EPA Repeals, AI Data Centers, and Utah’s Environmental Future

Connor Saumsiegle, May 4th, 2025 (998 words | 4 minutes)

“Whether the pollution comes from Utah or is foreign-borne, as citizens living in the valley and the Wasatch Front, we will have to grapple with the consequences.”

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On April 21, 2026, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed to repeal the Biden administration’s decision to classify Utah’s air pollution as “serious.” Doing so would place Utah in the “moderate” category, allowing businesses to operate under less stringent regulations and putting the Utah Department of Environmental Quality under less pressure.

This is on the heels of Kevin O’Leary’s proposed AI data center in Box Elder County, which has been approved by the Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA), and is expected to be powered by a natural gas power plant that generates 9 gigawatts of energy. But that same power plant has the potential to increase carbon dioxide emissions by “more than 50%,” according to Kevin Perry, a professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Utah, who spoke to Utah News Dispatch.

The justification for this decision, according to the head of the EPA Lee Zeldin, is that the previous designation was “unduly burdensome” and “unfairly penalized Americans for pollution caused by other nations with weaker environmental standards.”

The other nations, in this case, primarily refers to China.

The proposal ultimately aims to repeal reporting obligations, compliance programs, and credit provisions for enterprises, outside of power plants and other stationary oil-and-gas facilities (i.e., gas stations or incinerators), that produce greenhouse gases, such as mining operations.

The “serious” status, ultimately, meant the Utah government had to be stricter regarding permitting and planning, which then required businesses to invest more in emission-reducing measures.

A final decision will be made after the 30-day comment period is over.

Although the Utah Department of Environmental Quality has assured Utahns that they will continue to work towards lowering emissions, with Tim Davis citing the fact that emissions were lowered the previous year, I can’t help but be concerned.

Whether the pollution comes from Utah or is foreign-borne, as citizens living in the valley and the Wasatch Front, we will have to grapple with the consequences. The particulates in the air (the most common being PM2.5) and the ozone are non-discriminatory. It will affect our lungs, and our children, regardless of where it’s from.

That’s not to say that I don’t understand where Sen. Curtis and Tim Davis are coming from. They are understandably frustrated, as likely other state legislators are too, for being held accountable for factors they have no control over. According to Curtis, Utah has been unfairly “penalized” for “too long.”

But the EPA designation as “serious” draws attention to the problem, if eyes aren’t already there, and, potentially even more importantly, puts pressure on businesses and industries to perform in a more environmentally friendly way that Utah needs right now.

With the Salt Lake drying up, creating the potential to introduce a host of new issues, and the increased chance of wildfires this year due to the reduced snowpack, we need to do everything that we can to make sure we are fighting for the natural beauty of the state we live in and our health.

The growing concern surrounding the Box Elder County AI data center should also be taken into account. If the estimates that it would raise CO2 emissions by more than 50% turn out to be correct, it has the possibility to exacerbate pollution issues the state already faces. Even if these effects aren’t felt locally, they contribute to a wider problem the United States faces regarding climate change.

Further, with the drought that challenges Utah, diverting water to more AI data centers might force citizens to bear the burden of poor regulation. Especially when Governor Cox urges speed, saying: “...We think that taking time makes things better or safer, it absolutely does not.”

Implementing the data center may well be a good idea by promoting Utah’s importance in the growing technological arms race. But, unlike Governor Cox, I think being methodical, and thereby making things slow, does improve outlooks. It allows us to understand the effects of implementation before it is too late, and create beneficial regulations accordingly.

In that same vein, we need to put pressure on businesses and our local government to push for legislation that will promote improving our air and preserving our environment; not harming it.

If the EPA repeal goes through, time will tell how private enterprises will react to the “moderate” designation. But it is my fear that, with reduced oversight and more lenient compliance programs, companies will take advantage of that to cut costs by increasing pollution. There is also the question of whether this repeal is, at least in part, being forwarded to allow for Kevin O’Leary’s natural gas power plant to be built.

And although some industry groups, such as the Utah Mining Association and the Utah Petroleum Association, have said in the past that placing tighter regulations on them, and thereby reducing emissions, will have a negative impact on Utah’s economy, I think that is a path we should consider taking.

