Legislators / Karen Kwan
“Typical” is the median of all 29 Senate members in the 2026 General Session.
In short
In the 2026 General Session, Sen. Karen Kwan wrote 7 bills (2 passed) and spoke on the record 224 times. They missed 14 of 1080 floor votes (1%) and voted against most of their own party 38 times (4%). Based only on their votes, they are the 4th most liberal of 29 Senate members.
Where they land
4th most liberal of 29 Senate members · 4th most liberal of 6 Democrats
Hover or tap a dot to see who it is.
- Democrat
- Republican
- Forward Party
- Sen. Karen Kwan
How we placed them
Placed only by their own votes: we took the 264 contested Senate floor votes of the 2026 session (where at least 10% voted on the losing side) and found the main line that divides how members vote, the same idea political scientists use to score Congress. No bill is labeled liberal or conservative by us; the conservative end is simply the side where most Republicans fall. More on how this works
See every Senate member in order
- John D. Johnson (R-3)
- Lincoln Fillmore (R-17)
- Daniel McCay (R-18)
- Brady Brammer (R-21)
- Wayne A. Harper (R-16)
- Keven J. Stratton (R-24)
- Scott D. Sandall (R-1)
- Chris H. Wilson (R-2)
- Heidi Balderree (R-22)
- J. Stuart Adams (R-7)
- Calvin R. Musselman (R-4)
- Ronald M. Winterton (R-20)
- Keith Grover (R-23)
- Michael K. McKell (R-25)
- Jerry W Stevenson (R-6)
- Derrin R. Owens (R-27)
- Ann Millner (R-5)
- Kirk A. Cullimore (R-19)
- Todd Weiler (R-8)
- Don L. Ipson (R-29)
- David P. Hinkins (R-26)
- Evan J. Vickers (R-28)
- Emily Buss (F-11)
- Luz Escamilla (D-10)
- Jen Plumb (D-9)
- Karen Kwan (D-12)
- Stephanie Pitcher (D-14)
- Kathleen A. Riebe (D-15)
- Nate Blouin (D-13)
Most conservative first.
Do their actions match their words?
Sen. Karen Kwan measured against their own campaign promises and claims.
3 too early (of 3 promises)
EthicsSupport ethics investigations into financial conflicts and misconduct by any elected official.Too early
What they said: nothing found Bills: nothing found Votes: nothing foundStated in October 2026. Will be checked against the 2027 session.
Health careWork to lower prescription drug costs.Too early
What they said: nothing found Bills: on the record Votes: nothing foundStated in October 2026. In 2026 she sponsored S.B. 175 (Health Insurance Revisions), which was signed; it is not a drug-price bill.
WaterSupport tying development to reliable water supplies.Too early
What they said: nothing found Bills: nothing found Votes: nothing foundStated in October 2026. Will be checked against the 2027 session.
Tap any row to see what we checked. Full details and sources · How we score
Do they follow their party's stated positions?
Sen. Karen Kwan measured against the Utah House Democratic Caucus's 2026 priorities. The Utah Democratic Party's own platform (April 2024) states broad values with no planks a bill can be checked against, so Democrats in both chambers are measured against the House Democratic Caucus's 2026 agenda, the most specific one either Democratic caucus published.
10 of their 10 final floor votes on these bills went the platform's way · typical Senate member: 100%
Typical Senate Democrat: 100%.
6 sided with it · 5 no record on it (of 11 positions)
Courts and checks and balancesProtect the constitutional checks and balances between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.Sided with it
What they said: nothing found Bills: nothing found Votes: matchesVoted with this plank 1 of 1 times. Bills checked: H.B. 392, H.B. 600.
Child care costsLessen the cost of access to safe, reliable childcare so parents and caregivers can fully participate in the workforce.Sided with it
What they said: on the record Bills: nothing found Votes: matchesVoted with this plank 3 of 3 times. Bills checked: H.B. 525, S.B. 214, S.B. 248, H.B. 190.
Great Salt LakeCreate policy for better management, conservation, and prioritization of the Great Salt Lake.Sided with it
What they said: nothing found Bills: nothing found Votes: matchesVoted with this plank 3 of 3 times. Bills checked: H.B. 410, H.B. 348, H.B. 296, H.B. 400.
Renters and first-time buyersExpand affordable, entry-level pathways to homeownership, protect renters, and limit the impact of institutional investorsNo record on it
What they said: nothing found Bills: nothing found Votes: nothing foundNone of these bills reached a Senate floor vote. Bills checked: H.B. 478, H.B. 541.
Immigrant familiesSupport immigrant families and ensure fair, humane, and lawful treatment.No record on it
What they said: nothing found Bills: nothing found Votes: nothing foundNone of these bills reached a Senate floor vote. Bills checked: H.B. 287, H.B. 571.
Access to health careFight to increase access to affordable, high-quality healthcare, including mental and behavioral health services,…Sided with it
What they said: nothing found Bills: nothing found Votes: matchesVoted with this plank 1 of 1 times. Bills checked: H.B. 471.
Firearm safety standardsSupport responsible firearm policies that promote safe ownership, training, and use, including concealed carry standards.Sided with it
What they said: nothing found Bills: nothing found Votes: matchesVoted with this plank 1 of 1 times. Bills checked: H.B. 84, H.B. 80.
Vote by mailDefend vote-by-mail as a vital tool for voter accessibility, especially in rural communities,…No record on it
What they said: nothing found Bills: nothing found Votes: nothing foundNone of these bills reached a Senate floor vote. Bills checked: H.B. 479.
