By Taylor Watkins

SALT LAKE CITY – Utah is an intensely partisan state with the majority of the votes going to the conservative party. In this kind of political climate, it can be challenging for constituents to find reasons to go to the polls and cast their votes. However, for many students at the University of Utah, this election cycle felt different. With a critical race in Utah’s 4th District and several progressive ballot measures, students were more motivated than ever to get out and vote.

Wyatt Hudgens, a first-year student at the U, said that he voted because, “Voting is a right that we often take for granted, and it is important to participate in the political process by electing your representatives.” Hudgens said that the non-binding Question 1 and Proposition 2 were his main motivators to vote in the midterm election.

Hudgens opposed Question 1 because he believes that gas tax should fund roads and infrastructure rather than education initiatives. Although Hudgens supported Proposition 2, he doesn’t believe that this ballot measure will have a substantial impact on Utahns until the medicinal marijuana program is expanded to a broader range of illnesses.

Mitt Romney will be representing Utah in the United States Senate after receiving over 62 percent of the votes. Although Romney faced many qualified opponents, despite public debates and funding, none of them managed to close the gap between themselves and Romney.

Results for the Utah U.S. Senate Election

Erin Sleater, a third-year student at the U, believes that “the election results will ignite the motivation we need to start real change within our state and country.” Sleater said that students at the U will be more motivated to vote in the future because of the different ballot measures; as well as the state and national races becoming more competitive, like the 4th District congressional race.

The 4th District U.S. House race was regarded as a toss-up until Ben McAdams gained a significant lead over incumbent Mia Love just last week. McAdams’ leads by a margin of 0.26 percent, just above the 0.25 percent needed to qualify for a recount.

The race between Love and McAdams was highly publicized and caught the attention of national donors and the Federal Election Commission after Love violated federal guidelines regarding campaign funding for primary elections. In Utah, candidates are not permitted to raise funds for primary elections if a primary is not expected to occur. Love admitted to improperly raising primary election funds and told the FEC that the campaign would work to refund the contributors or redistribute the money for the general election fund.

Results for the Utah U.S. House District 4 Election

Three constitutional amendments were proposed during this election cycle. The first, Constitutional Amendment A proposed a property tax exemption for active members of the military, this amendment passed. The second, Constitutional Amendment B, proposed a tax exemption for government-leased property, 71.62 percent of citizens voted against this amendment. Finally, Constitutional Amendment C passed, giving the legislator the ability to call a special session, limiting the power of the state executive branch.

Question 1 proposed a non-binding opinion about an increase in gas tax to fund education. Question 1 failed, with over 65 percent of constituents voting against the question.

Proposition 2, the medical marijuana initiative passed, however, legislators are working quickly to create an alternative bill to replace the ballot measure Utahns already voted on. With the proposal of the new bill, there would be more state-run pharmacies, but fewer licensed grow facilities. A special medical cannabis board would also be implemented and would require patients under the age of 21 to seek approval from the board before obtaining medical cannabis. Legislators are facing some opposition to the compromise bill because of the significant changes to the citizen ballot initiative.

The ballot measure to expand Medicaid to include people younger than 65 with incomes at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty line passed with 53.32 percent of the popular vote.

Proposition 4, the ballot measure to create an independent non-partisan redistricting seven-member redistricting commission for congressional and state legislative districts, is still a toss-up with 50.34 percent for the measure, and 49.66 percent against the measure.

Results for Proposition 4

Meghan Pollard, a fourth-year student at the U, majoring in Marketing said that Proposition 4 was a ballot measure that motivated her to vote. She believes that “Our voices are only heard if properly represented and loud enough, redistricting would allow for that.”

Meghan believes this election cycle is different because citizens are acting on their frustrations with the current administration and trying to create positive changes within federal and state governments. “People are angry, scared, and disheartened by the current state of the government. They rallied around that frustration and really went to work to improve their lives and the future of America.”

Voter turnout for this midterm election cycle hit a record high across the United States. Over 110 million people voted, compared to 83 million in 2014. In Congress, Republicans strengthened their control over the Senate, but Democrats picked up 29 seats and gained control of the House of Representatives.

Julianne Skrivan, a former White House Intern and current Johns Hopkins University masters student for Political Communications and Strategy, attributes voter increases to the increased publicity of the election cycle, especially with social media becoming more prominent to encourage political participation.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Reflections on Women in Utah recently rank more sexist than men 

by KAELI WILTBANK

I haven’t always been passionate about feminism, in fact, I used to think it was quite bogus how women were being so stubborn about their “rights.” I’m not sure when and I can’t even say what triggered the change, but I’ve recently become very passionate about women’s rights. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Utah, I’ve noticed that there are a lot of members who are very turned off by the word feminism. It’s a strange thing because I know that they would never support gender inequality and most of the members of the church are very passionate about living a life of good morals and ethics.

When I read the above-mentioned article from the Salt Lake Tribune and learned that not only is Utah one of the most sexist states in the nation but that it’s the women who are more sexist than the men, honestly I wasn’t surprised. There is an air of competitiveness among LDS women that can really be destructive.

Did you know that Utah is number six for the number of plastic surgeons per US capita? While I would love to attribute this statistic to men, I believe that it comes as a direct result of women living in a never-ending beauty pageant.

While writing this article and interviewing people, I found that others also expected no less from Utah. It didn’t come as a surprise that Utah was ranked so lowly, but some were surprised that it was women who were more sexist than men. Although, after conversing about the matter, women were able to see the destructive behavior that is present in our society.

