Former Salt Lake County clerk Sherry Swenson honored by Sandy City for public service

Sherry Swenson, former Salt Lake County clerk, accepted Sandy City’s Excellence in Public Service Award and reflected on a 32-year career that she said centered on expanding access to elections and public services. Swenson told the audience she was elected in 1990 and retired in January 2023.

Swenson credited thousands of poll workers and a ‘‘terrific staff’’ for running elections and described administrative duties that ranged from maintaining records to offering marriage ceremonies. ‘‘It always made me feel wonderful to give public service,’’ she said.

She described steps the clerk’s office took to modernize voter access, saying the office implemented two different electronic voting systems and a vote-by-mail system. Swenson recalled early outreach efforts when there was no internet registration: she said she designed display boxes and placed them in about 300 locations across Salt Lake County and attended fairs, senior expos and high-school lunchtimes to register voters, focusing on 18- to 25-year-olds.

Swenson also described performing ‘‘thousands of weddings’’ for couples of many ages and said those ceremonies were among the rewarding parts of the job. She said the work was ‘‘a tremendous amount of work, but it was also very rewarding.’’

Swenson closed by saying she is ‘‘very honored’’ to be recognized by Sandy City. The ceremony provided a public acknowledgment of her decades of service to Salt Lake County residents.