Millcreek residents will help decide one of Utah's most closely watched congressional races when polls open Tuesday, Nov. 3, for the new 1st Congressional District.

Five candidates are on the ballot: Democrat Ben McAdams, Republican Riley Owen, Libertarian Jesse West, unaffiliated candidate Elias Henry Montgomery and write-in candidate Bobby Darvish. The district covers the northern two-thirds of Salt Lake County, including Millcreek, and exists because courts ruled the prior congressional maps were unlawfully gerrymandered.

The Cook Political Report rates the redrawn seat as "solid Democrat," according to KSL. That rating makes the race a potential pickup for Democrats trying to flip the narrowly divided U.S. House, KUER reported.

The top two candidates

McAdams, a former Salt Lake County mayor and state senator, served in Congress representing Utah's former 4th District from 2019 to 2021. He won a crowded Democratic primary in June with about 60% of the vote, according to Utah News Dispatch. His 2026 campaign has focused on housing affordability and protecting the Great Salt Lake, KSL reported. McAdams serves on the National Housing Crisis Task Force, a bipartisan effort focused on housing policy solutions.

Owen, 28, is a first-time candidate. He studied at Princeton University, earned a master's degree in public policy at the University of Oxford and worked as a policy analyst at the White House during President Donald Trump's first administration, KSL reported. He serves in the U.S. Navy Reserve as an intelligence officer. Owen won 71.2% of delegate support at the state GOP convention in April, the Deseret News reported.

Both candidates have made affordability a central issue. Owen proposed expanding the federal tax credit for businesses that offer paid maternity leave. McAdams blamed Trump's tariffs and the GOP's spending bill for raising prices, KSL reported.

Money gap

McAdams has vastly outraised his opponent. Through the end of September, McAdams spent more than $1.9 million, including significant amounts on advertising, while Owen spent just under $100,000, according to campaign finance disclosures cited by KSL.

Leah Murray, director of Weber State University's Walker Institute of Politics & Public Service, told KSL that an upset is unlikely. "That is now a non-competitive seat for a Democrat, and Ben McAdams has a ton more money than Riley Owen does," she said.

Other candidates

West is an attorney and chair of the Salt Lake City Libertarian Party, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. Montgomery is an unaffiliated candidate running on lowering prices and government accountability, according to the Tribune. Darvish, a write-in candidate, worked in information technology and cybersecurity, according to his campaign website as cited by the Tribune.

How to vote

Polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 3, according to PBS Utah. Mail ballots must be received by county clerks before 8 p.m. A postmark alone is no longer acceptable under new Utah voter rules, KSL reported. Mail voters must include the last four digits of their Utah state identification card, driver's license or Social Security number on the return envelope. Same-day voter registration is available at polling places with two forms of ID. Voters can check their ballot status or find their polling location at vote.utah.gov.