Voting

Link to PDF Version of Voter Information Guide for June 25, 2024 Primary Election

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About this guide:

This voter information guide has been created by Real Impact Cedar City. We are a local Christian volunteer organization that encourages citizens to be involved in the political process within our community, state and country.  We’ve provided questionnaires to all of the candidates appearing on the June 25, 2024 Republican Ballot for Iron County, Utah.  Below is the compilation of their responses.  This document is publicly available and we encourage you to share with the citizens of Iron County and the surrounding area.  We are a non-partisan group and our hope is that this Voter Information Guide will help citizens make more informed decisions in the election process.  Please note that all the school board races may not apply to you, the applicable candidates for your district will appear on your ballot.  The offices are listed below in the order that they will appear on the June ballot.  We strongly urge you to vote in person on June 25.

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US Senate

Brad Wilson and Jason J. Walton did not respond to our survey.

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1. If elected, what do you believe are the most important issues to address first?    

John Curtis Response: This depends on committee assignment.

Trent Staggs Response: Smaller government, safer families, stronger economy.

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2. Do you support U.S. taxpayer funding for the war in Ukraine and/or Israel? If yes, do you believe in any limits to the U.S. funding of Ukraine and/or Israel?

John Curtis Response: I’ve voted in favor of supporting Israel and stopping Putin by helping Ukraine.

Trent Staggs Response: I believe that our NATO allies have a responsibility to respond to the war in Ukraine, their own backyard, rather than the US. I also believe we must stand with Israel against terrorist, and demand the UN stop funding the allies of Hamas.

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3. What policies would you advocate regarding the situation at the U.S. southern border and illegal migration to the U.S. in general?

John Curtis Response: I’ve voted in favor of HR 2 which funds more agents and barriers like the wall.

Trent Staggs Response: Every country enforces border security and travel of non-citizens. However, this has become the defining controversy of our time. Americans have been so kind-hearted for so long that the idea of enforcing our own laws has become controversial.

A sensible immigration policy is not what the enemies of freedom want. The globalists who hate America have made it clear that illegal immigration is the way they’ll do it. When the bad guys tell you what their evil plan is, you should probably pay attention.

As Senator, I will fight to restore the sensible immigration policy so America stays the envy of the world for another 200 years.

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4. What are your proposals for National Energy Policy? Please include your thoughts on oil drilling, fracking, alternative energy, and EVs?

John Curtis Response: We need an all-of-the-above approach. Our energy demands are increasing and we’ll need fossil fuels, renewables, and nuclear.

Trent Staggs Response: Our country is sitting on top of unlimited energy reserves. The only thing in the way is the federal government.  If the government got out of the way, we wouldn’t need to import oil from the Middle East.  No American anywhere should accept the crippling of domestic energy that we’ve seen since 2021 – certainly not in the name of hysterical environmentalism.  Environmental stewardship is important, but destroying our way of life is not. I’m a firm believer that technological advances have benefited mankind and the environment in the past, and will continue to do so in the future.

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5. Do you believe the federal government has a role in protecting life at all stages, including in the womb, or is that solely an issue reserved for each state?

John Curtis Response: I like where we’ve sent these decisions back to states.

Trent Staggs Response: I have always fought for the unborn and recognized the sanctity of human life, authoring a resolution to support human life back in 2019 with my city council. https://rivertoncity.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=1&clip_id=275&meta_id=17652

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6. What solutions would you advocate for regarding the annual budget deficit, the $34.6 trillion national debt, and $215 trillion in unfunded liabilities?

John Curtis Response: We need to adopt what Utah has done with its baseline budget. This avoids shutdowns and forces people to the table. If we don’t start talking about Social Security and Medicare then our attempts at balancing the budget is a fool’s errand. No one close to retirement age needs to be impacted but we can’t keep punting this to the next generation to solve.

