Provo board certifies Nov. 4 election results, adds Proposition 5 (wrap tax) to resolution

PROVO, Utah — The Provo Board of Canvassers voted unanimously Nov. 18 to certify the Nov. 4 general election results and to amend the certification to include the results of Proposition 5, the city’s wrap tax measure.

City Recorder Heidi Ullman presented the official results received from the county and walked the board through turnout and vote totals. "So 16,984 votes were cast," Ullman said as she began the canvass summary. She told the board the city had 44,104 active registered voters and 17,078 total ballots cast, a turnout she described as higher than recent years.

Ullman read the vote totals the board certified: for mayor, 8,703 votes for Marsha Judkins and 8,281 for Michelle Caffusi, with Judkins the higher vote-getter; for the citywide council Seat 1, 9,739 for Katrice McKay and 6,912 for Adam Shin, with McKay the higher vote-getter. In District 2, 2,035 votes went to Jeff Whitlock and 1,830 to Hannah Peterson. In District 5, 964 votes were recorded for Rachel Whipple and 494 for Sam Blackburn; Ullman said those higher totals lead to the respective declarations of winners.

Ullman also explained categories of mail-ballot exceptions reported by the county: 18 unsigned returned envelopes, 143 ballots not counted because signatures did not match and could not be cured, two empty envelopes, 258 ballots returned past the deadline, and three items listed as "other" (including a wrong ballot and one in which a voter who had moved spoiled the mailed ballot and cast a replacement). Ullman noted the county had cured many mismatched signatures: "You can see that 390 of those ballots were were cured," she said, adding that staff contacted voters using the phone or email provided on the ballot envelope. One returned envelope was marked "deceased," which Ullman said the county verified.

Before the board voted, a public commenter, Jana Garrett of Provo, thanked outgoing public servants: "I just wanted to publicly thank those who have served and are finishing their service at this time for all you've done for our city," she said.

During review, board members identified that the draft resolution did not include the Proposition 5 (wrap tax) totals. Ullman read those numbers into the record: 16,420 votes cast on the measure, 14,068 in favor and 2,352 against (85.68% in favor). Board member Katrice McKay moved to amend the proposed resolution to include the wrap tax results; Mayor Cafusi seconded the motion. The board approved the amendment by roll call, 8-0.

The board then voted to approve the resolution as amended to certify the Nov. 4 election results; that motion also passed 8-0. With no objection, the meeting was adjourned by unanimous consent.

What’s next: Ullman said Marsha Judkins is declared elected and will begin her term in January 2026; the board completed the formal certification process and did not set additional follow-up at the meeting.