The people have spoken. The Black Menaces were voted by you, our readers, as the The Salt Lake Tribune’s 2023 Utahn of the Year.
This year’s unscientific poll drew 5,020 votes over 10 days, and the viral TikTokers led the way with 1,553 votes (30.9%).
Armed with tiny microphones and a series of simple questions, The Black Menaces have gone viral time and time again for their videos at Brigham Young University. This year, multiple police reports came to light that detail a confrontation between a Black Menaces member and a school staffer.
Utah Utes women’s basketball star Alissa Pili finished second with 479 votes.
David Nielsen, the IRS whistleblower who blew the lid off the amassing wealth in Ensign Peak Advisors, the investment arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was third with 415 votes.
Those three collectively had 48.7% of the total vote among 28 unofficial candidates.
There were also 71 write-in responses, and the most common choice among write-ins were Angela Price, policy director for Salt Lake City’s Community and Neighborhoods Department; Russell M. Nelson, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Utah Gov. Spencer Cox; Smith Entertainment Group; and “The Claw” at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium.
Read more about the editorial’s board pick here, and find out who it has named Utahn of the Year since 1997 here.