Sim Gill seeks reelection as Salt Lake County attorney

Sim Gill, the Democratic candidate for Salt Lake County attorney, is seeking reelection in the Nov. 3 general election. He faces Republican Kent Davis.

Gill said in our candidate questionnaire that he is running "to continue the important work we've accomplished in my tenure as District Attorney: building the programs that reform our criminal justice system without compromising public safety." He added, "My office has created Utah's first Mental Health Court, first Veterans Court, and first Pre-Filing Diversion Program. We've built a Survivor and Victim Support Services Division, and made our charging decisions public through an online dashboard."

The Draper Herald sent questionnaires to candidates in contested races across Salt Lake County. Gill's responses, quoted throughout, reflect his own words and claims.

Candidate information

Party: "Democrat," Gill said in our questionnaire.

Family: "I live in Salt Lake with my wife and raised my two children here," Gill said.

Education: "I graduated from Kearns High School, attended the University of Utah to complete a Bachelor's in History and Philosophy, and then pursued a J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School (then Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College), with a Certificate of Specialization in Environmental and Natural Resources Law," Gill said.

Experience and public service

Elected office: "I've served as the Salt Lake County District Attorney since being elected in 2010," Gill said in our questionnaire.

Work history: "I am the current Salt Lake County District Attorney, and I have spent more than 30 years in public service as a public prosecutor," Gill said. "Before being elected District Attorney, I served as Salt Lake City's Chief Prosecutor, and earlier in my career I prosecuted a wide range of criminal cases."

Gill was admitted to the Utah Bar in 1993, according to Wikipedia.

On the issues

What sets him apart: Asked about the critical differences between himself and other candidates, Gill said, "The biggest difference is experience leading a prosecutor's office. I have served as both a line prosecutor and Salt Lake City's Chief Prosecutor, and I have led the largest prosecutor's office in Utah through serious public safety challenges, a pandemic, and major reforms."

He pointed to specific results: "My office built Utah's first Mental Health Court and Veterans Court, a Pre-Filing Diversion Program, a dedicated victim services division, and a public dashboard showing every case we file or decline." He said he has also sent "22 policy proposals to the Legislature, including revisions for how police use-of-force cases are handled."

Accomplishments: Gill said the Pre-Filing Diversion Program "has a success rate above 92 percent" and that the office's Survivor and Victim Support Services Division "puts social workers alongside prosecutors to support victims through the entire judicial process." He also cited Camp Hope, which he described as "a program for children recovering from abuse and trauma."

Data centers and development: Asked how he would advise county commissioners on data center, water rights and development deals, Gill said, "My job as the county's lawyer is to protect Salt Lake County residents and taxpayers, not to rubber-stamp deals." He said he "specialized in environmental and natural resources law" and that he advises "county leaders that data centers and large developments must meet clear standards that protect our water, energy, and air, with rigorous review of water use, power demand, noise, and environmental impact before approval."

Gill said his office is "already part of the county's working group on the data center moratorium, helping craft rules that protect residents and withstand legal challenges." He added, "On any deal, I'll make sure taxpayers are protected with enforceable commitments, repercussions if promises aren't kept, and terms the public can see."