Incumbent Erin Mendenhall holds large lead in Salt Lake City mayor's race

Why it matters: The election comes as the city encounters a development boom to accommodate a rapidly growing population.

• Meanwhile, the state's critical housing shortage has contributed to rising home and rental costs, prompting urgent calls for more affordable housing inventory in the city.

Context: The incumbent, who served on the Salt Lake City Council before she was elected mayor in 2019, ran against Anderson, who served between 2000 and 2008, and community activist Michael Valentine.

The intrigue: This is the city's first-ever mayoral election using ranked-choice voting.

Flashback: In 2019, Mendenhall defeated state Sen. Luz Escamilla, a Salt Lake City Democrat, in the mayor's race after collecting nearly 60% of votes.

The big picture: Homelessness quickly emerged as the top issue in the mayoral race.

• Between 2020 and 2022, the number of Utahns experiencing homelessness for the first time rose by 27%, per state figures.

What they're saying: "This election is proof that voters want a city government that allies with its partners instead of fighting with them," Mendenhall told supporters on Tuesday shortly after 9pm.

Of note: Former Utah Republican Gov. Gary Herbert, former U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams (D-Utah), and Salt Lake City Council members Darin Mano, Chris Wharton and Victoria Petro attended Mendenhall's watch party downtown.

The other side: Anderson acknowledged he lost Tuesday evening, but stopped short of conceding.

• "It's not a formal concession, but I do think it would take a minor miracle for this to turn around right now," said Anderson not long after the initial results dropped.