Election update: Two incumbents on the cusp of falling in Salt Lake and Utah counties

Two incumbents in Salt Lake and Utah counties appeared headed for defeat Thursday as unofficial results from this week’s primary continued to trickle in.

Steve DeBry trailed Riverton City Council member Sheldon Stewart by nearly 12 percentage points in his bid for a fourth term representing District 5 on the Salt Lake County Council.

In Utah County, longtime Spanish Fork City Council member Brandon Gordon was on his way to ousting two-term incumbent Commissioner Bill Lee.

Both races are all but certain to determine who will represent each seat, because no Democrat or third-party candidate has filed in either contest. (Write-in candidates could still emerge before fall’s general election.)

Primary results will be certified July 12.

Stewart looks ahead

Stewart, a bank executive in South Jordan, qualified for the GOP primary by winning the delegate vote at the Salt Lake County Republican Convention in April. He campaigned on reducing spending, improving budget transparency and getting the county out of the land use business.

He said he received a text message from DeBry congratulating him and wishing him luck.

“I’m looking forward to working to deliver on some of the things that came out through this process,” Stewart said, “and really working with the council to build more transparency within the county and to create accountability.”

DeBry could not immediately be reached Thursday for comment.

The nine-member council is firmly in GOP hands with a 6-3 Republican majority.

Salt Lake County plans to update its unofficial election results Friday.

Gordon confident he’ll win

In Utah County, Gordon led Lee with 51% of the vote in the primary race for Seat B on the County Commission.

Gordon said he is confident he will prevail after Thursday’s update left Lee with a narrow path forward.

“I just don’t see how that’s going to happen,” he said.

Nearly 98% of ballots received have been reported in the Beehive State’s second-most-populous county. Another update from elections officials is expected next week.

Lee said on election night that he was shocked by the early results. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the updated results Thursday.

Incumbent Amelia Powers Gardner, meanwhile, coasted to a GOP primary victory for Seat A on the Utah County Commission. As of Thursday evening, she was besting first-time candidate Renee Tribe with 63% of the vote. She will face Democrat Jeanne Bowen and unaffiliated candidate Tom Tomeny in November.

Davis County incumbents win reelection

Both GOP incumbents on the Davis County Commission secured primary triumphs.

For Seat A, Bob Stevenson trounced first-time candidate Luke Elijah Brooks, capturing nearly 69% of the vote in his bid for a second term.

Meanwhile, for Seat B, Lorene Miner Kamalu outpaced Clearfield Mayor Mark Shepherd with nearly 59% of the vote in her quest for another term.

At this point, neither candidate faces opposition this fall.

More than 99% of Davis County ballots received have been counted.