By Cassie Goff | [email protected]

The 2021 Municipal Election date will be held on Nov. 2. With a little over one month left to decide how to vote, Cottonwood Heights residents have been researching their candidates and asking questions during various meet and greets. On Tuesday, Sept. 14., residents had the opportunity meet their candidates in-person at Cottonwood Heights City Hall (2277 E. Bengal Blvd.).  

Three out of the five city council seats will be newly elected this year. As none of the currently serving elected officials have opted to run for re-election, this will be a significant voting year for Cottonwood Heights. (Mayor Mike Peterson, Councilmember for District 3 Tali Bruce, and Councilmember for District 4 Christine Mikell will all be retiring from their services.) All three seats are four-year terms.

On Aug. 17, the election candidates were announced officially. For the mayoral race, there are five candidates: Mike Weichers, Timothy Hallbeck, Maile Evans, Eric Kraan and Ed Schwartz. 

For the District 3 Councilmember race, there are six candidates: Mike Hanson, Shawn E. Newell, David Rawling, Runar E. Boman, Jackie Hibbard and E. Samuel McShaffrey. 

(District 3 is the north-most district within city limits. District 3 encompasses neighborhoods between Highland Drive and Wasatch Boulevard mostly on the north side of Fort Union Boulevard, except for a handful of neighborhoods on the south side of Fort Union Boulevard through Bengal Boulevard.) 

For the District 4 Councilmember race, there are three candidates: Ernie Kim, Lee Anne Walker, and Ellen Birrell. 

(District 4 is the east-most district within city limits. District 4 encompasses all neighborhoods on the east side of Wasatch Boulevard. It also encompasses neighborhoods on the west side of Wasatch Boulevard until approximately 2980 East, 3500 East, and Danish Oaks Road, dependent on area.) 

Cottonwood Heights residents who have registered to vote by mail should expect a ballot packet around 21 days before the Nov. 2 election from the Salt Lake County Clerk’s Office. (Vote by mail ballots will be sent out the week of Oct. 11.) The ballot packet will include an inner return envelope, signature affidavit, instruction sheet, commemorative sticker, and security sleeve. 

Voters can return their ballot in a variety of ways. Voters may mail their ballot through the USPS as return postage will be paid. Voters can drop off their ballot at any of the 21 drive-up ballot drop boxes, which will be collected daily. Or voters may drop off their ballots at any voting center. 

The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 22; the last day to request a replacement ballot will be Oct. 26; and in-office early voting at the Salt Lake County Government Center (south building), 2001 S. State St., will be available from Oct. 19 until Oct. 29, during weekdays. 

For more information about the Salt Lake County Clerk’s Elections Processes or Voter Information, visit: www.slco.org/clerk/elections.

Any additional questions from residents can be directed to Cottonwood Heights City Recorder/Elections Officer Paula Melgar at [email protected].