Jenny Wilson is leading the race to become mayor of SL County

Polls are closed, votes are being tabulated and Democratic Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson has taken an early lead over Republican challenger Erin Rider in the race that will determine who wins the election. lead Utah’s most populous county for the next four years.

From Tuesday 10:20 PM, early, unofficial return showed Wilson, who is seeking a second full term, with 58.5% of the vote. Rider, a corporate attorney from Salt Lake City, had won 41.4% of the vote.

The early results were convincing enough for Wilson to claim victory.

“I am very committed to the work I do. (I) made the choice a year ago to step up and do this again,” Wilson said. “It’s like any job interview, you have to put your best foot forward and hope for the best, and it looks like I’m coming back, and I’m happy. I am very happy to come back.”

Rider could not immediately be reached for comment late Tuesday.

Wilson became Salt Lake County’s first female Democratic mayor in January 2019 after serving on the County Council for a decade. She replaced former Democratic Mayor Ben McAdams when he left office to represent Utah’s 4th Congressional District. Wilson was elected to a full four-year term in 2020.

Rider unsuccessfully ran against former U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart in 2022 in an effort to win the GOP nomination for the state’s 2nd Congressional District. If elected, Rider would become Salt Lake County’s first Republican mayor since 2005.

Salt Lake County Council

Salt Lake County voters also had their say on four County Council seats that were up for grabs. Right now, Republicans have a 5-4 lead.

In the race to determine who will represent the general “C” seat of the council — one of three county seats on the nine-member, partisan council — Democrat Natalie Pinkney led Republican Rachelle Morris. The seat is currently held by longtime Democratic councilman Jim Bradley, who decided not to seek another six-year term.

Early, unofficial results showed Pinkney, a member of the South Salt Lake City Council, with 53.4% ​​of the vote. Morris, co-founder of Utah-based venture capital fund RevRoad Capital, received 46.6% of the vote.

In the race to represent District 2 on the council, early unofficial results showed Republican Carlos Moreno leading Democrat Katie Olson with 51.6% of the vote.

The district, which includes Magna, Kearns and parts of West Valley City, West Jordan, South Jordan and Herriman, is currently represented by Republican Dave Alvord, who decided not to seek re-election to a second four-year term.

In the race to replace retiring Democratic Councilwoman Ann Granato District 4covering parts of Salt Lake City, South Salt Lake and Murray, along with all of Holladay, Millcreek and Emigration Canyon, unofficial results showed Democrat Ross Romero ahead of Republican Roger Livingston and Utah Forward candidate Nolan Kruse.

Romero had captured 65.2% of the vote, while Livingston trailed with 31.4% and Kruse followed with 3.4%.

In the competition it will decide who will represent District 6which covers part of the southeastern part of the county and includes Sandy and parts of Cottonwood Heights, Republican incumbent Dea Theodore narrowly led her opponent, Democratic Sandy City Council member Zach Robinson, according to early unofficial filings.

As of 10:20 p.m., Theodore had secured 50.1% of the vote in her bid for a second term.