Three candidates were running in the Nov. 4 general election for two four-year at-large Draper City Council positions, but one dropped out, leaving that race canceled before the ballots were printed. That’s what happens when the number of candidates equals the number of open seats. 

Current councilmembers Mike Green and Tasha Lowery were running again for their seats against candidate Jared Turner. According to Draper City Recorder Nicole Smedley, Turner withdrew from the race Sept. 15, citing personal reasons.

Smedley realized state law allows a race to be removed from the ballot within a certain window of time prior to the election, so she quickly contacted the Salt Lake County Clerk’s office who administers Draper City’s elections. By pulling that race off the November ballot, the County Clerk’s office estimates the city will save approximately $40,000. 

Utah State Code states, “…if a municipal body passes, no later than 20 calendar days before the day of the scheduled election, a resolution that cancels the election and certifies that…the candidates who qualified for the ballot are considered elected.” Green and Lowery were certified elected at the Oct. 7 council meeting after a resolution canceling the race for the two four-year at-large council seats was passed unanimously, including votes by Lowery and Green. 

“It’s so weird to vote on that yourself,” Green said.

Green said he was stunned when he heard the news Sept. 15 that the race was over even before the November election took place. “I didn’t believe it so I asked to see the document (of the third candidate’s withdrawal). I was in a little bit of shock,” he said. But shock quickly turned to relief. “Now I can focus on the issues ahead of us. We don’t have to worry about the campaign. It’s a time-consuming thing, about 20 hours/week if you do it right. You’ll knock doors every night or be at an event every day for it,” he said. 

Green is looking ahead to the next four years. “The focus is going to be to continue to do the right things for The Point, the land vacated by the prison. I want to try to acquire more land on the mountain to preserve more and build more trails. I’d like to get some infrastructure taken care of for public safety such as roads that need work around town and another fire station on the west side. Then I want to focus on getting a community center done in the Town Center zone, and all that time keep taxes low. We’ll see what we can do,” he said.

Lowery was also surprised that the race was over before the election even happened. “I hope residents know that even though I didn’t have a campaign, I’m happy to talk with them and I’m accessible all the time, not just during the campaign. They can call, email, text or reach out over social media. I don’t want to just hear from them when I’m running for office,” she said. 

She had bought her yard signs, assembled a campaign staff and volunteers, had mailers planned and ads ready to go. “Campaigning is an important part of being elected, to touch base with people and hear what they’re worried about as well as what they’re happy about. I was fully immersed in doing that part of it,” she said. Because she thinks those aspects of campaigning are so important, she offered to knock doors with Mayor Troy Walker for his race to be mayor again. 

“This has been such a great experience for me, so to be able to serve once again is an honor and a privilege,” she said.

As for her focus in the next four years Lowery said, “I don’t think you have to go far to see Draper is well-run and organized and we’re doing well. I think we’re going to keep focusing on more of the same,” she said. She mentioned a potential purchase by the city of as many as 76 acres within Corner Canyon. “The city is considering purchasing it to settle a claim involving access to the property,” City Manager Mike Barker said.

While already declared elected, Lowery and Green will take the Oath of Office with other election winners in early January at City Hall in accordance with when their current terms expire.

This will be the third four-year term on the council for both. They ran in 2017 and were sworn in in January 2018 for the first time.

Items remaining on the Nov. 4 General Election ballots are the mayoral race, a two-year at-large city council position, and the Aspen Peak School Board race for the segment of Draper (a portion of SunCrest) that is in Utah County. 

Ballots will be mailed beginning Oct. 14. Completed ballots must be received by the County Clerk’s office by 8 p.m. on Election Day, not just mailed by that dates as was the law in years past. Draper City Hall will serve as an in-person voting location as well as a drop-box location for ballots. Draper City Hall has a ballot drop box in the south parking lot. Official voting centers and drop boxes close promptly at 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 4.

“Legislation just changed,” Smedley said. “I think the most important thing in this election is that vote-by-mail ballots need to be in the hand of the County Elections Office on Election Day.”