Salt Lake City just elected its first openly gay mayor

According to unofficial vote tallies, Salt Lake City has just elected its first openly gay mayor, reported the Salt Lake City Tribune.

The capital of Utah chose Jackie Biskupski over two-term incumbent Ralph Becker by a slim margin, 52.19% to 47.81%.

Jackie Biskupski

Becker has not conceded and Biskupski’s victory won’t be official until the final canvass on November 17, but it’s already being heralded as a milestone for the LGBT community in the conservative, predominantly Mormon state.

But while Salt Lake City is widely known for housing the world headquarters of the Mormon church, a study published this year found that it has the seventh largest LGBT population among major US cities.

“I feel great,” Biskupski said of the election-night count. “We maintained that lead we had, and we’re going to finish strong, I know it.”

Utah senator Jim Dabakis, who is also openly gay, told the SLC Tribune the election was one for the history books. He said, “Generations of LGBT people could’ve only dreamed of this. Jackie is now an iconic gay leader.

“This is a great moment for Salt Lake City — we’re not the stereotype people across the country think we are.”

If her victory becomes official, Biskupski would be Utah’s second out-and-proud mayor. The first was Willy Marshall, who in 2001 was chosen by 90 out of 157 voters to lead the small town of Big Water.

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