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Legislators / Michael J. Petersen

Rep. Michael J. Petersen
State Representative

Michael J. Petersen

Republican · House District 2

Contact Rep. PetersenSee every vote

4bills written, 4 passedTypical House member: 7 written, 4 passed1budget requests funded, of 1 ($500,000)Typical House member: 0 of 15%of floor votes missedTypical House member: 7%8%of votes against their partyTypical House member: 4%103times on the record

“Typical” is the median of all 74 House members in the 2026 General Session.

In short

In the 2026 General Session, Rep. Michael J. Petersen wrote 4 bills (4 passed), asked the budget committees to fund 1 request (1 funded, $500,000 in all), and spoke on the record 103 times. They missed 45 of 827 floor votes (5%) and voted against most of their own party 62 times (8%). Based only on their votes, they are the 2nd most conservative of 71 House members.

Where they land

2nd most conservative of 71 House members · 2nd most conservative of 57 Republicans

Sandra Hollins (D-21)Hoang Nguyen (D-23)Sahara Hayes (D-32)Rosalba Dominguez (D-35)Angela Romero (D-25)Jennifer Dailey-Provost (D-22)Doug Owens (D-33)John Arthur (D-41)Jake Fitisemanu (D-30)Grant Amjad Miller (D-24)Carol S. Moss (D-34)Verona Mauga (D-31)Andrew Stoddard (D-40)Ashlee Matthews (D-37)Clinton Okerlund (R-42)James A. Dunnigan (R-36)Leah Hansen (R-51)Anthony E. Loubet (R-27)Tracy Miller (R-45)Raymond P. Ward (R-19)Paul A. Cutler (R-18)Steve Eliason (R-43)Christine F. Watkins (R-67)Doug Welton (R-65)Ariel Defay (R-15)Melissa G. Ballard (R-20)Karen M. Peterson (R-13)David Shallenberger (R-58)Calvin Roberts (R-46)Norman K Thurston (R-62)R. Neil Walter (R-74)Jon Hawkins (R-55)Cheryl K. Acton (R-38)Jordan D. Teuscher (R-44)Nelson T. Abbott (R-57)Lisa Shepherd (R-61)Stephen L. Whyte (R-63)Jason E. Thompson (R-3)Stewart E. Barlow (R-17)Joseph Elison (R-72)Colin W. Jack (R-73)Thomas W. Peterson (R-1)Walt Brooks (R-75)Doug Fiefia (R-48)Matt MacPherson (R-26)Logan Monson (R-69)Carl R. Albrecht (R-70)Val L. Peterson (R-56)Mike Schultz (R-12)Bridger Bolinder (R-29)Scott H. Chew (R-68)Troy Shelley (R-66)Casey Snider (R-5)Ryan D. Wilcox (R-7)Jill Koford (R-10)Jake Sawyer (R-9)Candice B. Pierucci (R-49)Katy Hall (R-11)A. Cory Maloy (R-52)Kay J. Christofferson (R-53)Karianne Lisonbee (R-14)Ken Ivory (R-39)Kristen Chevrier (R-54)Mike L. Kohler (R-59)Rex P. Shipp (R-71)Jason B. Kyle (R-8)Stephanie Gricius (R-50)Nicholeen P. Peck (R-28)Tiara Auxier (R-4)Mark A. Strong (R-47)Michael J. Petersen (R-2)Rep. Michael J. Petersen

Hover or tap a dot to see who it is.

