Democrat Natalie Pinkney has declared victory in the close race for the at-large seat on the Salt Lake County Council.
Initially too close to call in the days after the election her Republican opponent, Rachelle Morris, has narrowed the gap but not taken the lead. As of Nov. 18, Pinkney led by 7,871 votes, or just over 1.5 percentage points. There are 7,659 remaining ballots to be counted, according to the county clerk’s office.
Pinkney is the first Black woman elected to a county-wide seat in Utah.
She currently sits on the South Salt Lake City Council and said her attention now turns to the pressing issues of housing and homelessness.
“I ran on a bold future where every family, no matter their neighborhood, can thrive,” she said. “I want to tackle housing. I want to tackle financial empowerment, making sure that we have vital services while keeping taxes low. How can we get to the root causes of issues?”
The two candidates met in Salt Lake City on Monday for lunch and to debrief the campaign. Morris is a first-time candidate and, despite the loss, felt like her campaign “accomplished a lot.” Especially in light of the leads of other Democratic candidates in Salt Lake County. Kamala Harris, for example, currently leads in the county over Donald Trump by more than 10 percentage points.
“I think that speaks volumes to the kind of campaign that we ran on Team Rachelle,” she said. “Innovative, collaborative, bridge building, optimistic. The votes didn't quite go our way, but there's a lot to celebrate here in what we accomplished.”
The at-large seat was one of the most anticipated local races in 2024. Not only will the state’s most populous county be getting a new councilor, but Pinkney will fill a seat that has not been open for 24 years. Democratic councilor Jim Bradley is retiring and served in the position since 2000.
The partisan makeup of the county council was also on the line. There are five Republicans and four Democrats on the council. Pinkey’s win means the partisan split will remain the same until the next election cycle in 2026.
Pinkney, for her part, believes she’ll have a good working relationship with the Republicans on the council.
“The council has had a lot of bipartisanship, they all have agreed on the budget in the past, so I think there will be a lot of ground there that we can help people overall,” she said.
The race centered on issues like housing affordability, fiscal responsibility and public safety. Pinkney also managed to overcome Bradley’s endorsement of her opponent to secure her victory. She said the deciding factor “really came down to the message and the vision,” as well as a swell of grassroots support.
“It really resonated with people at the door, over the phones, and I think that's what was the biggest difference.”
While the loss does sting for Morris, the financial professional has not ruled out a future in politics if the right opportunity arises.
“There are major issues that people are dealing with, and I can't just walk away from them now, knowing people who are more reliant upon public sector leaders to support them,” she said. “I don't know what that means, but I have a feeling I'll find new ways to build community going forward.”
Utah’s election results are not official until the statewide canvass and certification on Nov. 25.
