finance continuing disclosure.
How do you plan on positively impacting those suffering with addiction without just sending them to jail? How can you be part of the solution? (Kimberly, South Salt Lake)
- Rider: The county can do a great deal in this regard through the county health department. We must hold people accountable for their actions, but we also need to be providing the resources necessary to help them recover and move forward. Having access to qualified treatment facilities is a big part of this. And it's not just that those facilities exist. If someone is on the street in Sandy, but all of the facilities are in downtown Salt Lake, how does that person even know they exist, let alone get to them? And if you have to walk past a line of dealers to get into or out of a facility, the difficulty of being able to recover goes up exponentially. Issues like this are highly personal in nature, and require the county to be extraordinarily proactive. Unlike my opponent, I will not sit back and watch vulnerable populations continue to suffer because of ineffective policy decisions, and we will not continue to throw money after projects that, at the end of the day, have not moved the needle in addressing issues like this.
Wilson: This is at the heart of my 5-year Human Services, Homeless, and Criminal Justice Reform Action Plan — a broad and comprehensive strategy designed to address the challenges of addiction and homelessness holistically and at its roots, breaking an expensive, inefficient, and ineffective cycle. The plan was created with input from and has been endorsed by members of the public, Republican and Democratic elected officials, as well as independent, nonpartisan experts in the field. It approaches complex systems interconnectedly: criminal justice; behavioral health; housing and temporary shelter; and workforce needs. As mayor, I also facilitated the County’s donation of the land* and $5 million for the construction of the Huntsman Mental Health Kem and Carolyn Cardner Crisis Care Center in South Salt Lake that will open early next year — a 30-bed receiving center and 24-bed acute care unit to help County residents experiencing urgent mental health crises. Individuals, community providers, law enforcement and first responders will be able to bring qualifying individuals directly to mental health and detox services rather than jails or hospitals — helping break a futile and dangerous cycle.
Editor’s note: *Parcel records show Salt Lake County conveyed parcel No. 13640769 to the University of Utah on April 13, 2021.
What do you love about living in Salt Lake County?
- Rider: I love the quality of life that we have here in the county. It's one of the things that brought me back to Utah after spending some time on the East Coast, and seems to be something that people universally appreciate about living here. Preserving that quality of life is ultimately why I decided to run. I don't want to see us become San Francisco or Portland. We are Utah, and I want to make sure we stay Utah.
- Wilson: I am proud to be a 5th generation Utahn, but Salt Lake County residents love living here regardless of whether they were born here or moved here. We have a thriving diversified economy, a variety of job choices, and an all around exceptional quality of life. After living in Washington DC and the Boston area in my young adult life, I chose to return both for and because of the amazing quality of life. I love hiking the foothills, our easy access to sports, entertainment, arts and cultural activities and the advantages of a vibrant downtown. I love the unique nature of our county’s municipalities. Our large urban parks are treasures, our hiking and mountain biking trails are unparalleled and our four ski resorts are world class. My father, Ted Wilson, was the first person to register a climbing route in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Most importantly, the County is a safe and amazing place to raise kids. My older son figured that out having gone to college out of state but making the wise choice to return home to the University of Utah! Our youngest son recently started at an out-of-state university, but I’m guessing he will make the same choice! (crosses fingers)
Just for fun: What do you think is the most underrated thing about Salt Lake County?
- Rider: The food. I love our Salt Lake County food scene. We have a wide array of international and local cuisines, with some amazingly talented chefs. It's one of our best kept secrets.
- Wilson: Magna and Midvale main streets! I love to spend time on each of these streets as they are historic and remind me of years gone by. I sometimes feel that those who have not been to Utah believe our residents are quirky or different yet we have the most amazing people. It’s a privilege to serve each and every resident of Salt Lake County!
KUER's Sean Higgins, Elaine Clark and Jim Hill contributed to this guide along with independent fact checker Brisa Odenthal.
This voter guide was produced in collaboration with PBS Utah and America Amplified.
