Affordable housing and homelessness are top issues in Salt Lake City’s ranked-choice mayoral race

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall is seeking reelection in a ranked-choice contest that includes a challenge by former Mayor Rocky Anderson. Also running is activist and business owner Michael Valentine, giving Salt Lake City residents three left-leaning choices for mayor. Though the position is officially nonpartisan, the city is largely Democratic in a mostly Republican state. It is Salt Lake City’s first mayor’s race since the capital instituted ranked-choice voting in 2021. The system will allow voters to rank candidates. If no candidate claims a majority, the candidate who finishes third will be eliminated and voters’ second- and third-choice picks will determine the winner.