Sharon Ullman

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Sharon Ullman

Republican Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

May 21, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

University of California, Berkeley, 1985

Personal

Profession

Advocate

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Personal Facebook

Sharon Ullman (Republican Party) ran for election to the Ada County Board of Commissioners to represent District 3 in Idaho. She lost in the Republican primary on May 21, 2024.

Ullman completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Ullman is a former county commissioner of Ada County, Idaho.

Biography

Sharon Ullman earned a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 1985. Her career experience includes working as an advocate.

Elections

2024

See also: Municipal elections in Ada County, Idaho (2024)

General election

General election for Ada County Board of Commissioners District 3

Incumbent Tom E. Dayley defeated Devin Gutierrez in the general election for Ada County Board of Commissioners District 3 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tom E. Dayley (R)	58.6	147,303
		Devin Gutierrez (D)	41.4	104,188

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 251,491
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Ada County Board of Commissioners District 3

Devin Gutierrez advanced from the Democratic primary for Ada County Board of Commissioners District 3 on May 21, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Devin Gutierrez	100.0	13,187

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 13,187
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Jennifer Andrews-Kelley (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Ada County Board of Commissioners District 3

Incumbent Tom E. Dayley defeated Branden Durst, Sharon Ullman, and Heather Luther in the Republican primary for Ada County Board of Commissioners District 3 on May 21, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tom E. Dayley	37.8	16,552
		Branden Durst	26.6	11,638
		Sharon Ullman	20.2	8,833
		Heather Luther	15.5	6,778

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 43,801
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Ullman in this election.

2022

See also: Municipal elections in Ada County, Idaho (2022)

General election

Special general election for Ada County Board of Commissioners District 3

Tom E. Dayley defeated Patricia Nilsson and Anthony Jones in the special general election for Ada County Board of Commissioners District 3 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tom E. Dayley (R)	51.8	92,251
	Submit photo	Patricia Nilsson (D)	43.3	77,127
		Anthony Jones (Independent)	4.8	8,628

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 178,006
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Special Democratic primary for Ada County Board of Commissioners District 3

Patricia Nilsson advanced from the special Democratic primary for Ada County Board of Commissioners District 3 on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Patricia Nilsson	100.0	13,052

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 13,052
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Lisa Shultz (D)

Republican primary election

Special Republican primary for Ada County Board of Commissioners District 3

Tom E. Dayley defeated Sharon Ullman and Dawn Retzlaff in the special Republican primary for Ada County Board of Commissioners District 3 on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Tom E. Dayley	38.1	23,084
		Sharon Ullman	36.3	22,005
	Submit photo	Dawn Retzlaff	25.6	15,517

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 60,606
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2018

See also: Municipal elections in Ada County, Idaho (2018)

General election

General election for Ada County Board of Commissioners District 3

Kendra Kenyon defeated Sharon Ullman in the general election for Ada County Board of Commissioners District 3 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kendra Kenyon (D)	52.6	95,552
		Sharon Ullman (R)	47.4	86,160

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 181,712
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Ada County Board of Commissioners District 3

Kendra Kenyon advanced from the Democratic primary for Ada County Board of Commissioners District 3 on May 15, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kendra Kenyon	100.0	22,655

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 22,655
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Ada County Board of Commissioners District 3

Sharon Ullman defeated incumbent Dave Case and Tom Morgan in the Republican primary for Ada County Board of Commissioners District 3 on May 15, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sharon Ullman	42.8	16,373
	Submit photo	Dave Case	36.3	13,870
	Submit photo	Tom Morgan	20.9	8,007

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 38,250
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2010

See also: Idaho gubernatorial election, 2010 and Gubernatorial elections, 2010

2010 Race for Governor - Republican Primary
Candidates		Percentage
Walt Bayes (R)		3.0%
Governor C. L. "Butch" Otter (R)		54.6%
Ron Peterson (R)		5.2%
Rex Rammell (R)		26.0%
Sharon Margaret Ullman (R)		8.4%
Tamara Wells (R)		0.3%
Fred Nichols (write-in) (R)		0.0%
Total votes		163,111

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Sharon Ullman completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Ullman's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

For three decades, I have been a tireless advocate for taxpayers and ratepayers on local issues and am a proven, effective, leader. County spending is out of control. The Ada County budget was just shy of $342 million in 2023 and this year is over $374 million, a more than 9 percent increase in the one year the incumbent has been in office!!