When you consider the harmful effects ozone has, such as burning the lungs and increasing the rate of stillbirths, a healthy environment will be better for all of us, especially our children and the elderly, in the long run.

And with the potential for the Great Salt Lake to dry up, coupled with the current drought, we should do what we can to be aware of the environmental impacts of our decisions before implementing them. Even if that means greater regulation for businesses.

And, health aside, having a winter that is devoid of the gray smog that permeates the valley will make Salt Lake City a lot nicer to look. Especially during the cold, wintry months that tend to attract tourists.

While it might be easy to see the EPA designation as a “penalty” or bad for business and innovation, I think we should view it as a challenge, instead. A challenge to work together, hold our legislators and representatives accountable, and to create safe, smart, and innovative solutions for businesses that ensure Utah continues to be a beautiful place to live.

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Connor Saumsiegle is a resident of Herriman, Utah, and a member of the Forward Party.

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On Immigration

Forward Utah asked its online and email community to weigh in on several questions related to immigration. Responses were collected using a five-point agreement scale ranging from “Strongly Disagree” to “Strongly Agree.”

We asked seven questions:

1. The government has an obligation to control the flow of immigration, and has the right to expel people who have come here illegally.
2. Illegal immigration creates negative economic stress by increasing competition for jobs and resources.
3. On the whole, undocumented immigrants contribute positively to the U.S. economy.
4. Under President Biden, it was too easy to enter the United States outside of traditional channels; this led to a humanitarian crisis at our Southern border.
5. Under President Trump, our immigration enforcement agencies are operating in a way that’s unnecessarily harsh and inhumane.
6. People who have lived and worked in the United States for many years without committing crimes should be provided a pathway to legal status before being forcibly deported.
7. The two major political parties have equally politicized immigration in ways that prevent meaningful solutions.

107 audience members responded between March 13, 2026 and March 30, 2026. Email us to request the raw result data.

Forward Party of Utah Announces Andrew Yang Appearance, CD1 “No Candidate” Outcome, and Open Convention Voting

04/03/2026 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Ahead of the Forward Party of Utah’s Annual State Convention, the party is making three announcements:

• Former presidential candidate and national Forward Party cofounder Andrew Yang will attend and meet with supporters and members of the media.
• In the party’s recently concluded county nominating conventions, the “No Candidate at this Time” option prevailed in two races, meaning no Forward candidate will proceed to the General Election in those contests, including Congressional District 1.
• A change to the Party’s Constitution now allows unaffiliated voters who wish to participate to vote fully in candidate nominations and party priority voting, reinforcing the Forward Party’s goal of becoming Utah’s political home for independents.

The Forward Party of Utah State Convention begins at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at the Salt Lake Community College Student Center, 4600 S Redwood Rd, Taylorsville. Advanced RSVP is required for those who wish to vote. Visit utahforwardparty.org/convention to begin the pre-registration process.

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Andrew Yang

Andrew Yang rose to national prominence during his 2020 presidential campaign and is now a founding co-chair of the national Forward Party. He has authored several books, including The War on Normal People (2018), Forward: Notes on the Future of Our Democracy (2021), and Hey Yang, Where's My Thousand Bucks? (2026).

Mr. Yang’s early warnings during his 2020 campaign about the role AI will play in shaping the economy, along with his advocacy for universal basic income as one possible response, have returned in force to the national dialogue and are likely to be among the topics addressed in his remarks.

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County Nominations and the “No Candidate at this Time” Option

A series of county nominating conventions were held in late March. The full results can be found at https://www.utahforwardparty.org/2026_county_results.

 In Utah’s Congressional District 1, the “No Candidate at this Time” option prevailed. As a result, no Forward candidate was nominated to proceed to November’s General Election.

The Forward Party includes “No Candidate at this Time” on convention ballots so voters can decline to nominate when they conclude that is the best course in a given race. Critics often accuse alternative parties of “acting as spoilers,” and this option gives voters a direct say in that question.

Michelle Quist, Chair of the Forward Party of Utah, made the following statement:

“Our process gives voters a real choice, including the choice not to nominate anyone. That matters, both for the quality of the candidates voters will consider in November and for the credibility of any grassroots third-party movement. In Congressional District 1, the voters, not party bosses, made the decision. We respect everyone who stepped forward, and we stand by the result.”

