Erika Carlsen
From Ballotpedia
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Erika Carlsen is a member-elect of the Salt Lake City Council in Utah, representing District 5. She assumes office on January 5, 2026.
Carlsen ran for election to the Salt Lake City Council to represent District 5 in Utah. She won in the general election on November 4, 2025.
Carlsen completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Erika Carlsen was born in Ogden, Utah. She graduated from the University of San Francisco and from Harvard University. Her career experience includes working as a director of operations. She has been affiliated with Spy Hop Productions, Utah Donor Collaborative Foundation, and Ballpark Action Team.[1]
Elections
2025
See also: City elections in Salt Lake City, Utah (2025)
General election
General election for Salt Lake City Council District 5
The ranked-choice voting election was won by Erika Carlsen in round 1 .
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Total votes: 4,320 |
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 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
Endorsements
To view Carlsen's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Carlsen in this election.
Campaign themes
2025
Video for Ballotpedia
| Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released September 16, 2025 |
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Erika Carlsen completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Carlsen's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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My name is Erika Carlsen. I’m a native Utahn, a community advocate, a nonprofit leader, and a facilitator. I was the first woman in my family to attend college, and I went on to earn multiple national fellowships in public policy. After college, I trained community leaders to tackle real-world challenges—from housing to education. When I returned to Utah, I saw a need for collaboration in District 5. I co-founded the Ballpark Action Team—organizing neighbors to build collective power and elevate our voices in local decision-making. I'm ready to bring that same spirit of collaborative, community-centered leadership to City Hall. My promise is simple: I’ll show up, listen, and work with you to create a place we’re all proud to call home.
- As the Co-Founder of the Ballpark Action Team, I organized neighbors to build collective power and elevate our voices in local decision-making. I facilitated multiple meetings with over 150 residents to mourn the loss of the Bees from our neighborhood and imagine what comes next. Community leadership means having community pride, so I helped bring banners to the Ballpark and organized our first-ever community-wide yard sale. Community-powered leadership starts from the ground up. That’s why our campaign has knocked on over 5,000 doors and held many meetings with residents – because it's about hearing directly from neighbors about what they want to see change. I’m ready to bring community-powered leadership to City Hall.
- I’ve spent my career teaching leadership skills to advocates who want to make a difference. I know that the best solutions don’t come from one person alone. Leadership means inspiring and aligning others to achieve common goals. I’ll bring elected officials, residents, business leaders, and others together across differences to build consensus and take action. That’s why I’m so proud to be endorsed by so many elected officials, small business owners, first responders, and labor unions that represent working people. It’s only by working together that we can tackle housing, homelessness, economic development, transit, and ensure we have safe streets and parks so that Salt Lake City is a place we’re all proud to call home.
- At neighborhood meetings, I hear the same concerns about the high cost of housing. Too many Salt Lakers can’t find a home they can afford, and too many are worried they’re one rent increase away from displacement. Stability starts when neighbors can root where they live. As your Council Member, I’ll push to continue protecting tenants from displacement, work to preserve our current affordable housing, and build new family-sized housing that complements the character of our neighborhoods. We’ve greatly increased rental units in SLC, but rentals aren’t for everyone. I’ll prioritize creating more pathways for affordable homeownership and equity-building, so that together we can create thriving multi-generational neighborhoods.
I’ve heard from neighbors that they want safe streets, walkable neighborhoods, robust local businesses, and welcoming parks and community spaces for us to gather. I’ll work to deliver results that matter to the people of our community by prioritizing safe neighborhoods, well-maintained roads, and clean, safe, and welcoming green spaces. I’ll work to cultivate thriving centers of local business activity, like those we see along Harvey Milk Boulevard, and be an advocate for small business owners who help cultivate the spirit and fabric of our city. I know that the best solutions come from working together, and I’m excited to bring that spirit of collaboration to the Salt Lake City Council.
I come from a family of public servants, and growing up, I learned that love isn’t just a feeling–it’s a practice. My abuela always welcomed neighborhood kids into her kitchen for a warm meal, giving whatever she could back to our community, even though she didn’t have much herself. And decades later, those same kids returned to thank her. This memory is the foundation of who I am and how I lead. I know the power of giving back to your community, and I recognize the difference that can be made when we work to support one another. I’m proud to have had a supportive upbringing, one that taught me the value of hard work, perseverance, and the importance of lending a helping hand.
The most important characteristics for an elected official are integrity, trust, accountability, care, persuasion, long-term vision, responsible stewardship of public funds and resources, listening, and consistently showing up. In my opinion, the most effective elected officials don’t think they have all the answers – instead, they listen, they engage, they work with the community and invested stakeholders to find the solutions together. And they remember that above all, they are accountable to the current and future residents of Salt Lake City. We need to make decisions that benefit residents not only today, but also the residents to come in the next decades. That’s what long-term, community-rooted stewardship looks like.
This office requires dedication, heart, listening, critical thinking, and leadership. I’ve shown that dedication in my previous community organizing work, in my professional life, and in my campaign. That’s why I’m so proud we’ve knocked on so many doors, held many meet and greets with neighbors, met with local business owners, and built established relationships that will help me hit the ground running on day one in office. Here’s my promise: I will work every day to show up, listen, and work with community members to ensure that District 5 and Salt Lake City are places everyone’s proud to call home, now and into the future.
