NEWS
Members of the Weber League of Women Voters dress as suffragists and encourage voter registration at the "No Kings: Vote Early" rally, Oct. 17, 2026. DEANN ARMES
Eight women are running for seats in the Utah Legislature across six of the seven legislative races representing Weber County this November, bringing different backgrounds, political perspectives, and priorities to the election.
From grocery taxes and childcare to government spending and housing costs, women candidates across party lines are highlighting economic pressures facing Weber County residents as they seek office.
“The world is getting better. Women are getting heard, and more women are taking office and standing up and being heard,” said Terri McCulloch, the president of the League of Women Voters. “It isn’t as bad as it used to be, but it’s present whether they want to say that or not.”
McCulloch said while women’s representation in office has improved, it still isn’t enough. She pointed to the Ogden City Council, where Alicia Washington and Flor Lopez are the only women among its six members, as an example of the disparity. McColloch said the lack of this representation is among one of many top concerns for women voters in Weber County.
“A lot of people believe that women should not be involved in politics,” McCulloch said, adding she’s heard women saying their husbands vote for them while registering women to vote.
McCulloch said she hopes women running for legislative seats, regardless of party, can help change that.
Former state Rep. Rosemary Lesser, a Democrat seeking the House District 10 seat, said she hopes to continue work she began during her four years in office. Lesser said her experiences serving in the military and working in obstetrics and gynecology, where women were in the minority when she entered the field, taught her to navigate male-dominated environments.
“I’m happy to see women running. I think that that is a really great thing,” Lesser said. “We can hopefully achieve parity because that would result in parity and representation.”
Although representation for women is among Lesser’s concerns, she said her goals focus on topics that concern both men and women alike.
“I think for both men and women, the economic strains that they’re feeling are very, very real,” Lesser said, noting inflation, groceries and gas prices as primary concerns.
Lesser said she supports eliminating Utah sales tax on groceries to help ease financial pressures on residents.
Jill Koford, a Republican running for Senate District 5, said she hasn’t viewed her gender as a defining factor in her campaign. Instead, Koford said conversations with voters while campaigning door-to-door have centered on affordability and water conservation, particularly the future of the Great Salt Lake.
“We do some things in Utah really well, and there are some things that we can improve upon,” Koford said. “So for me, it just has to do with somebody who is willing to step up and try to serve our community and address the issues at hand.”
Koford said she supports reducing state spending and taxes to address affordability.
“CJ” Christina Hernandez, Koford’s Democratic opponent, said her experiences as a woman and caregiver have shaped her approach to public service. She said women’s health care, childcare affordability and wage inequality are among the concerns she’s hearing from voters.
“I believe I have an empathetic advantage as I have been both a caregiver to my children and mother while managing a career,” Hernandez wrote in an email exchange. “I can see most of the angles and areas where folks may be struggling.”
Other women seeking legislative seats in Weber County have also made affordability a focus of their campaigns.
According to their campaign websites, Democrat Bianca Mittendorf has prioritized housing infrastructure and affordable childcare, while Democrat Kim James has advocated for eliminating the state sales tax on groceries and addressing housing costs.
Libby Shelton, a Forward Party candidate, has emphasized government accountability and election reform, while Democrat Angela Choberka has highlighted stronger communities and environmental protection. Republican Katy Hall has called for reducing taxes and government spending.
While the eight candidates share concerns about affordability, their campaign platforms reflect different approaches to addressing the issue.
McCulloch said she hopes more women will seek elected office, pointing to the determination of those already running.
“We have some women, but not enough,” McCulloch said “If you look at the women who are running for office, they are go-getters. They don’t just sit there.”
Sponsored | Paid for by Rosemary Lesser for HD-10