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Utah State Senate elections, 2022
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2024 →
← 2020
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| 2022 Utah Senate Elections | |
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| Primary | June 28, 2022 |
| General | November 8, 2022 |
| Past Election Results |
| 2020・2018・2016・2014 2012・2010・2008 |
| 2022 Elections | |
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| Choose a chamber below: | |
Elections for the Utah State Senate took place in 2022. The general election was on November 8, 2022. A primary was scheduled for June 28, 2022. The filing deadline was March 4, 2022.
The chamber's Republican supermajority remained 23-6.
The Utah State Senate was one of 88 state legislative chambers with elections in 2022. There are 99 chambers throughout the country.
Party control
| Utah State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 8, 2022 | After November 9, 2022 | |
| Democratic Party | 6 | 6 | |
| Republican Party | 23 | 23 | |
| Total | 29 | 29 | |
Candidates
General
Utah State Senate General Election 2022 |
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| Office | Other | ||
| District 1 |
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| District 5 |
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| District 6 |
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| District 7 |
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Kimberly Wagner (United Utah Party) Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 9 |
Vance Hansen (Independent) (Write-in) |
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| District 11 |
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| District 12 |
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| District 13 |
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| District 14 |
Dennis Roach (United Utah Party) |
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| District 18 |
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Jed Nordfelt (United Utah Party) |
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| District 19 |
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Tyler Peterson (United Utah Party) |
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| District 20 |
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| District 21 |
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| District 23 |
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| District 28 |
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Barry Evan Short (Libertarian Party) |
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Primary
Utah State Senate Primary 2022 |
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| Office | Other | ||
| District 1 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 5 |
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| District 6 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 7 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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Libertarian Party  Adam Feller* United Utah Party Kimberly Wagner* |
| District 9 |
The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 11 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 12 |
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| District 13 |
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| District 14 |
Deondra Brown Did not make the ballot: |
United Utah Party Dennis Roach* |
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| District 18 |
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United Utah Party Jed Nordfelt* |
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| District 19 |
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United Utah Party Tyler Peterson* |
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| District 20 |
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| District 21 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 23 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 28 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
Libertarian Party Barry Evan Short* United Utah Party Patricia Bradford* |
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Convention
Utah State Senate conventions, 2022 |
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| Office | Other | ||
| District 1 |
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| District 5 |
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| District 6 |
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| District 7 |
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Libertarian Party Adam Feller United Utah Party Kimberly Wagner |
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| District 9 |
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| District 11 |
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| District 12 |
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| District 13 |
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| District 14 |
United Utah Party Dennis Roach |
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| District 18 |
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United Utah Party Jed Nordfelt |
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| District 19 |
United Utah Party Tyler Peterson |
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| District 20 |
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| District 21 |
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| District 23 |
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| District 28 |
Libertarian Party Barry Evan Short United Utah Party Patricia Bradford |
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Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Click a link below to read survey responses from candidates in that district:
Incumbents who were not re-elected
Incumbents defeated in general elections
No incumbents lost in general elections.
Incumbents defeated in primary elections
Two incumbents lost in the June 28 primaries.
| Name | Party | Office |
|---|---|---|
| Derek Kitchen | Senate District 9 | |
| Gene Davis | Senate District 13 |
Retiring incumbents
One incumbent was not on the ballot in 2022.[1] That incumbent was:
| Name | Party | Office | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jani Iwamoto[2] | Senate District 4 | Retired |
Primary election competitiveness
This section contains data on state legislative primary election competitiveness in Utah. These totals include data from all regularly-scheduled House and Senate elections. For more information about Ballotpedia's competitiveness analysis of state legislative elections, please click here.
Post-filing deadline analysis
The following analysis covers all state legislative districts up for election in Utah in 2022. Information below was calculated on June 6, 2022, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.
Fifteen of the 82 Utah state legislators who filed for re-election in 2022—two Democrats and 13 incumbents—ran in contested primaries. That equals 18% of incumbents who filed for re-election re-election, the highest rate since 2014. The remaining 82% of incumbents did not face primary challengers.
Utah uses a unique convention-primary structure where candidates participate in party conventions before advancing to the primary. In 2022, conventions were held on April 23.