This office requires dedication, heart, listening, critical thinking, and leadership. I’ve shown that dedication in my previous community organizing work, in my professional life, and in my campaign. That’s why I’m so proud we’ve knocked on so many doors, held many meet and greets with neighbors, met with local business owners, and built established relationships that will help me hit the ground running on day one in office. Here’s my promise: I will work every day to show up, listen, and work with community members to ensure that District 5 and Salt Lake City are places everyone’s proud to call home, now and into the future.
Hard work is one of my core values. Right after I turned 15, I immediately went to work for McDonald’s and often worked evenings and the weekend shifts from 7am - 1pm. I worked there for a full year. Afterwards, I went on to work as a bagger at the local grocery store and a server in a local restaurant. Those early career experiences instilled in me a sense of hard work, respect, and a commitment to improving conditions for working people.
As a young queer person growing up in Utah, I often felt afraid, different, and not good enough. Coming to terms with my identity as a queer Latina was difficult. I encountered homophobia and endured many difficult conversations with people, even family members, who “just didn’t get it.”
Now, as an adult, I have more empathy. I used what were painful experiences of feeling othered to realize that each person has felt that same feeling of otherness, or not good enough, at some point in their lives. What was a difficult struggle in my life has become one of my greatest sources of compassion, connection, and care. It taught me that we don’t have to always see eye to eye, but every person deserves to be seen and respected for who they are.
Now, as an adult, I have more empathy. I used what were painful experiences of feeling othered to realize that each person has felt that same feeling of otherness, or not good enough, at some point in their lives. What was a difficult struggle in my life has become one of my greatest sources of compassion, connection, and care. It taught me that we don’t have to always see eye to eye, but every person deserves to be seen and respected for who they are.
I believe that experience can come in many forms. While I have a background in leadership, politics, and civic engagement, I don’t believe it’s a prerequisite in order to get involved and improve your community. That’s why I’m so proud of the work I did with the Ballpark Action Team – what started as a grassroots group of neighbors has become a robust community organization that brings people together to improve our neighborhood. We need more avenues for ordinary neighbors and small business owners to get to know each other and feel empowered to improve our communities. It’s okay to start small, host neighborhood block parties or community yard sales – it’s only when neighbors are connected to each other and care about their neighborhoods that things begin to change.
As a nonprofit leader, facilitator, and organizer, I’ve worked across sectors to build coalitions, train leaders, and help communities find solutions that work for them. I have the experience, skills, and working relationships it takes to turn ideas into action and get things done at City Hall.
As a nonprofit leader, facilitator, and organizer, I’ve worked across sectors to build coalitions, train leaders, and help communities find solutions that work for them. I have the experience, skills, and working relationships it takes to turn ideas into action and get things done at City Hall.
To be an effective leader, it takes a deep commitment embodying community values and skills to bridge the gap between politics and the community. I prioritize values of connection, collaboration, leadership, inclusion, and accountability, which I believe are important to hold when seeking office. I believe those who seek office should be vehemently committed and accountable to the people they serve.
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, the sitting Council Member for District 5, Darin Mano, as well as Salt Lake City Council Members Chris Wharton, Sarah Young, and Victoria Petro. Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson, Former Congressman Ben McAdams, Salt Lake County Council Member Ross Romero. I’ve also been endorsed by the following organizations: Democratic Municipal Officials, the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 3, NewPolitics, Salt Lake City Firefighters Local 81, Stewardship Utah, and more.
I start almost every morning with a walk at Liberty Park, which is our biggest park, in the heart of District 5. One morning, I noticed two elderly ladies, one with a cane and the other with a walker, holding plastic bags. As I passed them, I asked, “Are you picking up trash?”, and they replied, “Yes, we’ve been coming to the park since we were 8 years old, we love this park, and want to help.” This encounter stuck with me. It reminded me that transformative work happens when neighbors love their neighborhood. It demonstrated just how great one small act of service can be. And now, it serves as an inspiration to keep their spirit of service going in every step of this campaign.
When I was growing up, it was always one of my goals to show up and help take care of my family. My extended family had given me so much, even when they had little to share. I worked hard, went to school, and began a career working for nonprofits. I thought supporting my family meant helping them to get ahead financially. I didn’t realize that I’d have another opportunity to support them.
When my Tía got sick and was placed on dialysis, I didn’t hesitate. I immediately began the process of seeing if I could become a kidney donor for her. Donating my kidney to my Tía was one of my proudest moments in life, and has made me a passionate advocate for organ donation. It was a moment where I could show up and repay my family for all the love they’ve given me in a way that would allow a cherished member of our family to regain her health and live a long life. It’s been 8 years since that kidney donation, and I’m so grateful we’re both healthy and doing well.
When my Tía got sick and was placed on dialysis, I didn’t hesitate. I immediately began the process of seeing if I could become a kidney donor for her. Donating my kidney to my Tía was one of my proudest moments in life, and has made me a passionate advocate for organ donation. It was a moment where I could show up and repay my family for all the love they’ve given me in a way that would allow a cherished member of our family to regain her health and live a long life. It’s been 8 years since that kidney donation, and I’m so grateful we’re both healthy and doing well.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2025 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 6, 2025
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