Wasatch County Sheriff Race: Why the 2026 Election Matters for Heber Valley
The 2026 Wasatch County sheriff race has become one of the most closely watched local elections in Heber Valley. In a county where public safety, emergency response, search and rescue, traffic enforcement, growth, and trust in local government all intersect, the sheriff’s office is not a distant political position. It is a daily part of life in Heber City, Midway, Charleston, Daniel, Wallsburg, Independence, and the surrounding unincorporated areas.
This year’s race includes three Republican candidates: incumbent Sheriff Jared Rigby, Wasatch County Emergency Management Director Jeremy Hales, and Summit County Sheriff’s Office detective Eric Mainord. All three will appear on the June 23, 2026 Republican primary ballot after no candidate received the 60% delegate support required to secure the party nomination at the Wasatch County GOP convention.
For voters, this race is not just about choosing a law enforcement executive. It is also a referendum on leadership style, department culture, transparency, public trust, and how Wasatch County should prepare for continued growth.
A Three-Way Republican Primary
The sheriff’s race began with three candidates filing for the position after the January 2026 candidacy filing period. The field includes:
Jared Rigby, the current Wasatch County sheriff, who is seeking a third term.
Jeremy Hales, Wasatch County’s Emergency Management Director, who has worked in the county for nearly 25 years.
Eric Mainord, a detective with the Summit County Sheriff’s Office and a Wasatch County resident, who has worked in law enforcement for 16 years.
All three candidates are Republicans, which makes the June primary especially important in a county where the Republican nominee is often strongly positioned heading into the general election. According to Wasatch County’s election notice, the 2026 primary election will be held Tuesday, June 23, and ballots are scheduled to be mailed to eligible voters beginning June 2.
The county has also listed in-person voting at the Wasatch County Administration Building, 25 N. Main Street in Heber City, on June 15, 16, 17, and 18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Election Day, June 23, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
What Happened at the Wasatch County GOP Convention?
The Wasatch County Republican Party convention on April 7, 2026, gave voters an early look at the strength of each campaign among party delegates.
In the first round of voting, Rigby led with 116 votes, followed by Hales with 89 and Mainord with 44. A second-round runoff between Rigby and Hales ended with Rigby receiving 115 votes, about 53%, and Hales receiving 104 votes, about 47%. Because neither candidate reached the 60% threshold required for the nomination, no candidate received the party’s official nomination through the convention process.
That result matters for two reasons. First, it showed that Rigby remains a strong candidate among Republican delegates. Second, it showed that a significant share of delegates were ready to consider a change. The race now moves from a convention audience of party delegates to a broader Republican primary electorate.
KPCW also reported that all three candidates gathered signatures in addition to seeking the party nomination, meaning a primary would have been triggered regardless of the convention outcome if signature requirements were met.
Jared Rigby: Experience, Continuity, and Scrutiny
Sheriff Jared Rigby is running on experience and continuity. He was first elected sheriff in 2018 after serving nearly a decade as undersheriff, and he ran unopposed for a second term in 2022. Rigby has said he wants to build on relationships in the community and the work already underway inside the sheriff’s office.
At the GOP convention, Rigby emphasized his experience and said he is focused on transparency and preparing the department for the future. He also pointed to work strengthening the 911 center and search and rescue team during his time as sheriff.
At the same time, Rigby’s campaign is unfolding under significant scrutiny. KPCW reported that 2025 brought two third-party investigations involving the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office. One investigation, led by retired judge Richard McKelvie, identified areas of concern that included alleged absenteeism and interference in criminal investigations. KPCW also reported that a separate Cache County Sheriff’s Office investigation found no chargeable criminal conduct.
More recently, the Summit County Attorney’s Office launched a criminal inquiry involving Rigby. According to local reporting, the investigation concerns whether Rigby attempted to use accusations against political opponent Eric Mainord in connection with the Kouri Richins murder case. Rigby has denied wrongdoing, said he acted lawfully, and has not been formally charged.
For voters, the question is likely to be whether Rigby’s years of local law enforcement experience outweigh concerns raised by investigations and public controversy. His supporters may see him as a known quantity with deep institutional knowledge. Critics may see the moment as an opportunity for a leadership reset.
Jeremy Hales: Emergency Management, Internal Relationships, and Stability
Jeremy Hales enters the race with a long record of service in Wasatch County. He has worked in the county for nearly 25 years and currently serves as Emergency Management Director. In that role, he oversees the 911 center and disaster planning, giving him direct experience with emergency response systems that are central to the sheriff’s office.
Hales has also highlighted his past work as a school resource officer and D.A.R.E. officer, experiences he says helped him build relationships with families, schools, and young people in the community.
At the GOP convention, Hales emphasized retention, training, open communication, and integrity. He framed his campaign around leadership preparation and the importance of supporting deputies so they can do their jobs well.
Hales’ pitch appears to center on steady, relationship-based leadership. He is not an outsider to the department or county government, but he is also not the incumbent sheriff. That gives him a middle lane in the race: someone who knows the system, but argues he can lead it differently.
For Heber Valley voters concerned about morale, emergency preparedness, employee retention, and internal culture, Hales’ campaign message may resonate. The challenge for Hales is to convince voters that his experience in emergency management and county service translates into the broader executive responsibilities of sheriff.
