Emily Buss (politician)
Emily Buss | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Utah Senate from the 11th district | |
| Assumed office December 17, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Daniel Thatcher |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1989 or 1990 (age 35–36) |
| Party | Forward |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Brigham Young University–Idaho |
Emily Buss (born 1990)[1] is an American politician and nonprofit executive who is a member of the Utah State Senate, representing the 11th district as a member of the Forward Party. She won a poll held by the party to choose a successor for outgoing Forward senator Daniel Thatcher, who resigned on December 12, 2025.
Buss has been named one of Utah Business "2026 Forty Under 40"[2] and one of Utah’s 2026 "Remarkable Women".[3] Her nonprofit, Birthday Box Foundation[4] was recognized by Utah’s Governor’s Office of Economic Development as one of "100 Utah Companies Championing Women by the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity".[5]
Career
[edit]Buss served as an AmeriCorps member, where she focused on community service and program development. That led her to the One Utah Service Fellowship, where she became a licensed SSW and case manager.[citation needed]
Buss is a nonprofit director, having co-founded Birthday Box Foundation with her husband Joel, a nonprofit that sends boxes of birthday party supplies to children in need.[6] Buss has been named one of Utah Business "2026 Forty Under 40"[7] and one of Utah’s 2026 "Remarkable Women".[8] Birthday Box Foundation was recognized by Utah’s Governor’s Office of Economic Development as one of "100 Utah Companies Championing Women” in 2025.[9]
Buss was sworn in as Utah’s only third-party state legislator and the youngest sitting Utah State Senator on December 17, 2025, at age 35.[1]
Legislative service
[edit]Buss assumed office in 2025 and serves on the General Government Appropriations Subcommittee, the Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee, the Senate Government Operations Confirmation Committee, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, and the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee.[10]
Personal life
[edit]Buss lives in western Utah County[citation needed] with her husband and their three children.[6]
Electoral history
[edit]Eagle Mountain City Council Election
[edit]Buss announced her candidacy for one of two city council seats up for election in Eagle Mountain, Utah, on June 16, 2025.[11] Buss received 17% of the vote in the municipal open primary, tied for third-place among six candidates, and advanced to the general election with four other candidates.[12] Buss received 24.3% of the vote in the general election, finishing in third-place and just shy of winning a city council seat.[13]
2025 Utah Senate Special Election
[edit]Buss was selected as the Forward Party of Utah's candidate to replace outgoing state senator Daniel Thatcher in Utah's 11th district on December 12, 2025.[14] According to the Forward Party, this was the first time in United States history that approval voting was used to elect a state legislator, and the first time that a political party in the nation opened a replacement vote to all registered voters in a district, regardless of party.[15] Typically, political parties in Utah let only local party delegates in the district vote on replacement legislators.[16] In-person, online, and mail-in voting took place over multiple days, and prospective candidates pledged not to exceed a $300 campaign spending limit.[17] Buss spent $0 on her special election campaign. Following the poll, the Forward Party formally submitted her name to the Governor who, under Utah law, was required to appoint a replacement chosen by the outgoing legislator's political party.[18][19]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | Emily Buss | 625 | 47.21% | |
| Forward | Maleah Bliss | 436 | 32.93% | |
| Forward | Tyley Bean | 426 | 32.18% | |
| Forward | Jeff Marshall | 418 | 31.57% | |
| Forward | Jeff Saunders | 403 | 30.44% | |
| Total votes | 2,308 | |||
| Turnout | 1,324 | |||
References
[edit]- 1 2 Cabrera, Alixel (January 20, 2026). "A third-party senator, a 'teacher of the year' and an 'ordinary citizen.' Meet Utah's new lawmakers". Utah News Dispatch. Retrieved April 11, 2026.
- ↑ "Utah Business 40 Under 40 honorees for 2026: Emily Buss". Utah Business. February 18, 2026. Retrieved April 10, 2026.
- ↑ Severson, George (March 31, 2026). "Emily Buss is Utah's Birthday Box Remarkable Women Honoree". ABC4 Good Things Utah.
- ↑ https://www.birthdayboxfoundation.org/
- ↑ "100 Companies Championing Women". Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity. Retrieved April 10, 2026.
- 1 2 "Hidden Gems: Meet Emily & Joel Buss of Birthday Box Foundation". VoyageUtah. January 15, 2026. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
- ↑ "Utah Business 40 Under 40 honorees for 2026: Emily Buss". Utah Business. February 18, 2026. Retrieved April 10, 2026.
- ↑ Severson, George (March 31, 2026). "Emily Buss is Utah's Birthday Box Remarkable Women Honoree". ABC4 Good Things Utah.
- ↑ "100 Companies Championing Women". Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity. Retrieved April 10, 2026.
- ↑ "Senator | Utah Senate". senate.utah.gov. Retrieved April 11, 2026.
- ↑ Kieffer, Mike (June 16, 2025). "Emily Buss Announces Candidacy for Eagle Mountain City Council". Cedar Valley Sentinel. Archived from the original on April 3, 2026. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
- ↑ Maffitt, Tyler (August 12, 2025). "Eagle Mountain Municipal Primary Election results". Eagle Mountain City. Archived from the original on April 3, 2026. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
- ↑ Maffitt, Tyler (November 19, 2025). "Municipal General Election results canvassed Tuesday night". Eagle Mountain City. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
- ↑ "Emily Buss wins preference poll in Senate District 11 race - Utah Policy". Utah Policy. December 12, 2025. Archived from the original on December 19, 2025. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
- ↑ "Emily Buss wins preference poll in Senate District 11 race". Utah Policy. December 12, 2025. Retrieved December 13, 2025.
- ↑ Beal-Cvetko, Bridger (December 12, 2025). "Emily Buss wins preference poll to replace state Sen. Daniel Thatcher of the Forward Party". KSL. Retrieved December 13, 2025.
- ↑ "Home". 11 Chooses. Retrieved December 13, 2025.
- ↑ Stern, Emily Anderson; Baird, Addy (December 12, 2025). "Meet Utah's newest lawmaker – she's not a Republican or a Democrat". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved December 13, 2025.
- ↑ McKellar, Katie (December 12, 2025). "Utah Forward Party's first-of-its-kind preference poll picks a winner to replace Sen. Thatcher". Utah News Dispatch. Retrieved December 13, 2025.
