Note to readers • Click here to find an interactive map where you can enter your address to see all the races on your ballot that have a voter guide from The Salt Lake Tribune.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Kirk Cullimore, a lawyer, is seeking a third term representing Senate District 19, spanning Sandy, Draper and reaching up Little Cottonwood Canyon to Alta.

His Democratic challenger, Shana Anderson, is a U.S. Army veteran with a masters in economics who says she got into the race because of the Legislature’s “attacks” on teachers.

If Cullimore emerges victorious, he is in the running to become the next Senate president.

The Salt Lake Tribune posed the following questions, based on a reader survey about the issues Utahns felt were most important this election season, to each of the candidates. Their answers may have been edited slightly for length, style or grammar and are listed in alphabetical order based on the candidates’ last names.

Election Day is Nov. 3. Ballots must be dropped off at a ballot dropbox by 8 p.m. on Election Day or, if returned by mail, must be received by the county clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Q1. Utah voters told us government corruption is their top concern in this year’s election. Why do you think voters feel this way? And why should Utahns trust you to represent them?

Anderson: I feel the exact same thing. It is one of the reasons I am running for office. Many of our politicians have been sitting in office without any real accountability or challenges to their power. We can see the corruption in land deals, in gerrymandering and MIDA taking away local control. Those with power at the Capitol have been taking more and more power away from the people and it needs to stop. I am not a lawyer nor a land developer. I am a veteran and a mom, standing up for what’s right.

Cullimore: People are right to expect honesty from their government, and I agree.

Q2. Utahns told us affordability is their second-highest priority in this election. How would you help Utahns afford housing, groceries, gas and other day-to-day expenses?

Anderson: I am an economist. I can see what is broken in our economy, and I have plans for how to fix it. Housing is the No. 1 greatest expense for everyone, and it is a very fixable problem. We know that software companies are engaged in rental price collusion. We can stop that. We know hedge fund and corporate investors are buying up single family homes. Homes should belong to the people that live in them. We can change our tax policy to encourage owner-occupied homeownership.

Cullimore: The best thing state government can do is stay out of people’s pockets and out of the market’s way. I’ve backed six straight years of income tax cuts, and I’ll keep opposing new fees and taxes that drive up the cost of housing, groceries, gas and everyday life. I also support giving cities the tools and incentives, not mandates, to bring more housing choices online for young families.

Q3. Water resources were also a top concern for voters. What policies would you support as Utah looks to balance growth with preservation of the Great Salt Lake and the Colorado River?

Anderson: This is another issue that is very fixable if we have the political will. Las Vegas and Nevada have been growing as much as Utah and yet their water consumption has declined. We need to learn from our neighbors and start aggressively addressing water use in our communities. My background in agricultural economics uniquely positions me to tackle this tough issue head on.

Cullimore: Utah can’t grow responsibly without protecting its water. I support the agricultural water optimization funding, secondary water metering and Great Salt Lake investments the Legislature has made, and I’ll keep backing conservation incentives over mandates that punish families. Growth and conservation aren’t opposites; smart planning lets Utah do both without sacrificing the lake or our farms.

Q4. What is another topic you care about and want to address if elected to public office?

Anderson: I am opposed to the construction of a gondola in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Our taxpayer money would be better spent on public transportation projects that will reduce traffic congestion and air pollution. The gondola will reduce congestion for some people on a few high traffic ski days. Enhanced busing is the fiscally responsible choice. Public transportation for the working and commuting members of the Wasatch Front will have a much stronger economic impact than a gondola.

Cullimore: Public education. Utah has increased school funding by more than $2.3 billion since 2021, and I want to make sure that investment reaches classrooms and teacher pay, not just administration, while giving parents more say in their kids’ education.

Q5. How will you vote on Constitutional Amendment A? If passed, the amendment will stop the practice of publishing the full text of amendments and ballot questions by lawmakers in a newspaper for 60 days ahead of an election and instead require that text to be published on two state websites.

Anderson: Against

Cullimore: For

Q6. How will you vote on Constitutional Amendment B? If passed, citizen-proposed laws that increase taxes would need to be approved by 60% of voters, instead of a simple majority.

Anderson: Against

Cullimore: For

Q7. What’s your favorite book and why?

Anderson: Everything written by Brandon Sanderson. I am a huge fan! His books are fun and full of magic, but also grapple with big world ending challenges that his characters face with hope and courage while dealing with very real personal struggles.

Cullimore: “1776” by David McCullough. It’s a reminder that the founding generation succeeded through grit and sacrifice, not certainty. That perspective shapes how I approach public service today.