Utah Voters Oust HB267 Sponsors in Election

Republican Reps. Jordan Teuscher and Sen. Kirk Cullimore lost reelection after lawmakers repealed the law restricting public employee collective bargaining.

Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Unions

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a simplified domed state capitol silhouette above a horizon line, with distant mountains in a pale band behind it. — Utah voters ousted Republican Reps. Jordan Teuscher and Sen. Kirk Cullimore in November after the two sponsored HB267, a 2025 law repealed under labor referendum pressure. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Utah voters ousted Rep. Jordan Teuscher, R-South Jordan, and Sen. Kirk Cullimore, R-Sandy, in the November 2026 elections. Both had sponsored HB267, the 2025 law that would have eliminated collective bargaining for government workers before lawmakers repealed it.

Why it matters

HB267 drew mass opposition from nearly every public labor union in Utah, and labor groups' collection of 251,590 referendum signatures forced lawmakers' hand. The outcome signals that voters can respond to legislation affecting public employees at the ballot box.

Labor groups collected 251,590 valid signatures to place a referendum on HB267, the most successful signature-gathering effort in Utah state history. Birtcher won 52.62% in House District 44 and Anderson won 53.83% in the Senate race as of Wednesday evening, with no reported plans for further legislative action on the repealed law.

The players

Jordan Teuscher

Republican state representative for House District 44 from South Jordan, who sponsored HB267 and has served in the House since 2021.

Kirk Cullimore

Republican state senator from Sandy who sponsored HB267 and lost his reelection bid in the November 2026 general election.

The details

Lawmakers passed HB267, which would have eliminated collective bargaining for government workers in public education, law enforcement, fire departments and public transportation. Labor groups responded by submitting the referendum petition, and lawmakers repealed the law in December 2025 rather than allow it to appear on the ballot. Teuscher wrote in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece that unions refused a compromise on the bill.

January 30, 2025: The Utah Senate voted on HB267 at the Utah Capitol.
May 2025: Labor groups submitted 251,590 valid referendum signatures.
December 2025: Lawmakers repealed HB267 instead of allowing a referendum vote.
November 3, 2026: Voters ousted Teuscher and Cullimore in the general election.

Political Context

Labor groups' 251,590 signatures exceeded the 2018 medical marijuana referendum by about 100,000, making the HB267 petition the most successful signature drive in Utah state history. Opponents of the bill, including nearly every public union in the state, argued it would strip collective bargaining rights for public workers, while Teuscher argued it would bring more voices to the table.

Public employees in Utah, including teachers, police, firefighters and transit workers, retain collective bargaining rights because HB267 was repealed rather than enacted. Residents should expect the new legislative makeup to shape any future proposals affecting government labor contracts.

The takeaway

Organized labor's signature drive showed that a citizen referendum can force lawmakers to reverse course before voters ever cast a ballot. Readers following Utah politics should watch how the incoming legislators approach public employee bargaining.