St. George has been one of the nation's fastest-growing cities. The population of Washington County alone is expected to double to more than 400,000 by 2050. The net elected mayor will face ongoing growth management, water issues and balancing the pull of change against maintaining the city's character and history. Both candidates have made respecting the city's heritage part of their pitch to voters.
Coverage of the mayoral debate, which was organized by the Washington County Debate Coalition and hosted by PBS Utah host Lauren Steinbrecher, will be begin at 7 p.m. MT.
Michele Randall, the 33rd mayor of St. George, is the first woman to lead the city. Randall is seeking her second full term after she was appointed at the beginning of 2021 to replace Mayor Jon Pike and later winning the election that following November. Randall was previously elected twice to the city council in 2014 and 2018.
Jimmie Hughes is a St. George native and has served on the city council since 2011. His family owns and operates Hughes Mortuary and a cattle ranch on the Arizona strip.