Unsurprisingly, the 40% of votes counted in Summit County as of Tuesday night — only a portion of the mail-in ballots — have leaned blue for Utah Legislature races for both District 4 and District 59.Utah House District 4, which includes east Summit County, Morgan County and Rich County, is a race between incumbent Republican State Rep. Kera Birkeland and Democrat Kris Campbell. So far, Birkeland leads the race at 4,907 votes or 51.48%, with Campbell sitting at 4,625 votes or 48.52%.Birkeland said her approach to the role is to run bills based on concerns her constituents bring to her. The legislation she’s sponsored includes a variety of issues such as the Division of Wildlife Resources doing work on private property, delayed unemployment benefits, misinterpreted adoption records and sexual assault cases. Her incumbent record also includes support for anti-transgender and anti-abortion bills. In 2021, Birkeland introduced a bill that would ban transgender athletes from competing in girls’ sports in Utah, introduced a more strict bill against abortion in 2023 and was chief sponsor of a bill that created a transgender bathroom ban and passed earlier this year. Birkeland said during her campaign that development projects and affordable housing are major issues in District 4, particularly in rapidly growing areas like Kimball Junction and Garden City up by Bear Lake.Campbell’s campaign focused on issues like affordable housing, government transparency and environmental sustainability. He criticized the backhanded attempts of the Utah Legislature to take power from citizens and local governments. Throughout the campaign, Campbell also emphasized the need for transparency and accountability in the legislature. He promised to be a strong voice for constituents who feel left behind by a state government. Preliminary results in Summit County showed Campbell leading with 4,434 votes (54.1%) to Birkeland’s 3,762 votes (45.9%). As of Tuesday night, Birkeland had a significant lead in Rich County with 85.7% of the votes tallied (1,145) to Campbell’s 14.3% (191 votes).The race for Utah House District 59 between Democrat Julie Monahan and incumbent Republican State Rep. Mike Kohler shows Monahan in the lead in Summit County but falling behind as initial numbers from Wasatch County are posted. In Summit County, 1,975 votes to Monahan and 960 votes to Kohler. In Wasatch County, 3,509 votes to Monahan and 7,153 votes to Kohler. Kohler, a longtime Midway resident who’s held office in local government, runs on a platform for protecting property rights, keeping taxes low and maintaining the rural lifestyle, highlighting his record in advocating for policies that benefit rural communities in the district.Monahan’s platform focuses on local communities, smart government and responsible growth. Her campaign also emphasized her commitment to conservation, especially focused on supporting legislation that would benefit the Great Salt Lake. Her vision for the district balanced economic growth with the preservation of its natural beauty.The overall standings in the District 59 race as of Tuesday night showed Kohler leading by 59.67% and 8,113 votes, with Monahan at 40.33% and 5,484 votes.The post Only small portion of votes tallied, one Utah House race tight appeared first on Park Record.