Trent Staggs Response: In 1980, the national debt was just $1 trillion. With the out-of-control spending of recent years, it is now an incomprehensible $32 trillion – or some 140% of our GDP! We are now the largest debtor nation and one of the top 12 countries with the highest debt ratio.

Meanwhile, as Washington has been reckless with our money, they are boxing us in with more regulations than we should ever have to endure.

Federal agencies now number in the hundreds, with millions of rules and regulations being imposed on us by unelected bureaucracies. This overregulation cost employers between $10-20 thousand dollars per employee to come into compliance with, and drags down our economy almost $2 trillion.  Wouldn’t most budget-strapped employees rather see that added to their paycheck?  As Mayor, I’ve cut spending and regulations, and for DC, I won’t just bring a hatchet; I’ll bring a chainsaw.

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7. What is your belief when it comes to protecting religious freedoms for every individual?

John Curtis Response: We should always protect the freedom to believe and think as we want. Freedom of religion is designed to protect people’s deepest, innermost beliefs.

Trent Staggs Response: We need to build a wall of separation between woke and state.

In just 20 years, the importance of patriotism to Americans has dropped from 70% to 38%, and the value of religion dropped from 62% to 39%. Community involvement has sunk from 62% to 27% in just four years. The cause of this cultural damage is a new religion called wokeness. Wokeness has infiltrated almost every aspect of our daily life, fomenting hostility and anger under the false flag of “tolerance.” While many companies who subscribe to ESG guidelines “get woke and go broke,” wokeness now has the force of law under the corrupt Biden Administration.

Wokeness is a false religion with no business in our government. It must be ripped out wherever it shows its ugly head. As Senator, I will be woke’s worst enemy.

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8. Do you believe that biological males competing against biological females in women’s sports should be legislated at the state or federal levels? Why?

John Curtis Response: The federalist in me wants each state to determine for itself. That said, our women deserve to compete against one another and NOT biological males. If the chance to vote on this came up on a federal level, I would absolutely support it.

Trent Staggs Response: Biological males competing against biological females in women’s sports is a violation of Title IX. It is immoral and unfair.

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9. How would you advocate using the power of the purse to enforce the separation of powers as defined by the U.S. Constitution?

John Curtis Response: Congress needs to do its job. Because it can’t, leaders in both parties have taken to executive orders. They’re wrong.

Trent Staggs Response: Federal agencies now number in the hundreds, with millions of rules and regulations being imposed on us by unelected bureaucracies. This overregulation cost employers between $10-20 thousand dollars per employee to come into compliance with, and our economy almost $2 trillion.  Congress must rein this in by reining in these agencies budgets. 

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10. How do you manage holding onto your principles when they contradict your party’s agenda?

John Curtis Response: I’ve been lobbied for years to support spending bills I haven’t agreed with. I have a record and it’s been a relief knowing Utahns support me in voting against large spending packages.

Trent Staggs Response: As mayor, I’ve proven myself as a fighter who will take on the establishment of either party. For examples, please see my website: https://trentstaggs.com/proven-fighter/

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11. Do you believe that emergency power declarations by elected officials or international organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), should override the personal rights and freedoms of citizens (for example, mandating medical treatments)?

John Curtis Response: No.

Trent Staggs Response: No.

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12. Do you support the U.S. government implementing a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)? Why or why not?

John Curtis Response: No.

Trent Staggs Response: No.

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13. Do you support the use of mRNA vaccines in the national food supply? Why or why not?

John Curtis Response: I need to do more research.

Trent Staggs Response: No.

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14. Do you think the federal government has a role in the country’s education system?

John Curtis Response: No.

Trent Staggs Response: Our educational system has been gradually corrupted over the years, with more and more of what our children learn coming from Washington bureaucrats and powerful, well-funded teachers’ unions. I advocate defunding the Department of Education and turning its offices in DC into a parking lot.

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US House Congressional District 2

Celeste Maloy did not respond to our survey.

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1. If elected, what do you believe are the most important issues to address first?    