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Unaffiliated Voter Participation

The party also recently adopted amendments and resolutions expanding participation in its conventions to unaffiliated voters. Under the new rules, any unaffiliated Utah voter who wishes to participate may now vote in Forward convention proceedings.

Because the Forward Party does not use a traditional delegate system, all party members and participating unaffiliated voters will have the opportunity to vote on Party Priorities and, in the districts where they reside, take part in nominating candidates.

The party uses a primarily digital voting process designed to make participation fast, easy, secure, and low-cost. Qualifying voters who complete pre-registration and verification online will receive their ballots by email, and a livestream of the event will be available on the party’s YouTube channel for those unable to attend in person.

Phil Boileau, spokesman for the Forward Party of Utah, offered the following statement:

“We’ll continue to model more representative voting systems. They’re easy to administer, inexpensive, and they produce better outcomes. When participation expands beyond the most hyper-partisan and hyper-engaged among us, the result is a process that better reflects Utah as it actually is. If you want a voice, you should have a voice. And if you’re unaffiliated, we think that’s a great thing. Forward is building a process that rewards independent thinking. Come caucus with us.”

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Official Statement

2026 County and State Convention Results
ALL RESULTS REPORTED

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

State Convention — April 11, 2026

The following candidate(s) were approved by delegate vote and will be moving forward to the general election:

• Senate District 01, Julie Quinlan
• Senate District 11, Emily Buss
• Senate District 20, Annette McRae
• House District 06, James Rich
• House District 08, Libby Shelton
• House District 23, Cabot Nelson
• House District 28, Wales Nematollahi
• House District 29, Tynley Bean
• House District 70, Zeno Perry

The following candidate(s) withdrew prior to convention and will not advance:

• House District 12 - Shawn Ferriola

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PRIORITIES: More details about the Priorities voting can be found here.

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]

On Redistricting and Election Reform

Forward Utah asked its online and email community to weigh in on several questions related to Utah’s ongoing redistricting debate. Responses were collected using a five-point agreement scale ranging from “Strongly Disagree” to “Strongly Agree.” The results reveal overwhelming support for independent redistricting and broad skepticism toward the legislature’s constitutional claims.

We asked four questions:

1. An independent redistricting commission is a good approach for drawing Utah’s congressional maps.
2. The Utah State Legislature is making a compelling constitutional argument by saying it should retain primary authority over drawing congressional maps.
3. The current, court-imposed “donut district” map is likely to lead to better political outcomes for Utah.
4. Beyond redistricting, Utah would benefit from a broader set of election reforms.

184 members of the Forward Utah audience responded between February 26, 2026 and March 11, 2026. Email us to request the raw result data.

Our Approach to Legislation

We believe it is the responsibility of individual candidates — not the party — to articulate their positions on specific legislation.

Utah Forward does not publish a traditional policy platform. Instead, we organize around:

• Values — broad principles like grace, tolerance, and respect.
• Priorities — the key areas of governance our members believe deserve focused attention.
• Electing Thoughtful Leaders — and encouraging independent thinking.

Taking a Position

Utah Forward will only rarely issue a public statement on a specific bill.

This may occur when:

• A piece of legislation directly contradicts our values or universally accepted positions in areas such as election reform; or
• A bill is sponsored by a sitting member of our party and directly relates to one of our adopted priorities.

Outside of these circumstances, we believe our members should find their own positions on legislation.

Suggested Legislative Trackers (2026)

The Utah General Session moves quickly. Tracking legislation in real time can be challenging — especially if it isn’t your full-time job.

Instead of publishing our own scorecard, we encourage you to follow established advocacy organizations that track legislation and provide bill summaries, analysis, and session updates. Being listed here does not mean the Forward Party necessarily agrees with their conclusions or positions.

The following organizations track, analyze, and report on Utah legislation:

• Better Utah Institute
• League of Women Voters of Utah
• Utah State Bar
• Elevate Utah
• Utah Education Association (UEA)

Engagement Tools

A lot of groups are doing excellent work on this subject. Here are some of them.

