Summit County Clerk candidate Malena Stevens says transparent elections, public participation and responsive government services are central to her vision for the clerk's office. Photo: Malena Stevens

The interim clerk says secure elections, public access and collaborative government will remain top priorities if elected to a full term.

SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah — Malena Stevens says the role of county clerk is about more than administering elections.

The current interim Summit County Clerk and former Summit County Council member is seeking election to the position, citing a commitment to public service, transparent government, and the maintenance of public confidence in local elections.

“I think the integrity of our election process is paramount to ensuring the continuing nature of our democracy,” Stevens said.

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Stevens brings a background in local government that includes service on the Snyderville Basin Planning Commission, the Summit County Council, and nearly a decade working as a staff member for Park City Municipal.

Why the clerk’s office?

Stevens said she was drawn to the position because of its administrative responsibilities and direct connection to the public.

“I have a lot of experience when it comes to government administration,” Stevens said.

In addition to her government experience, Stevens holds a master’s degree in public administration.

She said the position provides an opportunity to continue serving the community while helping oversee one of the county’s most important responsibilities: administering elections.

“It’s a really interesting opportunity to be able to step back and make a difference in an area that I think is critical to our community,” she said.

More than elections

While elections are the most visible part of the clerk’s office, Stevens said many residents are unaware of the wide range of services the office provides.

“The county clerk predominantly manages elections, but also manages business licenses, marriage licenses, and we work to assist with passports, as well as taking meeting minutes and organizing that process for council and planning commission meetings,” Stevens said.

She described the office as a frequent first point of contact for residents navigating county government.

“We’re also a catch-all,” she said. “We get calls about all sorts of things when members of the community are unaware of which other department within the county to go to.”

Stevens said helping residents find answers is an important part of the office’s mission.

Transparency and public participation

Transparency is a central theme of Stevens’ campaign.

She said many of the safeguards designed to ensure public confidence in elections are already built into state law and county procedures.

Among those are public logic and accuracy tests for voting equipment, opportunities for residents to serve as poll watchers, and public access to election-related processes.

“Public access and participation are actually functionally built into the process,” Stevens said.

She pointed to recent public testing of ballot tabulation equipment and opportunities for residents to observe ballot processing as examples of how transparency is incorporated into election administration.

“We’re always happy to have people come in and ask questions,” she said.

Safeguards during the campaign

As interim clerk and a candidate for the office, Stevens said maintaining public trust requires clear separation between her campaign and election administration responsibilities.

She said she plans to appoint another clerk’s office employee to serve as an election official during the general election because her name will appear on the ballot.

“I will not be touching any ballots during the general election,” Stevens said.

She said the arrangement is intended to preserve public confidence in the process and avoid any appearance of conflict.

“That’s for the reason of maintaining safeguards,” she said.

Building a collaborative office

Stevens describes her management style as collaborative and focused on empowering staff.

She said one of her first priorities as interim clerk was meeting individually with members of the clerk’s office to understand their responsibilities and identify opportunities for improvement.

“My staff is the experts when it comes to many of the components of the office,” Stevens said.

She said effective government often comes down to communication, both within departments and across organizations.

“So many of the problems I think we get into as a community are because we’re not communicating well enough,” she said.

Stevens said she hopes to continue strengthening relationships among county departments, community organizations, and residents.

Defining success

Looking ahead, Stevens said success as county clerk would begin with secure, transparent, and well-administered elections.

“Success for me is having flawless elections,” she said.

She also hopes to expand public understanding of the election process and encourage greater civic participation.

“I think there are opportunities there to be able to do additional education with our children so they understand why it’s important to vote,” Stevens said.

Beyond elections, Stevens said she would measure success by whether the clerk’s office continues improving internal processes and collaboration across county government.

For Stevens, the position ultimately comes back to service.

“I really encourage people to vote, to do their research,” she said. “We’re really blessed in this county to have a lot of really competent people that are willing to step up and run for office.”

Editor’s note: This story is part of TownLift’s 2026 election coverage. TownLift is interviewing candidates across local races to help voters better understand the people seeking public office, their priorities, and their approach to governing ahead of the June primary election.