Politics

(Courtesy of the Organization for a New Utah Flag) A proposed redesign of the Utah State Flag.

Utah gets at least 3,500 ideas for a new flag. It’s not too late to add yours.

By Kim Bojórquez | April 12, 2022, 12:00 p.m.

(Andrew Harnik | AP) Afghan refugees walk through an Afghan refugee camp at Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst, N.J., Monday, Sept. 27, 2021. Afghan community groups and resettlement agencies prepare to help 765 new arrivals to Utah in the coming weeks.

Afghan refugees are starting to arrive in Utah. Here’s how you can help.

By Matt Canham | Alixel Cabrera | October 3, 2021, 10:54 p.m.

Redistricting meeting in Rose Park hears comment from public on district lines

By Jordan Miller | September 17, 2021, 1:02 p.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Teachers in red with buttons that read #red for ed, wave their hands in support of comments made for education at the tax reform task force has what may be its final meeting at the Utah Capitol on Monday, Nov. 25, 2019, with teachers turning out in large numbers to oppose any weakening of guarantee for public education funding. A new study shows Utahns rank third in the nation in participation at public meetings.

Utahns lag behind in voter turnout, new study shows

By Matt Canham | September 18, 2021, 3:45 p.m.

(Gordon Welters | The New York Times) A C-17 aircraft arrives with some of the final people evacuated from Afghanistan, at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, Monday, Aug. 30, 2021.

Here’s how many Afghan refugees are headed to Utah

By Matt Canham | September 16, 2021, 12:09 a.m.

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Sen. Kathleen Riebe, D-Cottonwood Heights, talks to concerned Utah voters Teresa Carlson and Helen Moser with the League of Women Voters about possible partisan gerrymandering of the redrawn redistricting lines on Aug. 19, 2021 at the Millcreek Library.

Utah Democrats argue independent redistricting commission will create the only ‘legitimate maps’

By Matt Canham | August 19, 2021, 9:24 p.m.

(Photo courtesy of the Utah House of Representatives) Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson swears in Steve Christiansen to fill the vacancy left by former Utah Rep. Ken Ivory in 2019.

Why some lawmakers want to ban critical race theory in Utah classrooms

By Bryan Schott | May 17, 2021, 7:30 p.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Randy Revoir, a Nephi rancher, checks in on his cattle in Juab County on Thursday, April 8, 2021. Revoir has banded together with other livestock producers to form the Central Utah Livestock Association, a group that offers a $20,000 reward for tips leading to the arrest of anyone who kills a member's animal. Livestock shootings soared in 2020 during the pandemic, but the reasons for the increase are unclear.

Shootings of Utah cows, horses skyrocketed during the pandemic. And no one really knows why.

By Bethany Rodgers | April 12, 2021, 1:27 p.m.

(Trent Nelson | Tribune file photo) The Utah state Capitol on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020. By the end of 2020, the Utah Treasurer’s Office received $52.1 million in lost and unclaimed property.

Utah treasurer has $52M in unclaimed property. See if a piece of it belongs to you.

By Marina McNairy | April 9, 2021, 3:55 p.m.

(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Dave Larsen, manager of Doug's Shoot'n Sports in Taylorsville, on Tuesday, March 30, 2021. Larsen said sales at his store last year were the highest of any year since he began working there in 1984. State statistics confirm that 2020 was a banner year for firearms sales.

Utah gun sales broke all records in 2020. Here’s why.

By Karina Andrew | Marina McNairy | April 5, 2021, 12:00 p.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Robert Gehrke.

Robert Gehrke: How Utah became a digital privacy leader, while making a few mistakes along the way

By Robert Gehrke | April 4, 2021, 12:00 p.m.

(Rick Egan | Tribune file photo) Utah Democratic Party Chairman Jeff Merchant speaks at a party gathering at Eisenhower Jr. High in this Feb. 23, 2019, file photo. Merchant, who wasn't chair at the time of the photo, is not seeking a second term in the post.

Status quo or new blood? Four candidates join race to lead Utah’s Democrats for the next 2 years.

By Bryan Schott | April 3, 2021, 12:02 a.m.

(Trent Nelson | Tribune file photo) Delegates stand with hands over hearts during the national anthem at the Utah Republican Party's 2019 Organizing Convention at Utah Valley University in Orem. Five candidates filed to be the new chair of the GOP by Thursday's deadline, with the winner to be elected at the May 1 state party convention.

Five candidates line up to lead the Utah Republican Party

By Bryan Schott | April 2, 2021, 11:35 a.m.

(Chris Detrick | Tribune file photo) Protesters hold up signs and demonstrate as Chairman Peter Corroon speaks during the 2017 Utah State Democratic Party Organizing Convention at Weber State University in Ogden, June 17, 2017. They were protesting against the Democratic Party's response to the allegations against Rob Miller, which the party apologized for on Thursday.

Utah Democratic Party issues apology for its handling of sexual harassment complaints 4 years ago

By Taylor Stevens | April 1, 2021, 7:46 p.m.

(Photo courtesy Utah Department of Public Safety) The Utah Department of Public Safety is set to soon launch a new pilot project that will explore the use of digital driver licenses, or a state identification card that can be stored on your phone. The Driver License Division says mobile identification cards could be more convenient and offer Utahns more privacy.

Want a digital driver license? Utah begins a pilot project to explore the idea

By Taylor Stevens | March 31, 2021, 6:14 p.m.

(screengrab from Banjo company website) Park City-based Banjo has a contract with the state of Utah to create a live-time surveillance system to help law enforcement and other entities respond to situations faster. Some experts worry about privacy implications.

State auditors find that Banjo oversold its surveillance tech to the Utah attorney general’s office

By Bethany Rodgers | March 30, 2021, 11:15 p.m.

(Scott Sommerdorf | Tribune file photo) In this March 4, 2018 file photo, Westpointe Community Council Board Chairwoman Dorothy Owen speaks about feeling bullied by state government as Utahns concerned about environmental health consequences and community impact from creating a state controlled inland port authority in Salt Lake City's northwest quadrant. Owen and Richard Holman, another west side Salt Lake City representative, were recently removed without explanation from an inland port community advisory council.

Utah Inland Port removes west-side representatives from community advisory council without explanation

By Taylor Stevens | March 26, 2021, 12:00 p.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | Tribune file photo) Gov. Spencer Cox, shown in this March 11, 2021, file photo, signed legislation on Tuesday that orders the merger of the Utah departments of health and human services, to be completed by July 1, 2022. Some have questioned the wisdom of the change during a pandemic.

Utah health, human services agencies to merge next year

By Taylor Stevens | March 23, 2021, 11:25 p.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | Tribune file photo) Gov. Spencer Cox provides updates on the ongoing pandemic as he speaks at a news conference in Salt Lake City on Thursday, March 11, 2021.

Gov. Spencer Cox says all Utahns 16 and older can start making COVID-19 vaccine appointments next week

By Taylor Stevens | March 19, 2021, 5:24 p.m.

(Rick Bowmer | AP file photo) In this Aug. 26, 2019, photo, baked earth is shown along the receding edge of the Great Salt Lake near Antelope Island, Utah. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed an emergency order Wednesday declaring a state of emergency due to drought conditions.

Gov. Cox declares drought emergency for all of Utah

By Taylor Stevens | March 18, 2021, 5:30 p.m.