As a two-term Ada County commissioner, I collaborated with my colleagues to provide $94 million in property tax relief. Please see Sharonu.com/Accomplishments for specifics.

Prior to taking public office, I worked on local issues as diverse as sewer implementation rates, water rates, trash service, public school facilities utilization, and for a decade had attended countless county meetings and public hearings. My Ada County institutional knowledge is greater than that of any other candidate. I offer specific proposals, not just vague goals, on ways to make Ada County government more efficient.

Zero-based budgeting (starting from scratch and constructing a new budget every year rather than starting with the prior budget and adding to it) is the best way to find and cut wasteful spending. I have proposed specific solutions to the overspending. Please see sharonu.com/blog/cut-the-waste/ for details.

My breadth and depth of local government experience, passion for good public policy, and proven record of success set me apart from my competitors. I thoroughly research issues and report the facts. Please see sharonu.com/ to learn more.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• My highest priority is to property tax relief and cut wasteful county spending. My goals include using zero-based budgeting to cut county spending, advocating for tying the Homeowner’s Exemption to the Housing Price Index, and working to increase eligibility for property tax reduction programs.
• I am also passionate about providing emergency services and promoting public safety. Timing of the failed 2023 jail bond election was poor. A better time will be after Micron’s new fab is done, when 3,700 construction workers become available to work on the jail, and lower interest rates are predicted. Meanwhile, we must work with Idaho Department of Corrections to remove state inmates from our county jail. Problem-solving courts, begun in 1999, also replace incarceration.
• We must address affordable growth. The BSU Public Policy Survey reports 69 percent of Idahoans think Idaho is growing too fast. Let’s stop using public funds to promote growth. A majority of those surveyed say housing costs are a “financial strain.” Solutions will be multi-faceted and can include house sharing (promoted by NeighborWorks Boise,) Accessory Dwelling Units, 3D concrete printing, and streamlining the Ada County Development Services process as much as possible while ensuring public participation.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I'm passionate about good public policy and streamlining the provision of necessary county government services. Let's enforce the good laws and either amend or get rid of the bad ones. A vote for me is a vote to:

• Cut the current bloated bureaucracy and return to a leaner, more efficient county operation.
•Leave more of your money in your pockets through zero-based budgeting.
•Fight to reduce the burden of Ada County property taxes and fees on you and your family.
•Uphold the U.S. and Idaho Constitutions.

•Support Private Property Rights and Limited Government.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Integrity matters. By not seeking endorsements or taking money from PACs and special interests, I have been able to avoid the pitfalls of elected officials who have been bought and paid for. I am free of obligations other than to serve all residents and taxpayers of Ada County.

To learn more about me, what I stand for, and what I have done on behalf of county residents, I invite you to review my website at www.sharonu.com and read posts on my blog, most of which were written when I was previously an elected Ada County commissioner. Thank you for your interest in this election!

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

When I was 12, I worked at an electronics firm where my dad worked. I helped inventory all electronic components, such as resistors and transistors. The employees liked me so much they kept me around for another month to pull components from inventory and make kits for the assemblers. Eventually, they found and hired a permanent employee for the position, and I went back to middle school at the end of the summer.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

We are not seeking endorsements. The only one that matters is that of the voters on Election Day.

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.

2022

Sharon Ullman did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

2018

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's candidate surveys

Sharon Ullman participated in Ballotpedia's candidate survey on May 8, 2018. The survey questions appear in bold, and Sharon Ullman's responses follow below.