Colby C. Jenkins Response: Close the border; gain back water/land access in Utah CD-2 the Biden admin BLM took control of or expanded non-access to.

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2. Do you support U.S. taxpayer funding for the war in Ukraine and/or Israel? If yes, do you believe in any limits to the U.S. funding of Ukraine and/or Israel?

Colby C. Jenkins Response: I support placing America first as a priority for funding anything. We must first fund closing our border before worrying about anyone else’s. After America first, yes, I stand with Israel and supporting their ability to defend themselves. I do not support sending more money to Ukraine.

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3. What policies would you advocate regarding the situation at the U.S. southern border and illegal migration to the U.S. in general?

Colby C. Jenkins Response: Elect President Trump to begin with, leadership matters. Need to return policies such as remain in Mexico, end catch and release, build the wall, turn off incentives that enable/subsidize illegal movement across the border.

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4. What are your proposals for National Energy Policy? Please include your thoughts on oil drilling, fracking, alternative energy, and EVs?

Colby C. Jenkins Response: The U.S. must be energy independent and pursue drilling, fracking and alternative energy sources that exist and must be responsibly developed within the U.S. The electricity that powers EVs does not come from rainbows or unicorns, nor do the minerals required to build the EV batteries. Combustion engine vehicles should not be deprioritized in favor of EVs.

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5. Do you believe the federal government has a role in protecting life at all stages, including in the womb, or is that solely an issue reserved for each state?

Colby C. Jenkins Response: I believe in protecting life and that life exists in the womb. I also believe in the federalist nature of the Constitution and the current law of the land which calls for states to create their own laws related to abortion. 

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6. What solutions would you advocate for regarding the annual budget deficit, the $34.6 trillion national debt, and $215 trillion in unfunded liabilities?

Colby C. Jenkins Response: As a fiscal conservative republican, I would not vote for omnibus bills that simply promote continued deficit spending. I would promote and support any effort to create a balanced budget amendment requiring all appropriations to balance the budget. Voting NO on spending is OK, forcing the process to return to regular order, balanced budgets and decreased deficit spending.

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7. What is your belief when it comes to protecting religious freedoms for every individual?

Colby C. Jenkins Response: I believe in what the Constitution, amendment 1 states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” We must protect the religious freedom the Constitution establishes.

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8. Do you believe that biological males competing against biological females in women’s sports should be legislated at the state or federal levels? Why?

Colby C. Jenkins Response: A man is a man; a woman is a woman. A biological man should not participate in female sports under any circumstance. The alternative may be that biological men not desiring to compete as men anymore, should compete in an “open” category against similar biological men desiring not to compete against men.  Consistent with the federalist nature of our Constitution, this should be legislated at the state level.

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9. How would you advocate using the power of the purse to enforce the separation of powers as defined by the U.S. Constitution?

Colby C. Jenkins Response: The separation of powers works horizontally at the national level where each power may be checked by the other. The legislative branch’s power of the purse must serve as a check on executive branch bureaucracy when the bureaucracy exceeds legislative intent and attempts to “legislate” via unaccountable rules and/or regulations.

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10. How do you manage holding onto your principles when they contradict your party’s agenda?

Colby C. Jenkins Response: I swear an oath to the Constitution and my constituents are my employers. I am beholden to the Constitution first and then my constituents before any party agendas. When a party agenda aligns with the Constitution and constituents interests, then my actions will be supportive of the party agenda.

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11. Do you believe that emergency power declarations by elected officials or international organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), should override the personal rights and freedoms of citizens (for example, mandating medical treatments)?

Colby C. Jenkins Response: No.

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12. Do you support the U.S. government implementing a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)? Why or why not?

Colby C. Jenkins Response: No.

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13. Do you support the use of mRNA vaccines in the national food supply? Why or why not?

Colby C. Jenkins Response: No.

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14. Do you think the federal government has a role in the country’s education system?

