Cal Roberts wins Draper-area House District 46 race

Republican Cal Roberts earned 3,761 votes, or 52.6%, to defeat Democrat Braxten Rutherford's 3,391 votes, or 47.4%, in the Utah House District 46 race, according to unofficial results from Utah Lieutenant Governor's Office, Elections. All reporting units have reported, with 7,152 votes counted and a margin of 370 votes. The win secures Roberts a second term representing the Draper and Bluffdale district.

What was at stake

The District 46 seat represents portions of Draper and Bluffdale in the Utah House of Representatives. The key issues:

• Affordability and housing: Roberts said affordability is "largely a supply problem" and pointed to his work on infrastructure investment to unlock starter homes. Rutherford, who said he rents with family on a teacher's salary, said he would prioritize constituents over corporations, according to a Salt Lake Tribune voter guide published Oct. 12.
• Government accountability: Roberts said he worked on reforms around tax incentives and independent land authorities, arguing taxpayers should not "carry the downside while special interests get all the upside." Rutherford said he would serve with "nonpartisan common sense, decency and integrity."
• Water resources: Roberts called for strategic investment in water infrastructure. Rutherford called preservation of natural water sources "both cost-effective and common sense."

Roberts chairs the Government Operations Committee and co-chairs the Utah Commission on Housing Affordability, giving him a direct role in several of those policy areas.

A little history

Roberts, a former Draper City Council member, won the 2024 Republican primary and ran unopposed to claim the seat, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. His campaign website describes him as a parent of three young children in the Draper-Bluffdale area who owns small businesses employing over 50 people in Salt Lake and Utah counties.

Rutherford, an elementary school teacher at the Waterford School, ran for Draper mayor in 2025 and lost to Troy Walker. Fox 13 reported Walker won that race with 73.1% of the vote to Rutherford's 26.9%.

The Nov. 3 contest was the first time Roberts faced a general-election opponent.

What's next

The results remain unofficial until the county canvass is complete. Counties must finish the canvass no later than Nov. 17. The state board of canvassers meets Nov. 23 to canvass state results, according to Democracy Sentry. Under Utah law, a candidate may request a state-funded recount when the margin is 0.25% or less of total votes cast. Roberts' 5.2-point margin is well above that threshold.

Election results: Utah House of Representatives - District 46 (Utah General Election, 2026-11-03)

Source: Utah Lieutenant Governor's Office, Elections. Results current as of Nov. 3, 2026, 9:05 p.m. MST. Reporting: 1 of 1. Unofficial results; every reporting unit has reported.