I’ve spent decades involved in Utah politics and have seen citizens become increasingly frustrated with their government, often not knowing how to be effective. What issues do you care about the most?
What I found when looking at how Utah’s laws are made might surprise you: if you want to have the most influence over the policies passed in this state, casting a ballot in November isn’t enough. The real decisions are made much earlier.
Almost all of our State House, State Senate, and County positions are heavily determined—and sometimes entirely decided—through the neighborhood caucus system. Participating in your local caucus is hands-down the best way to learn how your government actually works and to make a tangible difference. For example, Utah County Clerk, Aaron Davidson, won the party nomination at convention. That secured his victory in November.
Next Tuesday, March 17, is Caucus Night. If you want a voice, you need to show up. Here is exactly how you can get involved, broken down into four levels of influence.
Level 1: Show Up and Vote
This is the baseline. By simply attending caucus night, you get a say in who represents your neighborhood.
- The Action: Go to your precinct’s meeting.
- The Goal: Listen to the people volunteering to be delegates, and vote for the thoughtful, level-headed neighbors who align with your values and who will actually do the work of researching the candidates.
Level 2: Run as a County Delegate
Want to multiply your political influence? Become a county delegate. This puts you directly in the room where local candidates are vetted and chosen.
- The Commitment: One convention this year, and one next year. The occasional special convention to fill a vacancy.
- The Reality: County delegate races usually aren’t very competitive. If you raise your hand, there is a very good chance the position is yours. You may even prevent a more extreme neighbor from being chosen.
- The Secret: Roughly 30% of the Utah legislature is chosen in special conventions by these delegates to fill mid-term vacancies—not by the general public. Elected officials are much more likely to listen to you if you are a delegate.
- Pro-Tip: Have somebody else nominate you. It builds immediate credibility and consensus in the room.
Level 3: Run for Precinct Chair or Vice Chair
If you want to have a say in the big races and the structural direction of the party, this is your level.
- Vice Chair (County Level): You automatically become a County Delegate, but you also become a member of the County Central Committee. This means you’ll attend a central committee meeting about once a quarter to handle party business. One more person opposing Utah County GOP endorsements of municipal candidates would have defeated it.
- Precinct Chair (State Level): You automatically become a State Delegate, which means you participate in the State Convention once a year. This is where the massive decisions happen: State Delegates vote on multi-county races, including Governor, US Senator, and US House Representatives. You are also a county delegate and on the county central committee.
- Pro-Tip: Caucus elections are a numbers game. Bring your family members and neighbors who live in your precinct to vote for you. A handful of votes can be all it takes to win.
Level 4: Master the Machinery
If you’ve done the delegate route and want to do more, it’s time to step outside the precinct level and go above it.
- Engage: Get to know your representatives.
- Learn: Study how to be more effective in politics. Volunteer to help run a campaign so you can see the mechanics from the inside.
- Amplify: Find your own way to stay involved. Write for this site, or better yet, run for office yourself.
How to Get Ready for Tuesday
If you want to have a say in this process, you need to be prepared. Here is exactly how to get ready for the Republican caucus:
- Check or Update Your Registration: Go to Voter Search. You can check your current voter registration status and ensure your party affiliation is set to Republican.
- Pre-Register for the Caucus: Skip the long lines at the door. Go to Precinct Portal – Neighborhood Caucus Night Resources. Fill out your info, and you’ll get a quick way to check in so you can get credentialed immediately upon arrival.
Clarification: Being a delegate doesn’t mean you have to vote for that party’s candidates, you just can’t publicly support other party candidates.
Pro-Tip: To be a good delegate, listen to those in your precinct and let them know how you voted, just like you want your elected officials to do.
Government is run by the people who show up. I’ll see you on Tuesday.