LGBTQ+ candidates and Equality Utah endorsees show mixed early results in Utah municipal races

Update: The percentages and results below were updated at 10:45 pm, 11/22/2025.

Unofficial results from Tuesday’s municipal elections show a mix of strong leads and tight deficits for openly LGBTQ+ and Equality Utah-endorsed candidates on ballots across Utah.

Openly LGBTQ+ Candidates:

In Midvale, newly appointed mayor Dustin Gettel, who took office in January after former Mayor Marcus Stevenson resigned, secured a full term with 61 percent of the vote in a three-way race.

“Thank you for believing in me and giving me the honor to continue serving this great community as mayor,” he wrote in an Instagram post. “I’m excited for a little rest, but even more excited to keep moving Midvale forward together!”

In Carbon County, two-term incumbent Helper City Mayor Lenise Peterman held her seat with 53.82 percent of the 615 ballots cast.

“Helper Community — I am beyond honored to serve this amazing community for the next 4 years. I deeply appreciate the support and will work hard on behalf of all our citizens. Many, many thanks,” she wrote on Facebook. “To all the candidates — you are all champions, willing to step up and serve your community, and you should be commended for your efforts. For the newly elected,, I look forward to working with you and am excited about the future. Let’s do this! #helperproud“

Two Salt Lake City Council races show LGBTQ+ candidates performed strongly. District 3 Councilman and Council Chair Chris Wharton finished at 51 percent of the vote in a five-way race to secure a rare third term.

“The results are in, and I’m honored, humbled, and thrilled to have earned the trust of District 3 to continue serving you on the City Council. Since I was first elected in 2017, I have been working hard to deliver results for our community,” Wharton said. “While we’ve made progress on the most pressing issues, from housing affordability to public safety, to air quality, and more, there’s still a lot of work to be done, and I’m excited to continue leading the way with forward-looking solutions. As a sixth-generation Salt Laker, this city is in my DNA, and I want to ensure we’re harnessing our full potential so that future generations, including my daughter, can enjoy all of the amazing opportunities that Salt Lake City has to offer.”

Erika Carlsen in District 5 finished strongly with 66 percent of the vote.

“When I decided to run for the Salt Lake City Council, it wasn’t to make history or to be part of ‘firsts.’ I ran to make a difference in my neighborhood. However, I am so proud to be joining a historic City Council. Majority Latino. Majority LGBTQ+. Majority female. Growing up in Utah, that would have felt out of reach, but one of the things I love the most about Salt Lake is how many different people find their home here,” Carlsen wrote on Facebook. “I’m excited to get to work on ensuring Salt Lake City is a place we are ALL proud to call home.”

Two queer candidates lost their bid for election.

Ogden City Council At-Large A incumbent Marcia White lost to Alicia Washington with 43.37 percent of the vote to Washington’s 56.63%.

“Hey Ogden City! The final unofficial results are in, and I’m filled with gratitude as I reflect on 12 incredible years of serving Ogden. It has been the honor of a lifetime to listen, learn, and work alongside so many amazing people to make our city stronger, more connected, and more vibrant,” White wrote on Facebook. “As we move forward, let’s think in terms of ‘and’ instead of ‘or’ — recognizing that progress and compassion, growth and preservation, innovation and tradition can all coexist. Ogden is at its best when we come together.”

And in Midvale, Jamie Steverson lost their City Council District 5 race to Denece Mikolash.

“Today’s the day that I either make history as the first openly trans person elected to public office in Utah, or I don’t. Either way, the fight is just beginning and the road ahead is long,” Steverson wrote on Facebook before the election results were finalized.

Equality Utah-endorsed candidates:

Equality Utah’s endorsed candidates posted strong early results across Utah Tuesday night, according to the state’s unofficial election returns — with many leading in mayoral and city council races from Midvale to Cottonwood Heights to South Salt Lake.

In mayoral contests, Gay Lynn Bennion won in Cottonwood Heights with 57.52 percent, Paul Fotheringham won in Holladay with 57.04 percent, Cherie Wood finished very strong in South Salt Lake with 66.76 percent, and Midvale Mayor Dustin Gettel won with 62 percent. In Helper, Lenise Peterman won with 53.61 percent. Park City mayoral contender Ryan Dickey is barely ahead at 50.03 percent, with just seven votes separating the two candidates, and a recount is currently in progress.

The strongest overall Equality Utah performance appears in Salt Lake County, where multiple endorsed city council candidates lead by wide margins. In Salt Lake City, Victoria Petro won District 1 with 52 percent, Chris Wharton won District 3 at 51 percent in the final ranked choice tabulation, Erika Carlsen commanded District 5 with 66 percent, and Sarah Young is unopposed in District 7 at 100 percent.

Other council results include Rachel Whipple winning in Provo with 67.15 percent; Bryant Brown winning his Midvale District 4 race with 76.43 percent; Ellen Birrell winning in Cottonwood Heights District 4 with 67.62 percent; Lyndsay Longtin winning in Kearns District 2 with 58.01 percent; Thom DeSirant winning Millcreek District 2 with 59.25 percent; Bev Uipi dominating Millcreek District 4 with 81.97 percent; Flor Lopez winning in Ogden District 1 with 60.12 percent; Lars Nordfelt winning West Valley’s At-Large seat with 54.82 percent; Matt Isaacson won in the Lake Mountain School Board race at 52.18 percent; and David Smith won in Timpanogos School District Seat 3 at 52.34 percent. In North Salt Lake, Alisa Van Lengeveld won in a six-way race with 31.88 percent. In Clearfield, Danielle King won with 33.19 percent. Two EU-endorsed candidates won in Park City-s at-large race, with Diego Zegarra at 34.27 percent and Tana Toly at 39.72 of the vote. Two West Jordan endorsed candidates, Annette Harris at 17.67 percent and Jessica Wignall at 16.65 percent, won two of the three at-large seats.

Several Equality Utah–backed candidates fell short in their races. Tara Chiasson received 44.85 percent of the vote in Big Water, while Aubry Bennion earned 18.71 percent in the race for Bountiful’s two city council seats. Katie Reed finished at 18.13 percent in Perry, Nate Worthen at 22.21 percent in Providence, and Jamie Steverson at 33.47 percent in Midvale District 5. In Murray, Jared Eborn received 45.23 percent in District 2 and Ben Peck 43.56 percent in District 3. Iva Williams took 43.18 percent in Sandy District 3, Stacy Hughes earned 47.11 percent in South Jordan District 5, and Marcia White received 43.37 percent in Ogden’s At-Large A.

One candidate previously endorsed by Equality Utah, Paul Hancock in Lehi, was eliminated earlier in the primary election.