Utah State Legislative Bill Tracker

The Utah Legislature makes the status and progress of all bills publicly available. By creating an account, you can track the bills that matter most to you, including when and where they will be heard in committee. Every Utah citizen has the right to give public comment — either in person or online via Zoom.

https://le.utah.gov/tracking/trackingLogin

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Digital Democracy Project (DDP)

Digital Democracy Project lets voters weigh in on active legislation — bill by bill — at both the Utah State and Federal levels through a website or app. Its goal is to strengthen communication between voters and policymakers. Forward Utah has partnered with DDP and will select a limited number of bills related to our priorities each session, giving our members and supporters an easy way to share their feedback.

https://digitaldemocracyproject.org/

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Canonizer

Canonizer is a structured discussion platform designed to build consensus around complex issues. Participants can compare viewpoints, organize perspectives, and identify areas of common ground. Create an account to join the conversation -- no topic is too divisive for pursuit of common ground.

https://canonizer.com/

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BillTrack50

For individuals or organizations interested in creating their own public-facing legislative tracker, we recommend BillTrack50 for its design and functionality.

https://billtrack50.com/

Forward Party Statement in Response to Senate Bill 194

01/28/2026 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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Click to View Report - Who Participates in Midterm Replacements?

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The Forward Party represents the growing coalition of political independents and third-party voters who are routinely excluded from meaningful participation in government. Today, independents and third-party affiliates make up more than 36% of Utah’s registered voters.

As a party for independents, we avoid taking positions on specific legislation whenever possible. Those decisions should belong to voters and legislators, not party leadership. However, we will speak clearly on election reform—especially when legislation is used to entrench power rather than strengthen democracy. In Utah, the disconnect is stark: roughly 50% of voters are registered Republicans, yet nearly 80% of state legislators are Republican.

Senate Bill 194, sponsored by Sen. Michael McKell and heard today in Government Operations, is a sweeping omnibus bill that makes multiple, troubling changes to Utah’s election code. Among other provisions, it reduces voter privacy, introduces new barriers framed around citizenship, and—most concerning to the Forward Party—changes the rules for midterm legislative replacements in a way that further consolidates power within the GOP supermajority.

Sen. McKell recently stated as a justification for the bill, “That was a seat voted for by Republicans. And that’s just common sense. I just think it’s a matter of fairness.”

Fair to whom?

If “fairness” means fairness to party delegates and leadership, then the bill succeeds. Utah’s GOP benefits; just as we think it will benefit the Forward Party when some portion of our 26 candidates in 2026 win their races. Party loyalties will be demanded. But the responsibility of the Legislature—and this committee—is fairness to voters, not parties. Utahns elect individuals to represent their districts, they do not elect parties.

Locking a midterm replacement to the party affiliation of a legislator at the time they were first elected does nothing to reduce partisan influence. It is a reactionary change that punishes independence and disregards voter intent.

This approach appears to reflect a broader anxiety within the Republican Party nationwide: that the party—now increasingly shaped by national politics—no longer reflects its traditional commitment to conservatism and individual liberty, and that as it moves toward “ends-justify-the-means” decision-making, more elected officials may choose to leave. Rather than address that concern through persuasion or reform, this policy attempts to prevent defection by tightening procedural control.

Notably, 25 of 50 states fill legislative vacancies through open elections, allowing voters—not party insiders—to choose the replacement. That is fairness. This proposal is not.

The Forward Party will not support SB 194 as written. We believe Utah should adopt open midterm elections for state legislative vacancies, just as they occur for federal offices.

In the replacement process that led to the appointment of Sen. Emily Buss, the Forward Party intentionally ceded party control and opened the process to all voters. Republicans, Democrats, independents—anyone—could participate. This process was fully transparent and publicly documented at 11chooses.com.

The results speak for themselves:

• 1,301 voters participated, five times the turnout of the most recent GOP-controlled replacement
• The electorate closely matched District 11’s actual party composition
• 696 voters (53.5%) were Republicans, exceeding the district’s Republican registration share
• Republican participation was 2.5× higher than in the Brammer replacement and 5.4× higher than in the Balderree replacement

So we ask again: fair to whom?

If this policy were debated openly—rather than buried in a complex omnibus bill—would Utah voters, including most Republicans, truly support it?

We urge members of the Utah Legislature to vote NO on Senate Bill 194 and to stand for election systems that expand participation, transparency, and trust.

References

https://le.utah.gov/~2026/bills/static/SB0194.html
https://www.11chooses.com/
https://drive.google.com/file/d/14vrB7Y5mpou629-dQPJsVP3kclq63ciQ/view?usp=drive_link

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If you're reading this, Utah needs you.