Colby C. Jenkins Response: No.

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Utah Governor

Spencer J. Cox & Phil Lyman did not respond to our survey.

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Utah Attorney General

Derek Brown, Frank Demcy Mylar and Rachel Terry did not respond to our survey.

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State Auditor

All Republican candidates respond to our survey.

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1. Given that your job will be overseeing the state’s financial operations, the highest level of integrity is required. Where do your principles of integrity come from?

Tina Cannon Response: My belief and faith in God. The example of those beliefs that I set for my family and community.  I believe in a God who knows all, cares about our actions in this life, and that we will answer to God for our actions in this life in the next life.

Ricky Hatch Response: Mark 8:36 “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”  My unusually sensitive sense of honesty and integrity comes from my upbringing in a deeply religious home and my continual study of Holy Scripture.  I’ve also studied historical and modern examples of integrity, such as Abraham Lincoln, Sir Thomas Moore, and my long-time friend Pastor Dave Mallinak of the Berean Baptist Church in Ogden.  I have shown independence and impartiality for 13 years as the Weber County Auditor and Clerk, both in terms of auditing departments and elected officials, as well as dealing with candidates who are also friends.  When one of our elected officials, a good friend, and someone who contributed to my campaign, bypassed county procurement procedures, I told him that I was going to conduct a more detailed audit of that project.  He wasn’t pleased and encouraged me to not do it.  I conducted the audit anyway, which led to additional findings. I cannot be bought.

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2. Are you totally free of any conflicts of interest regarding the management of the Auditor’s office?

Tina Cannon Response: Yes. 

Ricky Hatch Response: Absolutely.  As the only CPA in this race, I am bound to the AICPA’s Code of Conduct as well as the ethical requirements that are actually built into Utah State Code and administrative rules. Independence is perhaps the most important ethical principle, especially in governmental auditing.  As the Weber County Auditor and Clerk, I’ve established a culture of objectivity, encouraging staff to look even at me with a critical eye, searching for any hint of potential bias.  I would do the same at the State Auditor’s office.  Audits are objective financial x-rays, not political weapons.  I won’t give my friends any special treatment and I won’t use audits to punish people I may not like.

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3. How do you plan to combat governmental spending waste and fraud in Utah?

Tina Cannon Response: My specialization in taxation gives me a unique perspective on the many different aspects of state and local taxation policy and implementation within Utah.  This includes how tax revenue and spending forecasts are done at the state and local levels, and how mistakes in the implementation of the taxation policy will impact individual taxpayers.  Here is an example of this type of audit here: https://reporting.auditor.utah.gov/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file=0151K000007Pn4GQAS

Spending: The office of the State Auditor will be an independent source for tax collection revenues and forecasting in order to minimize continual “”budget surpluses”” that indicate tax rates are being set too high.  The transparent.utah.gov website is a great resource for the public to see and better understand the financial transactions of state and local governments. 

Waste:  The office of the State Auditor conducts performance audits of state and local government.  These audits are designed to find areas for improvement in government operations.

Fraud:  The State Auditor Hotline where suspicions of waste and fraud can be reported and then investigated is a vital role of the State Auditor.  These reports can uncover areas across state and local governments where both improvements in efficiencies can occur and also areas where increased security or controls should be put in place. 

Ricky Hatch Response: There are three keys to combatting governmental waste and fraud:  1) objective, thorough, transparent audits, 2) listening to citizens and others who point out potential areas of concern, and 3) observing things with an auditor’s eye.  This is where my 30+ years of professional auditing experience come in handy – after auditing for three decades, I’m keenly aware of small, subtle signs that often reveal bigger problems. This isn’t something that you can learn in 18 months, or even 5 years.

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4. How would you increase government financial transparency at the state, county, and local levels?