If a candidate receives at least 60% of the delegate vote in the convention, they typically advance directly to the general election. If no candidate crosses that threshold, the top-two vote-getters advance to a contested primary. In 2014, state law was changed so that candidates can also qualify for the primary ballot by collecting the required number of signatures.
Ballotpedia does not count contested convention races as contested primaries. Nevertheless, incumbents can be challenged and can lose in conventions if they do not gather signatures. Three incumbents were defeated in conventions in 2022: Reps. Stephen Handy (R), Douglas Sagers (R), and Steve Waldrip (R). This was the most state legislative incumbents defeated in Utah's conventions since 2014.
The total number of contested primaries—including those without incumbents—also reached its highest point since 2014. With 90 districts holding elections, there were 180 possible primaries in 2022.
This year, 23 districts (13%) were contested: three Democratic primaries and 20 for Republicans. For Democrats, this was up from one in 2020, a 200% increase. For Republicans, the number increased by 18% from 17 in 2020 to 20 in 2022.
Eight of those districts were left open, meaning no incumbents filed to run, the fewest since 2014.
Overall, 161 major party candidates advanced beyond the convention this year: 52 Democrats and 109 Republicans.
Open seats
The table below shows the number and percentage of open seats in the Utah State Senate from 2010 to 2022.[3] It will be updated as information becomes available following the state’s candidate filing deadline.
| Open Seats in Utah State Senate elections: 2010 - 2022 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Seats with incumbents running for re-election |
| 2022 | 15 | 1 (7 percent) | 14 (93 percent) |
| 2020 | 15 | 3 (20 percent) | 12 (80 percent) |
| 2018 | 14 | 6 (43 percent) | 8 (57 percent) |
| 2016 | 15 | 4 (27 percent) | 11 (73 percent) |
| 2014 | 14 | 2 (14 percent) | 12 (86 percent) |
| 2012 | 14 | 3 (21 percent) | 11 (79 percent) |
| 2010 | 15 | 1 (7 percent) | 14 (93 percent) |
Incumbents running in new districts
When an incumbent files to run for re-election in the same chamber but a new district, it leaves his or her original seat open. This may happen for a variety of reasons ranging from redistricting to a change in residences. This may result in instances where multiple incumbents face each other in contested primaries or general elections if the incumbent in the new district also seeks re-election.
In 2022, 14 incumbents filed to run for re-election in new districts different from those they represented before the election. Click [show] to view a list of these incumbents. The "New district open?" column indicates whether the incumbent running was the only incumbent seeking re-election in that district.
| Incumbents running in new districts | ||||||
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| Name | Party | Originally represented ... | Filed in 2022 in ... | New district open? | ||
| Derek Kitchen | Senate District 2 | Senate District 9 | Yes | |||
| Gene Davis | Senate District 3 | Senate District 13 | Yes | |||
| Karen Mayne | Senate District 5 | Senate District 12 | Yes | |||
| Kirk Cullimore | Senate District 9 | Senate District 19 | Yes | |||
| Dan McCay | Senate District 11 | Senate District 18 | Yes | |||
| Daniel W. Thatcher | Senate District 12 | Senate District 11 | Yes | |||
| Mike Kennedy | Senate District 14 | Senate District 21 | Yes | |||
| Keith Grover | Senate District 15 | Senate District 23 | Yes | |||
| Scott Sandall | Senate District 17 | Senate District 1 | Yes | |||
| Ann Millner | Senate District 18 | Senate District 5 | Yes | |||
| Jerry Stevenson | Senate District 21 | Senate District 6 | Yes | |||
| Stuart Adams | Senate District 22 | Senate District 7 | Yes | |||
| Ronald Winterton | Senate District 26 | Senate District 20 | Yes | |||
Process to become a candidate
See statutes: Title 20, Chapter 9 of the Utah Election Code
Political party candidates
A political party candidate must first file a declaration of candidacy in person with either the Office of the Utah Lieutenant Governor or the county clerk in the candidate's county of residence. The filing period opens on January 2 of the year in which the regular general election is held. If January 2 is on a weekend, the filing period opens the first business day after January 2. The filing period ends on the fourth business day after the opening of the filing period.[4][5][6]
The candidate must provide a certified copy of the declaration of candidacy to the chair of the county or state political party of which the candidate is a member. The candidate must also file a fair campaign practices pledge with the Office of the Utah Lieutenant Governor. The candidate must provide a certified copy of the candidate's pledge to the chair of his or her county or state political party.[6]
