Get to know local candidates: Washington County Debate series slated for Wednesday night

David DeMille, St. George Spectrum & Daily News
·3 min read
Ballot stations are set up at the Dixie Convention Center during the Washington County primary election on June 28. Most Utah voters will cast their ballots by mail in the Nov. 8 general election but there are in-person voting centers available for those who choose to show up on Election Day.
Ballot stations are set up at the Dixie Convention Center during the Washington County primary election on June 28. Most Utah voters will cast their ballots by mail in the Nov. 8 general election but there are in-person voting centers available for those who choose to show up on Election Day.

Voters across southwestern Utah could start receiving their ballots in the mail as soon as this week, and while much attention might go toward the federal races at the top — like U.S. Sen. Mike Lee's challenge from former presidential candidate Evan McMullin — the races that might actually most affect voters could be the ones found farther down the ballot.

In an effort to help voters get prepared, Utah Tech University and the Washington County Debate Coalition are hosting a series of debates Wednesday night between the candidates vying for the elected offices closer to home.

Starting at 6:30 p.m., the debate is slated to feature candidates for all three positions on the Washington County Commission, with a second debate featuring legislative candidates Joseph Ellison and Ila Fica scheduled for 8 p.m. In between, visitors will have a half-hour intermission during which they could approach and visit with candidates individually.

Candidates participate in a debate hosted by the Washington County Debate Coalition at the Dolores Doré Eccles Fine Arts Center at Utah Tech University on Oct. 12, 2021. The coalition is hosting another debate at the venue this week, this time featuring candidates for local races included in the 2022 election.
Candidates participate in a debate hosted by the Washington County Debate Coalition at the Dolores Doré Eccles Fine Arts Center at Utah Tech University on Oct. 12, 2021. The coalition is hosting another debate at the venue this week, this time featuring candidates for local races included in the 2022 election.

“This is the second series of debates the coalition has sponsored,” said Vince Brown, UT's director of the Institute of Politics and Political Science and the co-chair of the debate coalition. “It feels like political participation, competitive races and robust debate are all gaining momentum in this community. It makes me very proud of where I live to see citizens having meaningful interaction with their elected leaders.”

The 2022 election could have an outsized impact on local county politics, with all three seats on the three-member county commission up for grabs.

Gil Almquist, the sitting Republican incumbent on Seat A, faces a challenge from Democrat Robert Ford. For Seat B, the incumbent, Republican Victor Iverson, is up against Democrat Chuck Goode. And in a special election for Seat C, the sitting commissioner, Adam Snow, a Republican who was appointed to the office last year, is up against another Democrat, Rebecca Winsor, with the winner set to finish the last two years of the seat's terms.

Gil Almquist, an incumbent member of the Washington County Commission running for reelection, speaks during a debate in May hosted by the Washington County Republican Party for local candidates ahead of the party's primary election.
Gil Almquist, an incumbent member of the Washington County Commission running for reelection, speaks during a debate in May hosted by the Washington County Republican Party for local candidates ahead of the party's primary election.

The commissioners, who in Washington County serve a dual role as both the executive leadership and the legislative body administering county government, control a wide spectrum of countywide policies and laws and also appoint the members of a number of other powerful bodies, including the Washington County Water Conservancy District.

In the race for Utah House District 72, Ellison and Fica will compete for control of a sprawling district that includes most of the eastern side of the county, including Hurricane, Springdale and other gateway communities outside Zion National Park.

Ellison, a Republican, is a Hurricane-area businessman and first-time politician who won his party's primary this summer by just 10 votes in a race that drew statewide attention when his primary opponent, Willie Billings, challenged the results and demanded a hand recount of the votes. Fica, a mental health professional who has worked in counseling and in education, was picked at the party convention to run for the seat.

Chris Reed, a writer and editor at St. George News, is scheduled to moderate the debate.

The Washington County Debate Coalition is a collaborative group organized between members of local educational institutions, businesses, media and political leaders. The Spectrum & Daily News is a participating partner.

Debate details

When: Wednesday, Oct. 19, from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. The county commission debate is slated for 6:30 to 7:30, with the legislative debate from 8 to 9 p.m. An intermission and candidate meet-and-greet is scheduled from 7:30 to 8 p.m.

Where: Main stage of the Dolores Doré Eccles Fine Arts Center at Utah Tech University, on the southeast corner of the intersection of 100 South and 700 East in St. George.

Online: Visit the Southern Utah Election Debates event page on Facebook, https://tinyurl.com/yjcnx6b4.

David DeMille writes about southwestern Utah for The Spectrum & Daily News, a USA TODAY Network newsroom based in St. George. Follow him at @SpectrumDeMille or contact him at ddemille@thespectrum.com. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on St. George Spectrum & Daily News: Debates for St. George-area candidates slated this week