So I went to the Salt Lake County Democratic Convention today.

[Zioneer]

Don't know if this is the right section, but here goes.

So a while back I was elected as a delegate and as a precinct chair for my precinct, and thus had the honor of going to the Salt Lake County and Utah statewide Democratic conventions as a delegate. Today, I went to the Salt Lake County Democratic Convention. Here's a rough overview of interesting things that happened. Feel free to ask further questions (or for mods, move it if it's in the wrong place). And apologies for the stream-of-thought post.

General things:
-Good turnout, probably about a thousand or 1100 attendees.

-Utah Dems really love their amendments to amendments.

-Everything was about half an hour late.

-The County Party platform was modified to be more liberal on healthcare and labor issues, while affordable housing was modified with more moderate phrasing.

-There was one guy who was really insistent on changing the phrasing on "democratic republic" to democracy, on the grounds that he hated the Utah GOP's use of "constitutional compound republic". Said guy was also responsible for the more liberal phrasing on healthcare and labor.

-The Progressive and LDS Dems Caucuses were fun, with about a turnout of about 35 in the Prog caucus and 300 or so in the LDS Dems. In the Progressive Caucus, I managed to succeed in a motion to establish a free Youtube channel for all SLCO Dems to use, even if they're a "ballot-only" candidate. It was a unanimous vote. In the LDS Caucus, it was more candidates talking at us.

State Senate
-Former State Senator Ross Romero was crushed by former Salt Lake County Councilwoman Jani Iwamoto, which was surprising to everyone. Since they had represented the same area at the same time, everyone thought it would go to a primary, with a slight advantage to Romero due to his longer service. He was crushed 117 to 71. Both were center-lefty, and it's a safe-ish Dem district, so either would have been fine. There's rumors of foul play by Iwamoto (busing in Republicans, basically) though.

State House

-In HD 23, for retiring Dem Jen Seelig's Salt Lake City-based seat, Sandra Hollins, a social health worker, beat substitute teacher and long-time Dem activist Jason Wessel and Frank Bedolla (a worker with disadvantaged kids, I think?). Of note is that Bedolla (who was eliminated first) was Hispanic, Wessel is wheelchair-bound, and Sandra Hollins is a black lady. The district itself is heavily Democratic and heavily Hispanic.

-A Michael D. Lee (no relation to Mike Lee) is running for retiring Dem Janice Fisher's district, HD 30. This is a very competitive district and Lee has a strong Republican opponent, so it'll be interesting to see what happens.

-The SLCO LDS Dem chair Alain Balmanno (who is apparently a Mormon from New Jersey with a thick Jersey accent) is running against LaVar Christensen in HD42. He unfortunately doesn't have much of a chance (LaVar's last opponent only got 33% in 2012), but an interesting guy.

-HD 38 has a contested race between Elias McGraw (a Hispanic police retired  officer and the 2012 candidate for this district), and Chrystal Butterfield, who I know nothing about. Assuming McGraw wins, he'll face incumbent Republican Eric Hutchings, whom he got within a 1,000 votes of beating in 2012.

-in HD 40, Incumbent Lynn Hemingway is retiring, and Justin J Miller won heavily over Sophia Hawes and Amy Fowler. Miller was a former campaign manager for Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams, and was endorsed by both McAdams and Hemingway. Hawes was a social worker, I think, while Fowler was a criminal defense attorney. Hawes was also transgender, but the district seems to be relatively tolerant, so I don't think that contributed to her defeat. Miller was just a really good candidate.

-There was also a two-way convention fight in HD 49, but other than Zach Robinson winning over Mark Quigley (both were also 2012 candidates) to have the right to lose to appointed incumbent Robert Spendlove, I know nothing about the district.

Countywide
-We only had one contested race, County Auditor.

-Judging from the speeches that were given, the uncontested candidates are ready to go against the Republicans.

-County Auditor candidate Chris Stout will go into a primary with Jeff Hatch, which is surprising as Jeff Hatch used to be County Auditor from 2006 to 2010, and Stout has been an unsuccessful candidate for 2 separate offices over the last 4 years. Stout had endorsements from all over the board, from progressives (he is SLCO Progressive Chair, by the way), to establishment, while most of Hatch's support was establishment. Stout had 54%, so looks to be in a good position going in.

-Incumbent Republican County Auditor Gregory Hawkins lost his bid for re-election; his challenger (Scott Tingley) got 69% so it will not even go to a primary. This is bad for Dems, as we all assumed Hawkins would win and focused our rhetoric on him.

-Incumbent Dem County Sheriff Jim Winder seriously sounds like a pro wrestling announcer when he's talking. "DEMOCRATS! ARE YOU READY TO GO?!?"

-Incidentally, I voted for Chris Stout for County Auditor, but had no other contested races in my area.

-Also, former Murray Mayor Dan Snarr, a man with a 22-inch handlebar mustache is running for County Council and was at the convention.

[Zioneer]

Also, these county conventions were a big win for diversity: if both Sandra Collins on the Dem side and Mia Love on the Republican side are elected this year (which will probably happen), Utah will have our first black woman in the legislature and also our first black woman in Congress. Love in particular will also be Utah's first black Congressperson of any kind, the first Haitian-American Representative, the first black Mormon in Congress, and first black Mormon woman Representative.

Jani Iwamoto, who won the Dem nomination for State Senate 4, may be the first or second Japanese-American woman in the Utah legislature (and could later be a Congressional candidate). We also had the chance to nominate a transgender woman, but didn't, but have nominated a woman to an open county council seat.

Additionally, the Republicans ousted a white male incumbent state rep in favor of a woman in heavily conservative West Jordan, which may be a first for that city.