A candidate must also pay a filing fee. The filing fee is $50 plus one-eighth of 1 percent of the total salary for the full term of the office that the candidate is seeking. A person who is unable to pay the filing fee may file a declaration of candidacy without payment of the filing fee upon a showing of "impecuniosity" (i.e., lacking sufficient funds) as evidenced by an affidavit of impecuniosity filed with the filing officer and, if requested by the filing officer, a financial statement filed at the time the affidavit is submitted.[7]
A political party candidate can be nominated via the convention process or the petition process. Conventions, and nominations made via convention, are conducted in accordance with political party bylaws. If a candidate opts to petition for ballot placement, he or she must collect signatures. Prior to doing so, the candidate must file a notice of intent to gather signatures with either the lieutenant governor's office of the county clerk in the candidate's county of residence (this form is distinct from the declaration of candidacy form noted above). Signature requirements vary according to the office being sought.[4]
| Signature requirements | |
|---|---|
| Office | Signature requirement |
| Statewide offices (e.g., governor, United States Senator) | 28,000 |
| United States Representative | 7,000 |
| Utah State Senate | 2,000 |
| Utah House of Representatives | 1,000 |
In order to sign a petition for a political party candidate, a voter must be allowed to vote in that party's primary election. A voter cannot sign more than one petition for the same office. Completed petitions must be submitted to either the lieutenant governor's office or the county clerk for candidates whose districts lie entirely within a single county. The filing deadline is two weeks prior to the party's nominating convention.[4]
Independent candidates
A candidate who does not wish to affiliate with a ballot-approved political party may appear on the general election ballot by submitting a petition and a certificate of nomination form. A candidate for the office of governor must submit a petition with the signatures of at least 1,000 registered Utah voters. A candidate for the United States Senate must submit a petition with the signatures of at least 1,000 registered Utah voters. A candidate for the United States House of Representatives must submit a petition with the signatures of at least 300 registered voters residing within the congressional district, or at least 5 percent of the registered voters residing within the congressional district, whichever is less. A candidate for the state legislature must submit a petition with the signatures of at least 300 registered voters residing within the political division, or at least 5 percent of the registered voters residing within the political division, whichever is less.[8][4]
The names on the petition must be verified by the appropriate county clerk(s). After the petition has been verified, a candidate for state office is required to file the same petition and a certificate of nomination with the Office of the Utah Lieutenant Governor. The filing period opens on January 2 of the year in which the regular general election is held. If January 2 is on a weekend, the filing period opens the first business day after January 2. The filing period ends on the fourth business day after the opening of the filing period.[6]
Write-in candidates
To become a valid write-in candidate for a state office, an individual must file a declaration of write-in candidacy no later than 60 days before the regular general election. A candidate for statewide offices must file the declaration in person with the Office of the Utah Lieutenant Governor. All other state office candidates may file the declaration in person either with the county clerk in their counties of residence or with the Office of the Utah Lieutenant Governor.[9]
Qualifications
To be eligible to serve in the Utah State Senate, a candidate must be:[10]
- A U.S. citizen at the time of filing
- 25 years old at the filing deadline time
- A three-year resident of Utah at the filing deadline time
- A resident for 6 months of the senate district from which elected at the filing deadline time
- No person holding any public office of profit or trust under authority of the United States, or of this State, can be a member of the state senate, provided, that appointments in the State Militia, and the offices of notary public, justice of the peace, United States commissioner, and postmaster of the fourth class, shall not, within the meaning of this section, be considered offices of profit or trust.
- A qualified voter. A qualified voter is someone who is:
- * A U.S. citizen
- * A resident of Utah for at least 30 days prior to the next election
- * At least 18 years old by the next election
- * His or her principal place of residence is in a specific voting precinct in Utah.
Salaries and per diem
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
| State legislative salaries, 2024[11] | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $293.55/legislative day | Per diem is reimbursed to state legislators when they submit receipts or turn in expense reports. |
When sworn in
Utah legislators assume office the first day in January.[12][13]
Utah political history
Trifectas
A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government.
