Legislators / Michael K. McKell
Michael K. McKell
Republican · Senate District 25 · Majority Assistant Whip
“Typical” is the median of all 29 Senate members in the 2026 General Session.
In short
In the 2026 General Session, Sen. Michael K. McKell wrote 13 bills (10 passed), asked the budget committees to fund 8 requests (6 funded, $25 million in all), and spoke on the record 344 times. They missed 226 of 1080 floor votes (21%) and voted against most of their own party 20 times (2%). Based only on their votes, they are the 14th most conservative of 29 Senate members.
Where they land
14th most conservative of 29 Senate members · 14th most conservative of 22 Republicans
Hover or tap a dot to see who it is.
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- Sen. Michael K. McKell
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 they follow their party's stated positions?
Sen. Michael K. McKell measured against the Utah Republican Party platform (we found no campaign promises of their own).
8 of their 8 final floor votes on these bills went the platform's way · typical Senate member: 100%
Typical Senate Republican: 100%.
5 sided with it · 3 no record on it (of 8 positions)
Right to lifeWe strongly support adoption and oppose abortion, except to preserve the life of the mother or in cases of rape or incest.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. 232.
Right to workWe support the Utah Right to Work Law.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: S.B. 178.
Immigration enforcementWe believe that current laws against employing illegal immigrants should be vigorously enforcedNo 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. 294, H.B. 386, H.B. 287.
Parental rightsWe affirm that parents have the fundamental right and primary responsibility to direct the upbringing of their childrenSided with it
What they said: nothing found Bills: nothing found Votes: matchesVoted with this plank 1 of 1 times. Bills checked: H.B. 259.
Lower taxesHowever, we recognize that the power to tax is also the power to control…Sided with it
What they said: on the record Bills: nothing found Votes: matchesVoted with this plank 1 of 1 times. Bills checked: S.B. 60, H.B. 235.
Right to bear armsWe support the individual constitutionally-protected right of the people to keep and bear arms…Sided with it
What they said: nothing found Bills: nothing found Votes: matchesVoted with this plank 3 of 3 times. Bills checked: H.B. 84, H.B. 214, H.B. 101.
Religious freedomWe claim freedom of religion for every citizen and expect the protection of government…Sided with it
What they said: nothing found Bills: nothing found Votes: matchesVoted with this plank 2 of 2 times. Bills checked: S.B. 174, H.B. 204, S.B. 268.
Work requirements for welfareWe support requiring welfare recipients to work towards self-sufficiency.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.
Tap any row to see what we checked. · How we score
Bills they wrote
All 13 →- S.B. 21 Geothermal Amendments · Became law
- S.B. 45 Kratom Adjustments · Became law
- S.B. 82 Securities Investor Education, Training, and Enforcement Fund Amendments · Became law
- S.B. 152 Public and Higher Education Collaboration · Became law
- S.B. 192 Legislative Activities Amendments · Became law
What they've said lately
All 344 →S.B. 242 Transportation Amendments · Senate floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026
Moves to reconsider H.B. 513 to add a one-word amendment he says was left out, and asks for the bill number.
▶ Watch at 3:40Read what they said
Thank you. Thank you Mr. President. I move to reconsider on house Bill five 13. I inadvertently left off a, an amendment that I had approved online. It's a one word amendment, but I need to, a motion to reconsider, uh, gimme the bill number again, I need the bill number. Uh, Five 13.
S.B. 242 Transportation Amendments · Senate floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026
Says he will place H.B. 513 back on the second reading calendar and calls the bill.
▶ Watch at 4:06Read what they said
I'm gonna place that bill back on the top of the second reading calendar where it came from. I'll call the bill
S.B. 287 Targeted Advertising Tax · Senate floor debate (day 45) · Mar 6, 2026
Says the House improved the bill by adding a public awareness campaign on how the money could be used, and moves to concur.
▶ Watch at 8:21Read what they said
Yeah, I actually think the House did a good job with the bill. They added, they added some educational, um, public awareness campaign to how the money could be used. I I, I think they made it the bill actually better and I think what they did, there was a lot of wisdom to it. So I'd move to Concur.
Town halls, questionnaires, and attendance
Candidate questionnaires
None on file yet.
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
226 of 1080 (21%)
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. Michael K. McKell 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. Michael K. McKell
- Email: mmckell@le.utah.gov
- Phone: 801-798-9000
- Office: 642 KIRBY LANE STE 105, SPANISH FORK, UT, 84660
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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.
Michael K. McKell serves on:
- Executive Appropriations Committee
- General Government Appropriations Subcommittee
- Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee
- Economic Development and Workforce Services Interim Committee
- Government Operations Interim Committee
- Senate Education Confirmation Committee
- Senate Judiciary Confirmation Committee
- Legislative Management Committee
- Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Coordination Committee
- Legislative Water Development Commission
- Utah Commission on Uniform State Laws
- Senate Education Committee
- Senate Ethics Committee
- Senate Government Operations and Political Subdivisions Committee
- Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice Committee
About
- In office since
- January 1, 2013
- Counties
- Utah
- Profession
- Attorney; Title Officer
- Affiliations
- Adjunct Professor, Utah Valley University; Spanish Fork Chamber of Commerce, board member; Spanish Fork Kiwanis, board member; Utah Association for Justice; Central Utah Bar Association; A. Sherman Christensen Inn of Court
- Education
- B.A., Southern Utah University; J.D., University of Idaho
- Honors and awards
- Utah's Legal Elite, Top Lawyers of 2011, 2012; Super Lawyers, Rising Stars 2012
- mmckell@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, earlier 4, earlier 5, earlier 6
Coming next: their top donors and disclosed interests shown next to the related votes.
Official biography
True
Profile details come from the Utah Legislature's official legislator data.