We're often asked, "What does it take to run for office?" If:

• You care about your community
• You believe that politics is broken, but fixable
• You meet the legal requirements to hold office
• You are willing to do the work

Then you can run for office — and if it's a partisan position, you should run with Forward.

We want to help you succeed.

It might sound hyperbolic or hard to believe, but look around and consider the situation: there has never been a better time to run outside the two-party system than now, in this moment, here in Utah.

Utahns are overwhelmingly supportive of the idea of building a viable third party committed to values. We're making the news with our innovative approach, so the press has become interested. In Utah, there's a new State Senator already representing us at the Capitol and a strong core of activated, experienced volunteers. Nationally, we have a recognizable brand and notable leaders.

The stage has been set.

Since our party is built on values, not a platform, you can bring your own ideas with you, exactly as they are, and nobody will tell you that you need to change them.

Our plan makes a lot of sense. This moment in history is ripe for change. We only need more risk-takers to join our ranks, and the whole thing will fall neatly into place.

In 2026, the bold will be rewarded.

What it Takes to Run with Forward

Four Simple Steps

Step 1: Choose the race you want to run

Forward candidates run in partisan races, which take place in even-numbered election years. In Utah, 2026 is a major partisan election year. Forward candidates may run in the following races:

• Utah State House
• Utah State Senate
• Utah State Board of Education
• U.S. House of Representatives
• County-level Offices (County Council, Mayor, Clerk, Sheriff, and others)

Note that Forward does not run candidates in nonpartisan races (such as most city council, school board, or judicial elections). If a race does not list party affiliation on the ballot, it's considered nonpartisan and usually occurs in odd-numbered years.

Step 2: Affiliate with the Forward Party

You can't run with us unless you're a registered member of the party! Go to vote.utah.gov to confirm you're registered with the Forward Party. It only takes a moment.

If you were a member of the Utah Forward Party before April 2025, when our party merged with the United Utah Party (UUP), then your registration was changed to Unaffiliated by the State, and you MUST update your party registration to Forward. If you were a member of the UUP before the merger, your affiliation should now be listed as the Forward Party of Utah...but we still recommend you check!

Step 3: File to run in person between January 2 and January 8, 2026

The filing deadline in Utah is early. Problematically early. If you're still on the fence about running, we recommend you go ahead and file (you can always withdraw later).

Don't let the early filing deadline stop you.

To file, you must:

• File in-person at either the Lieutenant Governor's Office at the State Capitol, or at your local County Clerk's office.
• Verify that you meet the legal requirements to run for office
• Pay a filing fee that varies based on the office ($50 + 1% of the salary for the term). In 2026, it's:
  • $83.86 for Utah State House
  • $117.73 for Utah State Senate
  • $89.69 for Utah State Board of Education
  • $485.00 for U.S. House of Representatives
  • Varies by County office

Step 4: Let us know so we can support you

Let us know of your intention to run, so we can start the requisite background checks, have you sign our candidate values pledge, and so we know how to contact you to help you with your campaign. Send an email to [email protected] and we'll be in touch as soon as possible!

You'll work with us as the state party, but we also recommend you review the national page for candidate testimonials, FAQs, and a link to the Candidate Pledge.

Do I need to collect signatures?

No! Compared to running as an independent, this is a big advantage. The Forward Party of Utah is a Qualified Political Party, which means a candidate can seek its party's nomination at convention (in April), then pass directly onto the General Election.

Helpful Resources

https://ballotpedia.org/How_to_run_for_office_in_Utah
https://ltgovernor.utah.gov/
https://vote.utah.gov/resources-for-candidates-political-groups-parties/
https://vote.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2026-Partisan-Legislative-Declaration-of-Candidacy-2.pdf
https://vote.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2026-Candidate-Manual.pdf
https://disclosures.utah.gov/

12/4/2025 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

The Forward Party of Utah announces that the online preference poll to fill the midterm vacancy of the departing senator, Daniel Thatcher (District 11), is now open. The digital ballots can be accessed immediately after voters receive their mailed personal codes, which are expected to arrive at most households by Friday. Voting will remain open until Thursday, December 11, 2025, at 9:00pm. Additional information can be found by visiting 11chooses.com. 

