UT-01: Eva Lopez Chavez (D) ousted from Salt Lake City Council seat after residency investigation

Salt Lake City Council member Eva Lopez Chavez has been ousted from her seat after a city investigation determined she did not meet the residence requirements for the office. It’s the first time the city council has automatically vacated a seat because of a residence disqualification established by both city and state law.

The investigation followed a late April tip from a concerned District 4 constituent who provided documentation showing that Lopez Chavez had bought a home outside of the boundaries of the district she represented in the council. The deed signed by Lopez Chavez established she had to occupy the property as her primary residence within 60 days of execution.

That was on Sept. 30, 2025, Keith Reynolds, Salt Lake City Recorder told Lopez Chavez in a letter informing her of the investigation’s findings.

“I find that you no longer maintain your principal place of residence within District 4 and instead you have established a principal place of residence outside District 4,” Reynolds wrote in the letter. “As a result of that conclusion, I find that the District 4 City Council seat is automatically vacant under Utah law and advise the City Council to take steps to fill the vacant seat pursuant to Utah law.”



https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2026/05/12/eva-lopez-chavez-removed-salt-lake-city-council-residency-investigation/