South Salt Lake kicked off the year with a political plot twist: two of its seven City Council seats are suddenly empty. District 5 was declared vacant after Councilman Paul Sanchez was ruled to have abandoned his seat, and District 1 will open after Councilwoman LeAnne Huff announced she is stepping down. The council is now scrambling to fill both chairs while trying to keep basic city business on track.
Candidates will be chosen by the council
The city is accepting applications to fill the District 1 and District 5 vacancies through Feb. 18. Applicants will be interviewed during the council's Feb. 25 work meeting, and whoever is appointed will serve out the rest of the current terms, which run through the end of 2027, according to the South Salt Lake elections page.
Why District 5 was declared vacant
At a recent council meeting, members said Councilman Paul Sanchez had been away from his district since August 2025 and that he was formally notified on Tuesday that his District 5 seat is now considered vacant, according to KSL. Under Utah Code 10-3-301, a municipal office automatically becomes vacant if the elected official is absent from the district for more than 60 consecutive days, per Utah Code.
Sanchez says he'll contest the decision
Sanchez is not accepting that outcome quietly. He told reporters he disagrees with the council's determination and said, “I sent the response objecting to the vacancy and saying they're misinterpreting the state law.” He said he has been dealing with medical issues that he believes the council knew about and suggested that his earlier censure might be playing a role in how this is unfolding, as reported by KSL.
A recent history of clashes
The friction between Sanchez and his colleagues did not start with the vacancy notice. In March 2024, the council formally censured him over social media posts. Later, he was arrested on a trespassing allegation after trying to enter City Hall while he was barred from attending meetings in person, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. Those earlier confrontations set the backdrop for the council's latest move and the heated public debate that has followed.
How replacements will be chosen
Residents who want to step into the fray have a tight timeline. Prospective appointees must submit a completed application in person to the City Recorder by 5 p.m. on Feb. 18, and the city has posted the eligibility rules and instructions online. The council plans to interview all applicants during its Feb. 25 work meeting, then vote that evening to fill both open seats, according to the South Salt Lake elections page.