This is thought to be the largest primarily digital vote to select a political officeholder in U.S. history. In the U.S., digital voting has previously been used for overseas service members, but never as the primary voting mechanism.

For voters who lose or never receive their code, alternative digital authorization mechanisms will be provided. District members can also choose to cast their ballots at in-person polling locations next week. Once cast, voters can track and verify their results.

Candidate Forum

Tonight, Thursday 12/4 at 6:30pm, the League of Women Voters will host a candidate forum for the candidates at Hunter Library in West Valley City. Links to the livestream can be found at 11chooses.com. The candidates are:

• Tynley Bean
• Maleah Bliss
• Emily Buss
• Jeff Marshall
• Jeff Saunders

Other Unique Elements

This is believed to include several first-of-their-kind reforms to how political parties conduct their candidate selection processes:

This is the first time in U.S. history that a political party has willingly expanded the voting pool beyond its party membership for a midterm replacement election. In Utah, 25% of all state legislators first gain office through a midterm replacement, a process in which only a handful of party delegates are allowed to participate.

This is the first use of Approval Voting for a state-level position (municipal elections in Fargo, ND and St. Louis, MO have occurred since 2020). Approval Voting is an alternative voting method that allows voters to select more than one candidate on the ballot.

Senator Thatcher, as well as the candidate who will replace him, is currently the only state legislator exclusively affiliated with a third party in the United States. (This statement excludes independent/unaffiliated officeholders, and some officeholders in Vermont, which permits cross-endorsements with the Democratic Party through a “fusion-ticket” system.)

The Forward Party is hosting all candidate informational materials at 11chooses.com, including professional video statements, which were provided at no cost to the candidates. This allowed the candidates to agree to a $300 maximum budget for campaigning.

Quotes

From Michelle Quist, Party Chair:

“Utahns see what’s happening with the battle over congressional redistricting - they see how those in power can bend the rules to their own advantage. Well, we’re putting power back into the hands of voters. I have every confidence that the candidate chosen will serve admirably, because that person will be free to legislate the same way Senator Thatcher always has: by listening to residents, not party bosses.”

From Phil Boileau, spokesperson for the Forward Party:

“It’s hard to break through the noise of Federal politics. And we know some people view third parties skeptically, if they hear about them at all. Nonetheless, the Forward Party has made it our mission to reinvigorate the foundations of the democratic process. 60% of Americans say they want a new political party. This is what it looks like to build that party.

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Visit 11chooses.com for more information.

A “test” ballot can be provided to members of the press upon request.

Visit utahforwardparty.org for previous press releases on this subject.

11/19/2025 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

The Forward Party of Utah today announced the five candidates who have qualified for the Senate District 11 midterm replacement ballot. The candidates are:

• Tynley Bean, Erda
• Maleah Bliss, Kearns
• Emily Buss, Eagle Mountain
• Jeff Marshall, Magna
• Jeff Saunders, Tooele

Complete candidate profiles including personal timelines, responses to Forward Party Utah priorities, a personal essay, a proposed piece of legislation, and a recorded video statement have all been published side-by-side at 11chooses.com.

Quote

Michelle Quist, Chair of the Forward Party of Utah, made the following statement:

We're thrilled to move into the next phase of the SD11 full-district replacement process with our five candidates. All registered voters in the district will now have the opportunity to participate in this unprecedented effort to replace Senator Thatcher. We believe this process is better for Utahns because it encourages participation, strengthens democracy, and returns choice to the people. We hope every registered voter in SD11 reviews the candidates at 11chooses.com in preparation for their vote.

About the SD11 Replacement Process

This midterm replacement process is open to all registered voters residing in Senate District 11, regardless of party affiliation. Voting will take place using Approval Voting through a secure online system.

Voter identity verification may be completed through multiple options that meet or exceed the standards for voter security. Most voters will likely choose to use a unique voter code received via postal mail. Other options include: Optional passport chip scanning (NFC), and SMS-based phone matching. Voters can also choose to vote in-person at designated polling locations throughout the district.

