‘Our work isn’t finished’: Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall to seek 2nd term

SALT LAKE CITY — Erin Mendenhall is seeking a second term.

The Salt Lake City mayor made her official announcement Wednesday morning through a 2-minute video posted online. The video centers on her accomplishments since taking office in 2020, guiding the city through its COVID-19 pandemic response, as well as the damaging earthquakes and windstorm that year.

She also touts the city’s spike in affordable housing funding since she took office in addition to the city’s push to build new parks and move forward with renewable energy — efforts that have expanded over the past three years. It also highlights some of the unachieved goals, such as solving Utah homelessness issues that she says she will continue to work on moving forward.

“I’m running for reelection because our work isn’t finished and we need proven leadership to see it through,” she said. “The incredible future we’re building together isn’t guaranteed and it isn’t going to be easy. I’m determined that the city grows for all of us, to bury the walls that divide us, to lead with compassion, to promote equity and to defend equality. … And I refuse to let anyone take our city backward.”

The mayor joins a field that currently consists of former Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson and community activist Michael Valentine. Public city records show there are a few other people with active mayoral finance committees; however, those accounts have not reported any recent activity.

The field could also grow as the deadline for candidates to apply is in August, while Sept. 4 is the last day for anyone to qualify as a write-in candidate.

Mendenhall has picked up several large endorsements right away, including eight Utah legislators who represent the city area, former Salt Lake City Mayor Ted Wilson, Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson and former Utah Rep. Ben McAdams. Over a dozen neighborhood and community council representatives also backed Mendenhall Wednesday morning.

“Erin has been a strong, fair leader for our city. She has been proactive on issues instead of chasing after them; and instead of micromanaging city workers, she trusts her team to do the work they’ve been called to do,” said Esther Stowell, vice chairwoman of the Poplar Grove Community Council, in a statement.

However, none of the listed endorsements came from representatives of the Ballpark Community Council, which has voiced concerns about public safety issues that have grown in the area in recent years.

In fact, several of the council’s leaders and neighborhood residents attended an event Anderson hosted when he formally announced his campaign in November. Anderson, who served in the role from 2000 to 2008, blasted the Mendenhall administration and other city leaders, especially on how they’ve handled crime and homelessness issues, during a nearly hour-long speech at the event.

“I love this city and I love the people in this city, and this city has been so severely transformed and degraded,” he said, at the time, explaining his reason for jumping back in the race after more than a decade out of office. He served as mayor for two terms in the early 2000s.

City records show Mendenhall out-fundraised Anderson, $200,810 to $126,461, during the most recent finance report period that ended in February. But this year’s mayoral election will be different than any other in city history. Salt Lake City Council members voted last month to continue participating in the state’s ranked-choice voting pilot program, making it the city’s first mayoral election to use the method of voting.

There will be no primary election either, meaning that all eligible candidates will be on the ballot in November. The Nov. 7 election will also determine the District 2, District 4 and District 6 City Council seats.