Bountiful City’s 2025 Municipal Election will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, giving voters the opportunity to elect a new Mayor and two new City Council members.
Here at The Bountiful Forum, we spoke with all the candidates for both the mayoral and city council races to get more information on their positions and ideas so that you, as a Bountiful resident, can make a more informed decision about who to vote for.
Here is a summary of our meeting with mayoral candidate Kate Bradshaw.
Who is Kate Bradshaw?
Kate Bradshaw is the sole candidate running for mayor in the upcoming election, bringing years of local experience and a long-standing commitment to the community.
Bradshaw has lived in Bountiful her entire life. Growing up, she was actively involved in sports and outdoor activities, including Jeeping, volleyball, and basketball. She also enjoys writing when she has the time.
Bradshaw is the Director of Government Affairs for the law firm Holland & Hart in Salt Lake City, where she assists various clients in navigating regulatory requirements, solving problems, and improving policies across several western states.
Due to her experience, Bradshaw also says that government is something that has always felt accessible to her. But she knows that is not always the case for people.
“When it’s not, when other people feel like [government] is not accessible, then it’s, ‘How can I, how can I help? How can I break it down for you in a newsletter? How can I help solve your question that you emailed or texted about?’ I think a decent communication skill set paired with this understanding of the systems and a willingness to bring them together are things that help.”
Bradshaw also currently serves as a city council member, a position she has held for seven years.
Economic Growth and Development
As mayor, Bradshaw intends to focus on expanding the city’s economic base. She pointed to a recent sales tax leakage study, noting that cities are funded mainly by two things: property taxes and sales tax.
To maintain a balance between growth and low taxes, Bradshaw hopes to increase sales tax revenue by attracting more local businesses, including sit-down restaurants, entertainment venues, and retail options.
She thinks it would be best to focus these additions on gathering points in the city, such as Main Street or the Town Square. But also in other high activity areas, such as the area surrounding Lakeview Hospital, one of Bountiful’s largest employers.
Along with wanting to make sure Bountiful is growing and thriving economically, Bradshaw emphasizes balancing growth with preservation.
“We’re big enough that we get to focus on some of those amenities and services that are kind of the icing on the cake,” she said. But she also pointed out that unlike some other larger cities, Bountiful has a reputation for being well run, with strong traditions of fiscal responsibility.
“And that gives us a really strong platform to do other things well,” Bradshaw said.
Outdoor Recreation and Community Wellbeing
Bradshaw has a big emphasis on parks and trails. She believes open space and recreation are important to the community for both wellbeing and personal development, and she supports the continued development of new and existing spaces in the city.
During our interview, Bradshaw referenced a Utah State study measuring wellbeing that found that Bountiful scores well, reflecting the value of these community spaces.
“Open space contributes to the sense of wellbeing,” Bradshaw said.
She also emphasized the role of sports and outdoor recreation in shaping young people.
“I do think sports and outdoor recreation are part of how we build great humans in that next generation. I think there are lots of ways and places to learn leadership skills and to learn the importance of community, but sports and outdoor recreation are certainly one of them and tried and true.”
Fiscal Responsibility
Bradshaw said that maintaining fiscal responsibility while ensuring smart growth is always a delicate balance, and one that looks different to everyone. She emphasized the importance of public discussion and transparency in the budgeting process, noting that open communication helps residents understand the city’s priorities and the reasoning behind financial decisions.
Bountiful, she said, is in a strong financial position, with the highest bond rating available for a city of its size and reserves at the state-allowed maximum. Bradshaw credited past city leaders for laying a strong foundation through wise investments in systems like the power department, secondary water districts, and shared regional services such as sewer and fire districts.
She said the city follows strict procurement policies, seeks low bids, and works hard to stay within budgeted limits.
As an example of fiscal stewardship, Bradshaw pointed to Orchard Drive, where the city chose durable concrete over asphalt because of stable soil conditions — an investment that has proven long-lasting despite being noisier to drive on. She also noted she will strive to be proactive when planning for future projects, such as repairing city water tanks.
Ultimately, Bradshaw said the ongoing challenge for her is finding the “sweet spot” between maintaining high-quality infrastructure and services while keeping things affordable for residents.
How/Where to Vote
For more information on how/where to vote, you can visit Bountiful City’s website here, or Davis County’s website here.