Upcoming Schedule

• Thursday, December 4 - Candidate forum open to the public and available online, hosted by the League of Women Voters
• Friday, December 5 - Mailed codes delivered; online voting opens
• Tuesday, December 9 - Half-day in-person voting open in Tooele
• Wednesday, December 10 - Half-day in-person voting open in Eagle Mountain
• Thursday, December 11 - Last day to vote; four in-person locations to vote throughout the district.
• Friday, December 12 - Vote is tallied and reported publicly; name of appointee will be submitted to Governor’s office for official appointment

Additional Background

Visit 11chooses.com for more information.

Previous Press Release #1 utahforwardparty.org/open_process_20251022.

Previous Press Release #2 utahforwardparty.org/press_release_approvalsiv.

The vote will demonstrate a new model for open, verifiable, voter-driven democracy in Utah

11/11/2025 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Forward Party of Utah announced today that it will use Approval Voting and a secure online ballot administered by Secure Internet Voting (SIV) to conduct the replacement vote for Senator Daniel Thatcher, following the announcement of his upcoming retirement from the Utah State Senate.

All registered voters residing in Senate District 11, regardless of party affiliation, will be eligible to participate in this first-of-its-kind open election.

Approval Voting

Approval Voting allows voters to select (“approve”) any and all candidates they support. The candidate with the most approvals wins.

• Unlike Plurality or “First-Past-the-Post” voting, where voters may only choose one candidate and risk splitting the vote, Approval Voting lets voters back more than one candidate.
• Unlike Ranked-Choice Voting, which asks voters to order candidates by preference and involves multi-round tabulations, Approval Voting offers a simple yes/no choice for each candidate. Advocates say this produces clear results that reflect the broadest consensus of the electorate.

Approval Voting is already proven successful in St. Louis, MO where it has been used for municipal races since 2021. The Center for Election Science is the national nonpartisan institution driving the research and advocacy for this reform.

Senator Thatcher has been a long-time advocate of Approval voting:

“This vote being conducted by the Forward Party has the best chance of bringing accountability back to the very people who should decide elections: the citizens of the district. It is my duty to them, over party power, that led me to the Forward Party. The Forward Party is rewarding my trust with the respect they are showing to my constituents.

“Approval Voting is the best voting method I have seen in years of searching for a better way to truly get to the heart of representation. It’s simple, easy to administer, and whoever gets the most votes wins. So does the public.”

Forward Utah believes this experiment with Approval Voting will provide additional data to help contrast and contextualize the outcomes of Utah’s municipal Ranked-Choice Voting pilot program, which expires this year.

Secure Internet Voting (SIV)

The voting process will be administered by Secure Internet Voting (siv.org), a US-based provider of secure, independently verifiable online elections. SIV acts as the National Forward Party’s preferred voting platform, and has already run several other successful votes throughout the U.S., including a special congressional primary in Utah. 

Citing the importance of building credibility among election security experts as their top priority, SIV has been openly tested in cybersecurity and academic settings. It provides an easy-to-use interface while allowing every voter to confirm that their ballot was recorded and counted accurately.

The vote is scheduled to take place over several days in the second week of December. All registered voters in the district will receive a mailer with instructions on how to participate. Community members are encouraged to visit 11chooses.com  to stay informed as additional details about the process become available.

Impact

Phil Boileau, spokesperson for the Forward Party of Utah, offers this quote:

“The Forward Party hopes to deliver to the people of District 11 a senator who truly represents them. Someone whose ideas aren’t bound by the confines of a restrictive two-party system or the same old toxic ‘us vs. them’ mentality that stifles our ability to do the work of government. We’re trying an election mechanism to match.

“We’re also leaning into the national implications of this experiment in election reform. We look forward to working with SIV, The Center for Election Science and a coalition of election reform advocacy groups to develop research and a replicable model based on the example we’re setting here in Utah that election officials across the country can implement.”

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Visit 11chooses.com for more information.

Visit utahforwardparty.org/open_process_20251022 for the original press release.

Last week we invited Utah’s mayoral candidates to sign the Forward Party Pledge. This pledge is nonpartisan in nature. It signals a public commitment to campaign and serve in a manner that is consistent with key values that we hold dear at the Forward Party, like:

• Treat Everyone with Respect and Dignity
• Act with Ethics, Integrity, and Compassion
• Strengthen Democracy to Elevate the Voters’ Voice

Municipal elections are nonpartisan, so the Forward Party does not endorse or directly support municipal candidates. These pledges show which local leaders are committed to good governance at the community level.