OGDEN, Utah – One of northern Utah’s major districts will elect a new state senator this November.
Senate District 5, which encompasses Ogden, Washington Terrace, South Ogden, and Mountain Green, is currently represented by state Sen. Ann Millner (R-Ogden). Millner has served in the state Senate since 2015 and chose not to seek reelection this year.
Current state House Rep. Jill Koford (R-Ogden) will face Democrat CJ Hernandez in the race to fill Millner’s seat.
Koford and Hernandez are running at a time when residents want accountability and change.
District 5 residents have been calling on their elected officials for protections from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement as arrests and detainments are up nationwide. In Ogden, an ICE arrest sparked public outrage after an Ogden police officer watched over the scene.
Cities in the district have also seen an outpouring of protests over automated license plate readers (ALPRs). Residents have called for better regulation or outright removal over concerns about surveillance and misuse.
And, like Utahns across the state, District 5 residents face a rising cost of living and difficulty with housing affordability.
Who are the Senate District 5 candidates?
Koford, the Republican in the race, is currently representing District 10 in the state House of Representatives.
She was elected to the legislature in 2024. Koford is also the owner of a graphic design company, Creative Design Ink.
According to her campaign website, Koford’s priorities as a lawmaker include housing affordability, lowering taxes, safeguarding Utah’s water, and limiting government overreach.
Koford also emphasized her belief that lawmakers should be accessible to their constituents and work hard to represent everyone regardless of political party affiliation.
“It is time to come together… and respect one another enough to find common ground to continue moving Utah forward as we lead the nation in freedom and opportunity,” Koford wrote on her campaign site.
Koford told the Washington Terrace City Council there need to be more guardrails around ALPR usage to ensure residents’ right to privacy is maintained.
As for immigration, Koford has voted for stricter laws governing immigrants, like keeping them off of voter rolls—which is already unlawful—requiring more employers to check citizenship status, and limiting immigrants from receiving in-state tuition.
Koford also voted to ban collective bargaining for public employees in 2025.
Hernandez, the Democratic candidate, served as a diplomat for over 20 years before retiring and working for Ogden City as its community affairs coordinator.
According to her campaign website, Hernandez’s platform seeks to address the unaffordable cost of living by abolishing grocery sales tax, creating more housing affordability, and establishing universal childcare.
Hernandez’s platform also includes preserving funding for public schools and protecting Utah’s environment.
“I know the challenges families are facing—rising costs, stretched schools, and growing pressure on our air, water, and the Great Salt Lake. Too often, people feel unheard,” Hernandez wrote on her campaign site.
Hernandez previously told Utah Junction that lawmakers need to push for more transparency and understanding of ALPRs before any more are installed. She said the potential for people to abuse the surveillance system is too high.
Hernandez has also been campaigning on protecting immigrant and worker rights.
The Democrat has called for an overhaul of the immigration system and is against mass detention. She has said Congress should be providing easier paths to citizenship, not criminalizing people who are trying to support their families.
Additionally, Hernandez said she opposes efforts to restrict collective bargaining rights for workers, especially educators.
Senate District 5 voters will have the chance to make their voices heard on Nov. 3. Check whether you’re registered to vote by filling out our form below.
