United Utah is growing fast and we're constantly adding town halls meetings and house parties to our calendar.  Make sure to check in regularly so you don't miss out on an event near you! 

Interested in hosting? Go to the volunteer page and fill out the form (select “Hosting a House Party”).  

Once again, the two major parties are engaging in "chicken" politics.  They are both seeing how far they can force the other side to go.  The shutdown of the government is the bargaining chip to get either DACA or a wall.

Once again the Federal government is shut down because Republicans and Democrats are unable to negotiate and resolve serious issues facing our nation.  The sad thing is, next week we'll get to see both sides blame each other for their joint failure to do the people’s business. 

A question we should all be thinking about is how will the SHUT DOWN affect Utah? 

For the first time in a long time, I feel excited about politics.  More than ever, people throughout Utah are getting involved in meaningful ways in the political environment.  Chief among them is BYU professor, Richard Davis.

As we start a new year, I wonder what it will bring.  To the surprise of many, 2017 brought a new political party to Utah.  That political party organized and then ran in a Congressional campaign.  Our candidate, Jim Bennett, won nearly 10 percent of the vote - far exceeding what minor parties usually get.  In fact, he did better than any non-major party Congressional candidate in Utah's history.

We wish you a happy holiday season.  This is the time of year when old animosities often dissolve, people think of what they can do for others, and, particularly for Christians, thoughts turn to the birth of Jesus Christ.

In Utah, we have something like a big red panic button built into our lawmaking process. When citizens don’t feel like the legislature is addressing their priorities, there is a way to enact state laws without the legislature. It’s called a Citizen Initiated State Statute.

United Utah is seeking an Executive Director for the Party. The position of Executive Director is part time as an independent contractor, starting immediately.

Our first election is over. Our candidate won 9 percent of the vote. Is that a good showing or not so good? What is the definition of success short of winning? Party supporters will define the future. If we decide the 12,000 or so votes Jim received are a foundation for growth, then we will go ahead and work for a larger share of the vote, more supporters, and eventual victory at the polls.

ger·ry·man·der

verb

To manipulate the boundaries of an electoral constituency so as to favor one party or class.

To achieve a result by manipulating the boundaries of an electoral constituency.

"a total freedom to gerrymander the results they want"

Many have claimed that the current electoral district maps in Utah have been gerrymandered, particularly the four US House districts. We have three (possibly four) solidly Republican districts. Less than 20% of the state house seats and 17% of the state senate are held by Democrats. Yet, Democrats frequently get above 25% of the votes across the state.

So, what would be some alternatives?