Emily Buss began her political path at the local level by running for the Eagle Mountain City Council, according to a December 17, 2025, article. Buss stated that she ran for city council because she felt unheard and observed that the unique challenges faced by her generation were not being represented, particularly at the state level. She noted that having a seat at the table matters.
Following her local campaign, Buss took a different route to the Utah State Legislature. According to the December 17, 2025, article, the Utah Forward Party nominated Buss to fill the vacant State Senate District 11 seat previously held by State Sen. Daniel Thatcher. This nomination followed a first-of-its-kind online preference poll that was open to all registered voters within the district. The election process used approval voting, and Buss won more than 47% of the 1,324 votes cast in a five-candidate race. This method represented a departure from the delegate-driven replacement votes that Utah’s major political parties typically use. According to the same December 17, 2025, report, Republicans, Democrats, Forward Party members, and unaffiliated voters were all eligible to participate in the process.
As of the December 17, 2025, publication, Buss was awaiting formal appointment and was expected to serve during the upcoming legislative session. To remain in office beyond 2026, she would need to win a traditional election next year. Buss described her campaign as completely grassroots, noting that she used no traditional fundraising or political machinery. Instead, she and her family hand-painted signs by pulling plywood from dumpsters and delivered flyers themselves, according to the December 17, 2025, article.
Buss identified several areas as her top priorities for her work in the Senate. According to the December 17, 2025, article, these include transportation, infrastructure, and housing affordability. Buss stated that rapid development has outpaced state funding and has left cities constrained by state law. She expressed a desire to push for the restoration of local control so that cities can manage growth responsibly, require timely infrastructure improvements, and charge impact fees that reflect the actual cost development places on strained infrastructure. Regarding housing, Buss said she intends to advocate for policies that protect families and first-time homebuyers, including efforts to limit the ability of large investors to buy up single-family homes. She also mentioned a commitment to common sense solutions that prioritize people over party and people over profits, according to the December 17, 2025, article.
What this means for Eagle Mountain
For Eagle Mountain residents, the transition of Emily Buss from a local council candidate to a State Senate nominee means that the concerns of fast-growing communities may have a voice at the State Capitol. According to the December 17, 2025, article, her focus is intended to remain on staying accessible to the people she represents and grounding her work in local realities.