How we placed them

Placed only by their own votes: we took the 222 contested House 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 House member in order
  1. Mark A. Strong (R-47)
  2. Michael J. Petersen (R-2)
  3. Tiara Auxier (R-4)
  4. Nicholeen P. Peck (R-28)
  5. Stephanie Gricius (R-50)
  6. Jason B. Kyle (R-8)
  7. Rex P. Shipp (R-71)
  8. Mike L. Kohler (R-59)
  9. Kristen Chevrier (R-54)
  10. Ken Ivory (R-39)
  11. Karianne Lisonbee (R-14)
  12. Kay J. Christofferson (R-53)
  13. A. Cory Maloy (R-52)
  14. Katy Hall (R-11)
  15. Candice B. Pierucci (R-49)
  16. Jake Sawyer (R-9)
  17. Jill Koford (R-10)
  18. Ryan D. Wilcox (R-7)
  19. Casey Snider (R-5)
  20. Troy Shelley (R-66)
  21. Scott H. Chew (R-68)
  22. Bridger Bolinder (R-29)
  23. Mike Schultz (R-12)
  24. Val L. Peterson (R-56)
  25. Carl R. Albrecht (R-70)
  26. Logan Monson (R-69)
  27. Matt MacPherson (R-26)
  28. Doug Fiefia (R-48)
  29. Walt Brooks (R-75)
  30. Thomas W. Peterson (R-1)
  31. Colin W. Jack (R-73)
  32. Joseph Elison (R-72)
  33. Stewart E. Barlow (R-17)
  34. Jason E. Thompson (R-3)
  35. Stephen L. Whyte (R-63)
  36. Lisa Shepherd (R-61)
  37. Nelson T. Abbott (R-57)
  38. Jordan D. Teuscher (R-44)
  39. Cheryl K. Acton (R-38)
  40. Jon Hawkins (R-55)
  41. R. Neil Walter (R-74)
  42. Norman K Thurston (R-62)
  43. Calvin Roberts (R-46)
  44. David Shallenberger (R-58)
  45. Karen M. Peterson (R-13)
  46. Melissa G. Ballard (R-20)
  47. Ariel Defay (R-15)
  48. Doug Welton (R-65)
  49. Christine F. Watkins (R-67)
  50. Steve Eliason (R-43)
  51. Paul A. Cutler (R-18)
  52. Raymond P. Ward (R-19)
  53. Tracy Miller (R-45)
  54. Anthony E. Loubet (R-27)
  55. Leah Hansen (R-51)
  56. James A. Dunnigan (R-36)
  57. Clinton Okerlund (R-42)
  58. Ashlee Matthews (D-37)
  59. Andrew Stoddard (D-40)
  60. Verona Mauga (D-31)
  61. Carol S. Moss (D-34)
  62. Grant Amjad Miller (D-24)
  63. Jake Fitisemanu (D-30)
  64. John Arthur (D-41)
  65. Doug Owens (D-33)
  66. Jennifer Dailey-Provost (D-22)
  67. Angela Romero (D-25)
  68. Rosalba Dominguez (D-35)
  69. Sahara Hayes (D-32)
  70. Hoang Nguyen (D-23)
  71. Sandra Hollins (D-21)

Most conservative first.

Do their actions match their words?

Rep. Michael J. Petersen measured against their own campaign promises and claims.

2 too early (of 2 promises)

Tap any row to see what we checked. Full details and sources · How we score

Do they follow their party's stated positions?

Rep. Michael J. Petersen measured against the Utah Republican Party platform.

Votes with their party's platform100%

12 of their 12 final floor votes on these bills went the platform's way · typical House member: 100%

Typical House Republican: 100%.

6 sided with it · 2 no record on it (of 8 positions)

Tap any row to see what we checked. · How we score

Bills they wrote

What they've said lately

All 103 →

Town halls, questionnaires, and attendance

Candidate questionnaires

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

45 of 827 (5%)

Typical member: 7% of floor votes

We list only town halls and questionnaires we can confirm from a public source, so a short list doesn't mean Rep. Michael J. Petersen 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 Rep. Michael J. Petersen

  • Email: mpetersen@le.utah.gov
  • Phone: 435-770-6925
  • Office: 350 N. State Street, Ste 350, Salt Lake City, UT, 84114

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.

Michael J. Petersen serves on:

  • Criminal Justice Appropriations Subcommittee
  • House Government Operations Committee
  • House Transportation Committee
  • Government Operations Interim Committee
  • Transportation Interim Committee
  • Federalism Commission

How to testify and when your voice matters most →

About

In office since
January 1, 2021
Counties
Cache
Profession
Instructional Designer/Consultant
Education
BS Psychology (BYU); MEd Counseling Psychology (BYU); PhD Instructional Technology (USU)
Honors and awards
None listed in their official profile.
Email
mpetersen@le.utah.gov

Money and conflicts of interest

Coming next: their top donors and disclosed interests shown next to the related votes.

Official biography

Mike Petersen, State Representative for Utah House's District 2, began his legislative service in 2021. Serving the Northern end of Cache Valley, he is committed to several key issues, including the improvement of public education, reliable and affordable energy, and increased trust in election processes. His current assignments include the Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee, House Transportation Committee, House Government Operations Committee (Vice-chair), and the Transportation Interim Committee.<br><br> Mike received his Bachelor's Degree in general psychology from Brigham Young University in 1988. In 1990, he received his Master's Degree in counseling psychology, also from Brigham Young University. He furthered his education at Utah State University, earning his PhD in Instructional Design and Learning Sciences. He is the Vice President of LetterPress Software, a Utah-based instructional design and training development firm. Founded in 1997, LetterPress has been honored with the Best of State award and has created training solutions for numerous organizations, including Ernst & Young, Kaplan, Inc, and 4H. Mike and his wife Sallie moved to North Logan over 30 years ago, and their 40 years of marriage have resulted in four children and ten grandchildren.

Profile details come from the Utah Legislature's official legislator data.

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