Skip to main content

Sandy Journal

Sandy City Council veteran won’t be seeking reelection

Jan 29, 2019 11:10AM ● By Justin Adams

A map of the four districts in Sandy. District 4 will see a new council member next year; incumbent Chris McCandless will not seek reelection. (Map courtesy Sandy City)

By Justin Adams | [email protected] 

Longtime Sandy City Councilman Chris McCandless announced he will not be seeking reelection this year. McCandless announced his decision during the Sandy City Council’s Jan. 8 meeting.

“It has been a privilege to serve with and for the city, but on December 31, 2019 that will be my last day serving Sandy City as a city councilman. I will not seek reelection,” he read from a prepared statement he delivered at the podium.

McCandless, who has been on the city council for over a decade, said he chose to make the announcement early in the year so “those who might be interested in running for the District 4 seat have enough time to consider, plan and execute a dignified, informative and issue-oriented campaign.”

The soon-to-be-open seat represents Sandy’s fourth district, which comprises the southeast section of the city. A full map of the city’s district boundaries can be found at sandy.utah.gov. 

Residents within the fourth district will have several months to consider a run for the vacated seat. According to the utah.gov elections page, the declaration of candidacy period for the 2019 municipal elections runs from June 2–7. 

McCandless shared two reasons for his decision to not seek reelection. First, he said he wants to use his last remaining “viable working years” focusing on other areas. 

Secondly, he pointed to a culture of contentiousness that he said has formed within the Sandy City Council within the last two years.

“Often the negative statements have been personal, rather than issue oriented, and in many cases, uninformed or categorically false,” McCandless said. “Such negative statements become a small rock in the ‘backpack’ of every elected official that he or she gets to carry — 24/7.”

He also drew a parallel to rising incivility at the national level and urged “a return to civility and respect.”

The Sandy Journal will highlight Councilman McCandless’ accomplishments while in office later this year.