Utah Party Control: 1992-2024
No Democratic trifectas • Thirty-three years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| Senate | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
Presidential politics in Utah
2020 Presidential election results
Candidate/Running mate |
% |
Popular votes |
Electoral votes |
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| ✔ |
| Donald Trump/Mike Pence (R) |
58.1
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865,140 | 6 |
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| Joe Biden/Kamala D. Harris (D) |
37.6
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560,282 | 0 | |
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| Jo Jorgensen/Spike Cohen (L) |
2.6
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38,447 | 0 | |
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| Ye/Michelle Tidball (Unaffiliated) |
0.5
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7,213 | 0 | |
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| Don Blankenship/William Mohr (Constitution Party) |
0.4
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5,551 | 0 | |
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| Howie Hawkins/Angela Nicole Walker (G) |
0.3
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5,053 | 0 | |
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| Brock Pierce/Karla Ballard (Unaffiliated) |
0.2
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2,623 | 0 | |
| Joe McHugh/Elizabeth Storm (Unaffiliated) |
0.1
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2,229 | 0 | |
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| Gloria La Riva (no running mate) (Unaffiliated) |
0.1
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1,139 | 0 | |
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| Brian T. Carroll (no running mate) (Unaffiliated) (Write-in) |
0.0
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368 | 0 | |
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| Jade Simmons/Claudeliah Roze (Unaffiliated) (Write-in) |
0.0
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186 | 0 | |
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| Tom Hoefling (no running mate) (Independent) |
0.0
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51 | 0 | |
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| President Boddie/Eric Stoneham (Unaffiliated) |
0.0
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6 | 0 | |
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| Katherine Forbes (no running mate) (Unaffiliated) (Write-in) |
0.0
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1 | 0 | |
| Total votes: 1,488,289 |
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Utah
Redistricting following the 2020 census
Gov. Spencer Cox (R) signed new state legislative districts for both chambers into law on November 16, 2021. After Cox called a special session to begin on November 9, 2021, the Utah legislature voted to approve the House and Senate district maps on November 10, 2021. The House districts proposal passed the House in a 60-12 vote and cleared the Senate in a 25-3 vote. The House voted 58-13 to approve the Senate map and the Senate approved the proposal in a 26-2 vote. [14][15] These maps took effect for Utah's 2022 legislative elections.
Below is the state Senate map in effect before and after the 2020 redistricting cycle.
Utah State Senate Districts
until December 31, 2022
Click a district to compare boundaries.
Utah State Senate Districts
starting January 1, 2023
Click a district to compare boundaries.
See also
| Utah | State Legislative Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
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2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Ballotpedia defines an incumbent as retiring if the incumbent did not file for office or filed for office but withdrew, was disqualified, or otherwise left a race in a manner other than losing the primary, primary runoff, or convention. If an incumbent runs as a write-in candidate, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring. If an incumbent runs in the same chamber for a different seat, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring.
- ↑ This incumbent was redistricted into a district holding elections in 2022
- ↑ Ballotpedia defines a seat as open if the incumbent did not file to run for re-election or filed but withdrew and did not appear on any ballot for his or her seat. If the incumbent withdrew from or did not participate in the primary but later chose to seek re-election to his or her seat as a third party or independent candidate, the seat would not be counted as open. If the incumbent retired or ran for a different seat in the same chamber, his or her original seat would be counted as open unless another incumbent from the same chamber filed to run for that seat, in which case it would not be counted as open due to the presence of an incumbent.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 State of Utah 2024 Candidate Manual, "A guide for federal, statewide executive, legislative, and state board of education candidates," accessed July 22, 2025
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedsb54FAQ - ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Utah Code, "Title 20, Chapter 9," accessed July 22, 2025 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "utelection code" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Utah Code, "20A-9-101," accessed July 22, 2025
- ↑ Utah Code, "20A-9-S501," accessed July 22, 2025
- ↑ Utah Code, "20A-9-S601," accessed July 22, 2025
- ↑ Utah Secretary of State, "Becoming a State Candidate," accessed December 18, 2013
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
- ↑ Utah Constitution, "Article VI, Section 3," accessed February 17, 2021
- ↑ Utah Constitution, "Article VI, Section 4," accessed February 17, 2021
- ↑ Utah State Legislature, "S.B. 2006 Utah State Senate Boundaries and Election Designation," accessed November 17, 2021
- ↑ Utah State Legislature, "H.B. 2005 Utah State House Boundaries Designation," accessed November 17, 2021