Eric Mainord: Outside Perspective, Investigations, and “Quiet Professionalism”
Eric Mainord is a detective with the Summit County Sheriff’s Office and has worked in law enforcement for 16 years. He has said he wants to bring a “quiet professionals” approach to the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office and focus on the basics of law enforcement, public safety, and restoring trust.
Mainord’s background includes work as a detective on major crimes and investigations in Summit County. According to the Park Record, he has pointed to his investigations experience as part of the work ethic and approach he would bring to Wasatch County.
At the GOP convention, Mainord said he would bring a “victim-centered approach” to law enforcement, strengthen interagency collaboration, and keep politics out of the work. He also referenced public fatigue with “rumors, investigations and constant headlines” surrounding the sheriff’s office.
Mainord’s candidacy offers the clearest outside-agency contrast to the current sheriff’s office. That could appeal to voters who want a cultural change or a fresh start. It may also raise questions for some voters about how quickly an outside leader could adapt to Wasatch County’s specific needs, personnel, geography, and political dynamics.
Why This Race Feels Bigger Than One Office
The Wasatch County sheriff’s office touches many parts of life in Heber Valley. It is responsible for law enforcement in county areas, jail operations, emergency response coordination, search and rescue, courthouse security, and other public safety functions. In a county with rapid growth, heavy recreation use, increasing traffic, and high-profile regional issues, the sheriff’s role is both operational and symbolic.
Growth is one reason this race matters. Wasatch County is no longer a quiet rural county on the edge of the Wasatch Front. Heber City and Midway continue to see development pressure, recreation traffic, short-term visitors, commuters, and second-home activity. The sheriff’s office must serve longtime residents, new families, tourists, seasonal workers, and rural communities spread across a wide landscape.
That means voters are not just choosing a law enforcement personality. They are choosing someone who will help manage the county’s public safety future.
Key issues include:
Traffic and road safety. As Heber Valley grows, residents regularly raise concerns about congestion, speeding, accidents, and enforcement on major corridors.
Search and rescue. With more outdoor recreation in places like Provo Canyon, the Jordanelle area, Wasatch Mountain State Park, and the backcountry, search and rescue capacity remains essential.
Emergency communication. The 911 center, dispatch, and emergency management systems are critical for both everyday incidents and major disasters.
Department culture. Retention, morale, accountability, training, and leadership style have become central themes in the campaign.
Public trust. Investigations, headlines, and candidate claims have made transparency and credibility major issues.
The Candidate Forum and What Voters Should Watch For
The Wasatch Record and KPCW scheduled a sheriff candidate forum for Wednesday, May 27, 2026, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Wasatch County Senior Center. The forum was expected to include questions on investigations into the sheriff’s office, ICE involvement in law enforcement actions, transparency, public trust, fiscal responsibility, and the future of the agency.
For voters who attend or listen afterward, the most important thing may not be which candidate gives the sharpest sound bite. The better test is how each candidate handles hard questions.
Voters should listen for specifics. What would each candidate do in the first 100 days? How would they address morale? How would they communicate with the public? What changes would they make to policies, training, supervision, or budgeting? How would they work with Heber City Police, Midway, Summit County, state agencies, schools, fire districts, and emergency responders?
A sheriff’s race can easily become personality-driven. But the job itself is administrative, operational, and deeply collaborative. The next sheriff will need to manage people, budgets, legal obligations, public records, jail operations, emergency response, and community expectations.
What Voters Need to Know Before June 23
The Republican primary election is Tuesday, June 23, 2026. Ballots are scheduled to be mailed beginning June 2. The county’s voter registration deadline for new registrations is June 12 at 5 p.m., though voters may also register in person during early voting or at a polling location on Election Day.
Wasatch County also notes that secure ballot drop boxes close promptly at 8 p.m. on Election Day. Voters can check their registration status, party affiliation, and sample ballot through the county election website or Utah’s state election site.
Because this is a Republican primary, party affiliation matters. The county states that some parties allow voters of any affiliation to participate in their primary, while others require voters to be registered members of that party. The party affiliation deadline was April 1, though unaffiliated voters may affiliate through Election Day to participate in a primary.
A Local Election With Long-Term Consequences
For Heber Valley residents, the sheriff’s race is about more than campaign signs and convention vote counts. It is about what kind of public safety leadership Wasatch County wants during a period of fast change.
Jared Rigby offers experience and continuity, but must answer voter concerns about investigations and trust. Jeremy Hales offers long local service, emergency management experience, and a message of internal stability. Eric Mainord offers an outside law enforcement perspective, investigative background, and a campaign centered on professionalism and restoring confidence.
Each candidate is asking voters to trust him with one of the most visible and consequential offices in Wasatch County government.
The choice facing voters is not simple. It requires looking past slogans and asking practical questions: Who can lead deputies effectively? Who can communicate clearly with the public? Who can manage growth-related public safety challenges? Who can work across agencies? Who can restore or maintain trust?
In a place like Heber Valley, where community relationships still matter and local government decisions are felt close to home, the sheriff’s race deserves careful attention. The June 23 primary will help shape not only the future of the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office, but also the public safety culture of the valley for years to come.