What books your kids and grandkids read in school.
Whether a woman has the right to choose when and where she has an abortion.
How much we pay the state in taxes. How your vote is counted.
Sometimes it can be hard for us to see Utah lawmakers’ impact on our daily lives, as we are busy with work, caretaking and other priorities.
But in the last year, Utah lawmakers have made many decisions that have the potential to impact how we live. And at the federal level, we are affected by action and inaction on climate, prescription drugs and other key issues.
As voters, we get to tell lawmakers what we think about their work during this election season. Good or bad. Election Day — Nov. 8 — is right around the corner, and you get what you put in.
The Salt Lake Tribune team has already invested significantly in pre-reporting — in English and in Spanish and on Instagram and via text message — so you will have what you will need to make informed decisions when you complete your ballot.
[Meet the team covering Utah’s 2022 midterm elections here.]
Voter Guide
Look for a special section in your Sunday, Oct. 16 newspaper and e-edition. It will include previews of county clerk races, state school board, district attorney races, Utah legislative elections, plus select county and school district elections.
This reporting will be free online, which means you don’t need to be a Tribune subscriber to read it.
Reporting in Spanish
For the first time, we’ll offer a Spanish-language voter guide, with support from American Press Institute. It too will publish Oct. 16 and it will be dropped in select communities. If you have a location to suggest, please email me at lgustus@sltrib.com.
This reporting will also be published online. We’ve already started, offering a piece on how to register to vote, in Spanish.
More context
The county clerk election may be the most important vote you will cast. That’s because it matters who is counting the votes in our elections.
If a candidate for county clerk does not believe our elections are free and fair, you should know it. Utah remains among the most secure states to cast a vote and it should stay that way.
We will share information on candidates for around a dozen county clerk races in Utah, telling you who among the candidates support conspiracy theories linked to the 2020 election.
You will also find deep dives into our two candidates for senate, including what they have done for Utahns and what their positions are on issues important to voters.
In the lead up to the election, we’ll cover debates sponsored by the nonpartisan Utah Debate Commission and on election night we’ll offer live updates and analysis as results come in.
Text message updates
We have launched a text-messaging option, in an effort to reach those people who may not have access to sltrib.com or the printed paper or for those who prefer SMS. We’ll send reminders for registration deadlines and other key dates and share important stories. Sign up by simply texting the word VOTE to 385-787-6355. For Spanish texts, send the word VOTAR to 385-503-4601.
I believe communities across Utah need more context. And straightforward answers to important questions.
If you have tips or questions, please email us at tips@sltrib.com.
And thanks for reading The Tribune.
Follow @laurengustus