Sanpete County filings show early contests in 2026 election

MANTI — Sanpete County filing records show several contested local races already taking shape for the 2026 election, with competition emerging for county commission, county auditor, sheriff, school board seats and Utah House District 66.

Sanpete County’s official 2026 election notice also shows county voters will cast ballots this year in U.S. House District 4 and State Board of Education District 14.

For county voters, the filings offer an early look at where the biggest decisions may come this year. The races on the county ballot will help determine who oversees county government finances, law enforcement, legal affairs, local representation at the Capitol and policy direction in both the North Sanpete and South Sanpete school districts. Higher up the ballot, Sanpete County voters also will help choose representation in Congress and on the state school board.

The largest field so far formed in the County Commission Seat A race. Four Republicans filed for that post: Cody Dean Harmer, Kirk A. Watts, Jonnie R. Carter and AJ Mower. That race stands out as one of the most competitive county contests at this stage and could carry weight for county policy on budgets, roads, land use, infrastructure and other day-to-day decisions that come before the commission.

County Commission Seat B looked much quieter in the filing records, with incumbent Jim Cheney listed as the only candidate. Unless another candidate enters through a later path, that seat appears less likely to become a major contest than Seat A.

Other county offices also began to come into focus.

In the county clerk race, incumbent Linda Christiansen filed for reelection. In the county attorney race, incumbent Kevin Daniels filed as well. In the county auditor race, incumbent Stacey Ann Lyon filed along with Robinette Benton, giving voters a contested race over the office that tracks and reports county finances. In the sheriff’s race, incumbent Jared Buchanan filed along with Trevor J. Larsen, setting up another contest with direct implications for law enforcement leadership in the county.

Those races matter because they shape how county government operates at a practical level. The auditor’s office affects financial transparency and oversight. The sheriff’s office affects public safety, jail operations and law enforcement priorities. The clerk’s office oversees elections and other core county records, while the county attorney handles criminal prosecutions and legal work for the county.

The filings also show contested races in both local school districts.

In South Sanpete School District, Seat 1 drew Timothy J. Miller and incumbent Mark S. Olson. Seat 4 showed incumbent David M. Warren as the only filer in the records provided, and Seat 5 showed incumbent Connor L. Thompson as the only filer.

In North Sanpete School District, Seat 4 drew incumbent Gregory Brent Bailey and Rhett Thomas Larsen. Seat 5 drew incumbent Jeremy Madsen and Tyler Lane Lee.

For many readers, those school board races may be among the most important on the ballot. School boards make decisions that directly affect local families, including budgets, policy, administration, long-range planning and the direction of local schools. Even when those races do not always draw the same attention as county commission or legislative contests, they can have lasting effects on students, parents, teachers and taxpayers.

Utah House District 66 also opened with a four-candidate field. State filing records show incumbent Troy Shelley filed as a Republican. Russ Hatch filed as a Constitution Party candidate, Justin Zohner filed as a Republican and Breanne Mashek filed as a Democratic candidate.

That race could matter beyond party labels. House District 66 represents Sanpete County’s voice in the Utah Legislature on issues that often hit close to home here, including water, education, transportation, public lands, agriculture, rural economic development and state funding decisions that ripple down to counties, cities and school districts.

Sanpete County voters also will see a contested field in Utah’s 4th Congressional District. State filing records show Jonny Larsen and Archie Williams filed as Democrats, Taylor Wright filed as a Libertarian, and Scott Hatfield, Russell T. Jensen, Seth A. Stewart and Mike Kennedy filed as Republicans.

The state school board race also has a crowded field. For State Board of Education District 14, Utah filing records show Linda Hanks, Will Pierce, Courtnee S. Justice and Nichole Beecher Isom filed as Republicans, while Danielle Stratton filed as a Democrat.

Next, candidate filings will move into the nominating process and then the regular election calendar. Utah’s 2026 election schedule shows the regular primary election is set for June 23, with ballots scheduled to be mailed beginning June 2. The voter registration deadline for that primary is 5 p.m. June 12, and voters may request a mail ballot until 5 p.m. June 16. The general election is set for Nov. 3.

Before primary, caucuses and conventions will also play a role in some races. All the Sanpete County political parties have caucus meetings planned for March 17, with county and state conventions to follow, including the state conventions on April 25. At that meeting, party delegates vet candidates for Congress, the Legislature and the State School Board.

For Sanpete County voters, that means the candidate lists now in front of the public may not be the final shape of every race until the caucus, convention and primary process plays out. But the filing period has already established one thing clearly: voters here are headed into a busy election year with multiple contested races from the county level up through Congress and the state school board.