Holladay Journal | October 2021

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October 2021 | Vol. 18 Iss. 10

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RUNNING UNOPPOSED:

UNCONTESTED ELECTIONS IN HOLLADAY RAISE GOVERNING STRUCTURE QUESTIONS By Zak Sonntag | z.sonntag@mycityjournals.com

P

ublic office appears to be getting popular—at least by the measure that across the country ballots have been bursting with contenders at every level of government, including many western municipalities who are witness to a fierce new era of mayoral competition. But in the City of Holladay this trend, for better or worse, is not catching on. Holladay residents will vote in November in a municipal election where two of three races are being run unopposed, including an uncontested mayoralty, raising questions about the community’s political competitiveness and calling attention to the inherent hurdles to public service in a “weak-mayor” form of government. “This is the work of public service, and I’m of the opinion that you should come in, do your part, then let somebody else take the baton,” said two-term incumbent Mayor Rob Dahle. Dahle, who jumped into politics after a 20-year run in retail business, was a dark horse candidate whose campaign made an 11th-hour surge from behind to narrowly eke out his competitor. But since that first run the competition has been nil. After back-to-back re-elections unopposed, setting up a 12-year stint without churn in the chair, one wonders what factors have kept other contenders from the ring; although Dahle communicated a willingness to pass the baton to a worthy successor, no one reached out to grab it. “Not seeing any opposition makes you wonder if our

Holladay Mayor Robert Dahle reflecting from his office. (Zak Sonntag/City Journals)

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