Official Statement
Forward Party of Utah
2026 County Convention Nomination Results
Voting
The Forward Party of Utah is governed by its Constitution and Bylaws, available on our Charter page. As part of our commitment to responsible, values-driven candidate selection, all Forward Party conventions include the option:
“No Candidate at this Time.”
This provision ensures that voters are always given a choice on the ballot. If this option prevails in a race, no candidate is nominated and the Forward Party will not field a candidate in that contest for the general election. We believe this:
- Protects the integrity of the Forward Party from unserious or misaligned candidates
- Ensures we do not act as “spoilers” by advancing candidates without sufficient support or alignment with our values
Expanded Participation in 2026
On March 23, 2026, the State Central Committee passed Amendment 26A – Non-Member Participation, along with supporting resolutions.
As a result:
- Unaffiliated voters are now permitted to participate as full voting delegates in Forward Party conventions
- Participation eligibility is determined by the Central Committee prior to each convention
- A candidate receiving zero votes is treated the same as “No Candidate at this Time”
This marks a significant step toward broader civic inclusion and may be the first policy of its kind in Utah. Read more here.
Reported Convention Results
Utah County Convention — March 21, 2026
The following candidate(s) were approved by delegate vote and will be moving forward to the general election:
- Utah County Council At-Large District B - David Hinckley
- Utah County Clerk - Russ Rampton
- House District 53 - John Boyd
- House District 63 - Julie Smith
- Senate District 21 - Wayne Woodfield
Davis County Convention — March 24, 2026
The following candidate(s) were approved by delegate vote and will be moving forward to the general election:
- Senate District 06 - Josh Smith
- House District 13 - Tony DeMille
The following candidate(s) withdrew prior to convention and will not advance:
- House District 17 - Kimberly Wagner
Cache County Convention — March 26, 2026
The following candidiate(s) were not approved, and will not advance:
- House District 03 - Ben Shaw
Salt Lake County Convention — March 28, 2026
The following candidates were approved by delegate vote and will be moving forward to the general election:
- Salt Lake County Council At-Large District A - Maleah Bliss
- Senate District 09 - Lowry Snow
- Senate District 13 - Colin Smith
- House District 26 - Travis Alico
- House District 27 - Jeff Marshall
- House District 40 - John Jackson
The following candidiate(s) were not approved, and will not advance:
- Federal Congressional District 1 - January Walker
Weber County Convention — March 28, 2026
The following candidates were approved by delegate vote and will be moving forward to the general election:
- Weber County Commissioner - Gary New
Closing
The Forward Party remains committed to transparent, principled candidate selection and expanding participation in the democratic process. Final vote tallies can be requested by emailing [email protected]