This article was fun to write! I enjoy talking with people about feminism and it’s interesting to interview people and learn from them.

Story and gallery by HANNAH COOK

It’s a choice that can save a life.

Many people in this world don’t know the importance of organ donation. They don’t understand how many people are affected by just one organ that is donated.

For Bob Daniels, receiving an organ would be a second chance at life. A chance to attend his son’s wedding. A chance to be a grandpa.

Due to genetic failure, Daniels is currently waitlisted for a kidney and has been waitlisted for one year. Daniels lives in South Weber, Utah, and is currently working for the railroad to continue to provide for his family.

Daniels and his family are doing everything they can to prolong his life,while he is on the wait list. His wife is even donating her kidney to someone in need to help move him higher up on the list.

Daniels said in a phone interview that organ donation is much more than what is done with your body once you have died. It is what gives some people a second chance at life.

“Though I am biased, I wish people knew that organ donation is not a bad thing and should actually be praised. Many are concerned with what happens with their body afterwards, but they don’t see that good that is done,” he said.

In the subject of people offering to be organ donors and if people should be forced to donate their organs after they’ve died, or if it should always be a choice, he said. “I do believe that everyone should have a choice. I just wish they would make the right choice.”

Though becoming an organ donor is a choice that each person makes, there are many logistics that play into being a donor. Intermountain Donor Services is a company that takes care of those logistics for people who are waitlisted.

Intermountain Donor Services is a nonprofit organization located in Salt Lake City that retrieves organs from a body of a person who has died. It is the only organization in Utah that can retrieve all organs. Organs that can be retrieved are the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, pancreas and occasionally the small bowel and tissues can be taken and used in organ donation.

All organs can be used from the body of someone who has died if that person has given consent by becoming a donor.

“Organ donation affects many people. Both the recipient and the donor, both of these parties have parents, and friends, and coworkers, and neighbors that are affected by a successful transplant,” said Alex McDonald, director of public relations for Intermountain Donor Services.

Nationally, there are about 115,000 people who are waiting for a transplant. These people range in ages from newborn to 70 years old. Of those, approximately 80,000 are waiting for kidneys. McDonald said “numerically, kidneys are the most needed.”

“With a failing liver, there is no artificial way to keep a liver going. If a person needs a kidney, they can be temporarily sustained with dialysis. If a heart is needed, it can be artificially sustained, and lungs can be helped with oxygen. But there is no way to artificially represent a liver and its functions to the human body,” McDonald said.

If McDonald were to say anything to someone who was becoming an organ donor, he would tell them, “About 21 people die every day waiting for a transplant. This would equal about seven thousand and four hundred people a year, nationally, who die waiting. Utah alone has approximatively 800 people on the waitlist.”

McDonald would like anyone who is considering becoming a donor to think that no one just woke up one day and decided they wanted a new organ. They were put into this situation and now they are in need. “Would you wish someone would be a donor, so you could live? Would you be willing to do the same?” McDonald said.

A person can choose for themselves at the age of 16 if they’d like to be a donor or not. If a donor is under the age of 18, Intermountain Donor Services will honor the parents’ wishes. Some parents can’t fathom the thought, but for parents such as Kathy Shelton, it was a miracle.

Shelton is a resident of Roy, Utah. Her daughter, Heidi, lived in Salt Lake City. She died in the summer of 2014 of an accidental overdose. Kathy was able to donate her daughter’s corneas and some of the larger bones in her arms.

Organ donation is important to her because due to her daughter donating, someone is able to see again, or someone who needed a bone graft is now able to receive one. Shelton strongly believes in the benefits of organ donation and explains that organ donation is the only way that science and medicine will every advance.

Shelton’s daughter at some point actually needed a bone graft and had received one from a cadaver.

“You hear about the parents get to meet the people whose organs go to many people. Think if a person can recover eight organs that’s eight people that are affected. And eight people with parents and families and friends who get a second chance at life,” Shelton said.

Shelton is a donor herself and said she plans to donate her entire body to science. This will help doctors to be able to practice and to help the advancement of medicine.

Organ donation can touch many lives and is very important to many. You can grant someone a second chance at life. You can change the lives of thousands by just saying “Yes” to becoming an organ donor when obtaining your driver license. You can also register to become an organ donor online through Intermountain Donor Services.

A Celebration of Life Monument that is dedicated to those who have given the gift of life through organ donation.

A letter and certificate of recognition to the family of a donor from Utah’s Donate Life Coalition.

A plaque recognizing the supporters and sponsors of the monument, including Intermountain Donor Services.

Platform describing the Celebration of Life Monument and what it symbolizes.

Glass wall of names of the living and deceased donors who improved the life of others.

A pamphlet that Shelton received explaining the donation her daughter made.

Kathy Shelton at her home in Roy, Utah.

The “Me Too” movement and the effect on college campuses

https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-child-852870ab/

ABOUT ME:

I’m a seasoned digital executive, leader, and strategist. I’m in an expert in strategic communications, business management, event management, and design. After receiving my Bachelors Degree in Strategic Communication at the University of Utah, I’ve been able to be a CEO of a successful commercial cleaning company, an event, and marketing manager, a financial account manager, and have had the opportunity to work on different projects and events with several different non-profit organizations.

Any project I take on, I take pride in completing it to the best of my abilities. I love a challenge and welcome them in all aspects of my life. I am the hardest worker in the room, always striving to gain additional skill sets.

In my free time, I enjoy working with non-profit organizations and traveling internationally. I am passionate about engaging in other cultures, foods, religions, and the environment. My dream would be to become a travel writer, working with National Geographic…. maybe one day.