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.

A Salt Lake County Council seat in the heart of the valley is up for grabs this fall.

Council Chair Aimee Winder Newton, a Republican, decided to step aside after 13 years on the dais. Republican Mike Bird and Democrat Luke Maynes are hoping to follow in her footsteps.

Bird, an operations director at University of Utah Health, narrowly lost to Democratic Rep. Rosalba Dominguez in a 2024 race for a spot in the Utah House of Representatives.

Maynes, a project manager at tech advertising company Boostability, serves on the Midvale Community Council.

District 3 includes all of Taylorsville and parts of five other cities: South Salt Lake, West Valley City, West Jordan, Midvale and Murray.

Bird and Maynes are angling for votes ahead of Election Day, Nov. 3. Mail 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.

Candidates submitted photos and answers through a questionnaire. Answers may have been edited for style and clarity. Candidate responses are listed in alphabetical order by last name.

Most voters in our survey said everyday affordability was the most important issue to them. What would you do to improve affordability for residents?

Mike Bird: Affordability impacts nearly every part of a family’s budget, but one of the greatest pressures is housing. When 91% of Utah renters can’t afford a home and it takes nearly $187,000 in annual income to afford the median home in Salt Lake County, we have a crisis. We need robust down-payment assistance, more owner-occupied housing and protections against out-of-state institutions buying up our homes. Homeownership builds stability and stronger communities.

Luke Maynes: Affordability for working families is my top priority. I will work with the council to reinvest in quality, affordable childcare services, restoring and expanding the program that was cut last year, and I will work with cities to push for housing development that is actually affordable and not just a giveaway to developers. I will also support prevailing wage policies and other labor measures to ensure that people who work in the county are paid enough to live here.

Our survey respondents were concerned about government corruption. What would you do, as an elected official, to be transparent and ensure residents have confidence in government?

Bird: Trust is earned, and I will work every day to earn the trust of Salt Lake County residents. Corruption takes root when transparency and accountability are lost, so both will be central to how I serve. I’ll bring everyone to the table, not special interests. I’m proud to have support from Republican, Democratic and independent leaders because I’m willing to set partisan politics aside and focus on serving the people of Salt Lake County.

Maynes: Salt Lake County residents deserve representatives who are accountable to the people they represent. I will work to ensure that the county is responsive to resident needs and that public meetings and county services are accessible. I will hold regular office hours for constituents to give feedback and ask questions. I will ensure that county services are operating efficiently and that any new investment delivers real value to the taxpayers who are footing the bill.

As drought and water shortages continue to affect our state, how should Salt Lake County protect its water resources?

Bird: Protecting our water requires all of us to do our part, both at home and in our businesses. I’ve supported incentives like the Flip Your Strip program and have personally taken advantage of programs that replace water-intensive landscaping. Salt Lake County should expand conservation incentives for residential and business properties while encouraging large water users to conserve, innovate and use water responsibly. Protecting this limited resource requires shared responsibility.

Maynes: Our kids deserve to grow up with the same clean air and clean water we did. As your County Council member, I will invest in programs to conserve water, protect the Great Salt Lake, promote renewable energy and restore our air quality. I support the Utah Renewable Communities Program and oppose projects, like data centers and the Little Cottonwood Gondola, that sell out our environment to boost corporate profits.

Salt Lake County instituted a moratorium on data centers until it could craft new rules for them. What guardrails should the county put in place for these projects?

Bird: I have not supported data centers in Salt Lake County, and I will continue to oppose them while our state faces a water crisis and works to restore the Great Salt Lake. Until we have sustainable solutions that protect our limited water resources, I do not believe projects with significant water and energy demands are the right fit for our county or state.

Maynes: No new data centers should be built until there are strong safeguards in place. This would include ensuring that any new centers would be fully energy independent, using renewable energy sources. They would also need to have an independently verified water plan that would not endanger water sources needed for residents and the environment, and they would need to demonstrate that they would not be engaged in any A.I.-related activity until that has data privacy and copyright safeguards as well.

Will you accept the results of this election?

Bird: Yes.

Maynes: Yes.

Should Salt Lake County cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in any capacity that is not already required by law?

Bird: No.

Maynes: No.

What will be your top priority, if elected, as a council member?

Bird: My top priority is building a sustainable future for Salt Lake County with lower taxes and safe, affordable communities where families can thrive.

Maynes: Affordability for working families.