Tina Cannon Response: The Office of the State Auditor does this by improving and increasing the reporting areas found at Transparent.utah.gov.  Some additional areas for reporting include: 

a. the name, purpose for and amount of tax dollars given to charitable organizations within Utah.

b. Recreational project grant funding sources, type of project, and timeline for completion, any cost overruns.

c. Business economic development grant funding and awards given by state and local governments.

Ricky Hatch Response: Three main ways I would increase financial transparency: 

1) I would proactively publicize audits, promote them on social media, and set up a notification service where citizens could sign up to receive notices of audits of particular entities.

2) I would help ensure that audit summaries are written in plain-language that can be understood by non-auditors. 

3) I would build upon the extensive relationships with financial personnel throughout the state.  They have sought me out with requests to proactively work with the State Auditor’s office to improve their financial reporting.  Many have confessed that they currently don’t feel comfortable asking questions of the office, for fear they’ll end up getting a surprise audit or end up in the paper.  They support me because they feel I will work with them before problems arise.  I believe it is far better to put a fence at the top of a cliff than have an ambulance at the bottom.  I want to work with all levels of government to do things right the first time – that’s better for everyone, and it costs less, too.

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State School Board District 15

Kristan L. Norton did not respond to our survey.

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1. Do you support or oppose the ability for employee unions to automatically deduct money from their members’ paychecks to finance political activities? 

Joann Brinton Response: I oppose automatic deductions.

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2. Do you support or oppose the growth of Utah charter schools in Iron County and the rest of the state? 

Joann Brinton Response: I support the growth of charter schools. I taught at charter schools, parents should have the access to schooling of their choice for their children.

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3. Do you support or oppose the right of parents to opt their students out of curriculum to which they object?           

Joann Brinton Response: I support this. I support full transparency of curriculum – which we do not have currently. Many vendors do not allow access to their curriculum unless you go to the school to view it due to copyright infringements. I think all curriculum taught to our children should be available to parents online to view- it could be password protected so parents could log in through power school or some other means.

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4. Do you support or oppose policies that would permit males and females to share the same public restrooms, locker rooms, and showers based on their self-identified gender instead of their biological sex? In view of the newest Title IX rules that may promote such policies, would any opposition you have be strong enough to face withdrawal of federal funding of the school districts you oversee?      

Joann Brinton Response: I support all efforts to block federal mandates that leave our girls unprotected. This is a hill to die on for me- we must protect our girls’ sports and private spaces.

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5. Do you support or oppose the school board’s role in supporting traditional social and family values in Utah or Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)?   

Joann Brinton Response: I support traditional roles and values. All children and students should be treated with equality and safety. The new DEI measures actually exclude and divide students. I will be a strong voice in support of conservative reforms that restore traditional family values. Martin Luther King’s vision of judging on the content of character and not on skin color, gender, or race.

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6. Do you support or oppose policies allowing teachers or school staff to refer students for abortion services or transgender “affirming” medications/surgeries without parental notice? 

Joann Brinton Response: I DO NOT support any policies that undermine parents. Parents are the experts in their children’s lives and schools should only seek to support that role.

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7. Do you support or oppose forced speech requiring school employees to observe preferred genders of individuals in the district?

Joann Brinton Response: I do not support forced speech, I fully support the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the right of all to follow the dictates of their conscience. I believe there are so many forces seeking to divide and distract us from the true role of an educator. All students should be welcomed with equality and love. The role of education is to teach reading, writing, arithmetic, history….and I would love to see a restoration of teaching students how to think, not what to think. We should be preparing our students to face the world knowing how to decipher truth so they are not left to the whims of the written word, or every idea presented in the media to be truth.

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Iron County Commission “C”

All Republican candidates responded to our survey.

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1. Do you support or oppose the establishment of medical marijuana dispensaries in Iron County?