Ballot initiativesReinforce the ballot initiative process and Utahn’s rights to alter or reform their government.No record on it
What they said: nothing found Bills: nothing found Votes: nothing foundNone of these bills reached a Senate floor vote. Bills checked: H.B. 160.
Air qualityAdvocate for improved air quality along the Wasatch Front and throughout the state.No record on it
What they said: nothing found Bills: nothing found Votes: nothing foundNone of these bills reached a Senate floor vote. Bills checked: H.B. 564.
LGBTQ+ UtahnsUphold the rights, dignity, and safety of LGBTQ+ Utahns.Sided with it
What they said: on the record Bills: nothing found Votes: matchesVoted with this plank 1 of 1 times. Bills checked: H.B. 404, H.B. 193, H.B. 183.
Tap any row to see what we checked. · How we score
Bills they wrote
All 7 →- S.B. 14 Utah Commission on Aging Sunset Amendments · Did not pass
- S.B. 29 Child Care Advisory Committee Amendments · Did not pass
- S.B. 53 Public Land Management Advisory Board Amendments · Did not pass
- S.B. 79 Verification Form Amendments · Did not pass
- S.B. 106 Educator Compensation Amendments · Did not pass
What they've said lately
All 224 →H.B. 420 Municipal Office Vacancy Modifications · Senate floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026
Presents H.B. 420, which lets municipalities use a random, fair selection method to break ties among three or more candidates in municipal vacancies, citing recent tie-break coin tosses in Midvale and West Valley City, and says the League of Cities and Towns supports it.
▶ Watch at 2:04:38Read what they said
Thank you Mr. President. So this is a, uh, bill that we saw last year, um, and it was vetoed, but we made it better. It's, uh, in a municipal vacancy when there is a tie of three or more candidates, this gives the, uh, locals, uh, the control to use a random and a fair selection way. Uh, to break a three-way, this three-way tie, um, it, you still can use a coin toss for a two-way tie. Uh, but the need for this was Midvale just, uh, had this happen where they went 12 rounds of coin tosses. West Valley City had the, the same issue. And I've heard of other municipalities having the same issue as well. …
H.B. 420 Municipal Office Vacancy Modifications · Senate floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026
Yields to Senator Fillmore's question and responds briefly, saying she has no particular answer for it.
▶ Watch at 2:05:51Read what they said
I I will, You don't need to on that one, but if you want to that's okay. I, I will yield, but I have no clever retort for that. So, uh, if maybe we can take it off, uh, offline. Thank you, Mr. President. Now it's going.
H.B. 420 Municipal Office Vacancy Modifications · Senate floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026
Gives closing summary that coin tosses remain an option for two-person ties, notes that choosing by lots has ancient origins, and calls the question.
▶ Watch at 2:07:52Read what they said
Thank you, Mr. President. The coin toss is still an option, uh, for two or, or, uh, for, for a tie between two people. Coins coin toss is still in, uh, play there and, uh, municipalities can choose to use a coin coin toss if they, uh, would like to do that. Um, but this is a, a choosing by lots is actually something that came about by ancient e uh, ancient, uh, Athens. And I'm, so, it has been around for a long time. Uh, but I'm not gonna go into the whole history of this and I will call the question, Mr. President.
Town halls, questionnaires, and attendance
Candidate questionnaires
- ✓ Answered: Salt Lake Tribune 2026 candidate survey
Town halls
None confirmed yet. Most town halls are announced on Facebook, which we can't search, so this list is incomplete. Held or went to one? Send the link to ontherecordutah@gmail.com and we'll add it.
Floor votes missed
14 of 1080 (1%)
Typical member: 8% of floor votes
We list only town halls and questionnaires we can confirm from a public source, so a short list doesn't mean Sen. Karen Kwan hasn't met with voters. A missed vote can have a good reason, such as illness or a family emergency.
Hear from them directly
Contact Sen. Karen Kwan
- Email: kkwan@le.utah.gov
- Phone: 385-249-0683
- Office: PO BOX 701194, West Valley City, UT, 84170
Constituents get priority, so say you live in their district. Writing about a specific bill? Open it and use Take action for a ready-to-send message.
Watch or join a meeting
Every committee hearing and floor session is open to the public and streamed live on le.utah.gov. Each committee's agenda has the link to watch or join online, and how to sign up for public comment.
Karen Kwan serves on:
- Executive Appropriations Committee
- Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee
- Transportation and Infrastructure Appropriations Subcommittee
- Economic Development and Workforce Services Interim Committee
- Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Interim Committee
- General Oversight Committee
- Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services Confirmation Committee
- Federalism Commission
- Legislative Management Committee
- Senate Retirement and Independent Entities Confirmation Committee
- Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee
- Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Confirmation Committee
- Senate Economic Development and Workforce Services Committee
- Senate Ethics Committee
- Senate Rules Committee
- Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy, and Technology Committee
- Subcommittee on Oversight
About
- In office since
- January 1, 2017
- Counties
- Salt Lake
- Profession
- Associate Professor
- Affiliations
- OCA, Asian Pacific American Advocates - Utah Chapter past chairperson; Rocky Mountain Psychological Association
- Education
- B.A. Psychology and M.A. Clinical Psychology - Pepperdine University; Ed.D. Educational Leadership and Policy - University of Utah Psychology
- Honors and awards
- 2014 SLCC Distinguished Faculty Lecturer
- kkwan@le.utah.gov
Money and conflicts of interest
- Campaign finance reports (who donated to their campaign, from the Lt. Governor's disclosure site)
- Conflict-of-interest disclosures (jobs, businesses, and boards they must report each year): latest, earlier 1, earlier 2, earlier 3
Coming next: their top donors and disclosed interests shown next to the related votes.
Profile details come from the Utah Legislature's official legislator data.