What would be your top three priorities, if elected?

“

• Use zero-based budgeting, in which every expense must be justified each year, to stop wasteful spending and reduce property taxes • Remove the influence of cronyism and political payoffs in Ada County government • Prevent lawsuits such as the one that cost taxpayers $2.7 million when two current commissioners were found guilty of wrongfully firing a county whistleblower • Defend the county against frivolous claims like the Fortistar lawsuit, that had no cause of action and no merit, rather than roll over and burden county taxpayers with a needless $2.6 million settlement • Return integrity and openness to Ada County government • Protect county employees, colleagues and peers around the state from bullying by commissioners • Work to provide increased access to services for west Ada County residents for whom the county courthouse is not conveniently located • Provide the public an insider’s view of government in Ada County through blogging, social media, radio interviews, and public appearances • ALWAYS ask questions and know the facts before voting on issues that affect Ada County taxpayers

”

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why?

“

You can see some of the government issues about which I am passionate in the things I accomplished while in office during two (non-consecutive) terms as an Ada County commissioner. From January 2001-2002, I: • Triggered a $6 million property tax REBATE after I took office and learned the county had a $20 million surplus. • Saved taxpayers $7 million by questioning a costly proposal to purchase a new emergency radio system, leading to a new, lower cost option. • Saved Ada County property taxpayers $412,000 annually (more with inflation) when I learned the state was obligated to fund the pre-sentence investigator program. From January 2009-2013, I, in collaboration with my colleagues: • Left $81 million in property taxpayers’ pockets. • Saved $750,000 on the Republic Services trash hauling contract for ratepayers. • Transferred the poorly-managed Misdemeanor Probation program out of the hands of a private contractor and it is now under county control. • In a foreclosure sale, for a fraction of its market value, purchased the land linking the Ridge-to-Rivers and Avimor trail systems for the enjoyment of county residents. • Spearheaded a collaborative program using ISU students to provide health screenings for low-income residents, stressing personal responsibility and prevention.

”

Ballotpedia also asked the candidate a series of optional questions. Sharon Ullman answered the following:

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow and why?

“

No human being is perfect, but I have always appreciated Idaho Governor Phil Batt, who was in the office from 1995-1999. Governor Batt promoted zero-based budgeting to ensure tax dollars were not being wasted. Beyond that, however, even while in office he was accessible and approachable and had the same kind and pleasant demeanor we saw in President Ronald Reagan. I am only sorry Governor Batt decided not to run for another term.

”

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else that best describes your political philosophy?

“

My political philosophy is concisely conveyed in one short, powerful speech, The Gettysburg Address "Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. "Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. "But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." Abraham Lincoln November 19, 1863

”

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

“

Please read some of my blog posts, at www.SharonU.com/blog/ to learn more.

”

What qualities do you possess that would make you a successful officeholder?

“

Please read some of my blog posts, at www.SharonU.com/blog/ to learn more.

”

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

“

After I completed my GED, my very first full-time, permanent job was as a clerk in a Department of Human Resources when I was 17 years old. I learned all I could while there, but fairly quickly realized I needed more education if I was going to obtain better positions in the future. Eventually, I headed to college at the University of California at Berkeley, an affordable choice at that time because my family lived in California. I know that being from the Pacific Coast is frowned upon by some in Idaho these days; however, I am proud of the fact that my parents lived there because of my mother's service in the U.S. Navy, during which time she was stationed on Treasure Island in the San Francisco Bay.

”

See also

2024 Elections

What's on the ballot? U.S. President U.S. Congress U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

Who represents me? U.S. Congress State executives State legislators State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards

Newsletters

The Daily Brew The Weekly Brew The Ballot Bulletin Checks and Balances Economy and Society Hall Pass Number of the Day Robe & Gavel

External links

Search Google News for this topic

Candidate

Ada County Board of Commissioners District 3

Website

Twitter

Instagram

Personal

Facebook