Maile Wilson Edwards Response: As someone that is sworn to uphold the laws of the State of Utah, as your County Commissioner, I would uphold the laws as they are written related to medical marijuana dispensaries in the state of Utah. If there is a problem with the implementation and specifically how any law impacts the residents of Iron County, I would work with the Utah State Legislature to amend, or repeal said law.
I have extensive experience working with the State Legislature to ensure laws that are passed during a 45-day legislative session don’t unduly burden our residents and pushing back when policies create unnecessary mandates on our rural way of life.

Kenneth Robinson Response: I support the establishment of medical marijuana dispensaries under the guidance of medical professionals, especially when it helps individuals transition off more dangerous substances like opioids. However, I strongly oppose any recreational use or abuse of marijuana and any government facilitation of such activities.

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2. Do you support or oppose the continued practice of beginning commission meetings with prayers or invocations?

Maile Wilson Edwards Response: Yes, in fact when I was mayor of Cedar City, I changed the way the City handled invocations. I personally called all the different churches, (I could find contact information for), and asked if a representative would be willing to be put on a schedule to offer an invocation at a weekly City Council meeting. Prior to this, invocations were all done by City Council members or City staff, many of which were all from the same religion. 

My thought with this new approach was that it would be good for our elected officials, those in attendance at the meetings, and the community as a whole, to hear from different religions and more importantly build relationships that had not previously be established.

I am proud that Cedar City has continued on with this approach and continues to invite all different faiths to participate in the meeting invocations.  I hope if I am elected to be your next Iron County Commissioner, that I can implement a similar system.

Kenneth Robinson Response: I definitely support beginning commission meetings with prayers. It is essential to remember that our rights are endowed upon us by our Creator, not granted by the government.

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3. Do you support or oppose voter identification laws requiring individuals to show government-issued photo identification in order to vote?          

Maile Wilson Edwards Response: Yes

Kenneth Robinson Response: I am strongly in favor of ensuring our elections are secure. Requiring voters to show government-issued photo identification helps guarantee that only eligible voters participate in the electoral process.

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4. Considering the sentiment of Iron County citizens regarding the previous jail proposal, how would you proceed on this issue?

Maile Wilson Edwards Response: First, I don’t think it was necessary to even get to this point. There is frustration, distrust and anger throughout our County associated with feeling like our elected officials do not listen to us, the residents. I fully believe the process around the jail was botched in more ways than one.
If I was on the County Commission, I would advocate for more transparency and information related to the entire jail process. For example, if any of us sought financing for an over $90 million dollar project, we would be required to have a business plan and all our ducts in a row – prior to seeking financing. Multiple times throughout this process it seems like the Commission has put the cart before the horse. As residents of Iron County, we not only deserve a seat at the table to know about decisions that are being made, but we have a right to all relevant information surrounding the decisions.
Trust in our elected officials, on all levels, continues to decline. It is time we have a County Commissioner that remembers who they serve and actively seeks to get feedback from our residents and then cares about said feedback. I am that person! As mayor I actively sought feedback from residents, encouraged citizen participation and strived to find new and innovative ways to get information to our community members.
As your Iron County Commissioner, I know that I work for the residents of Iron County and would continually seek to provide our residents with timely, accurate information, not only on the jail, but all future projects.
Kenneth Robinson Response: The residents of Iron County have clearly indicated their opposition to funding a jail through property taxes, and I support that decision. Any future jail project must share the cost with visitors to our county, not just property owners. Even then, we must proceed cautiously to ensure the facility meets our needs without burdening our residents.

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5. Previous county commissioners have stated that there are 10 years of research on jail proposals. Will you make this information available to the public?

Maile Wilson Edwards Response: YES!!! It’s time to, once again, have an engaged community servant, that wants public feedback, provides timely ACCURATE information, and strives to serve all the residents- not just those that they are friends with.

I will be the Iron County Commissioner who serves the entire County.

Kenneth Robinson Response: Yes, I will. Although these records are public, they are often difficult to find. I will work with our county staff and IT professionals to make studies and important public records more accessible on the county website.

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Real-Impact-Cedar-City-Voter-Info-Guide-June-2024

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