Utah Citizen Activists and Medicaid Expansion

“Karina Andelin Brown, 46, was one of the activists who originally submitted Proposition 3 in November 2017, kicking off the campaign. A stay-at-home parent in Logan, Brown was a lifelong Republican before becoming active in her local Democratic Party in 2016. She ran a long-shot candidacy for the state House of Representatives seat in her northeastern Utah district last year, but lost to the GOP incumbent 76 percent to 24 percent.

Brown is upset the legislature didn’t allow Proposition 3 to take effect as voters approved, but said she’s still glad at least some more Utahns will have access to health care.  

“It shows that Utahns are more progressive than our elected officials,” Brown said. “I hope that Utahns are motivated and take that frustration they feel, or happiness, or excitement, or whatever they feel from this whole process and take it into the 2020 elections.”

Cache Valley United for Change

“Brown said it is important that Cache Valley has a group for people of different political, religious and occupational backgrounds.

“I want us to come together to discuss important issues at the local, state and federal level and learn how to create a habit of civic engagement to create change,” Brown said. “I hope this group will learn how to advocate effectively and influence legislation and policy that will improve the lives of Cache Valley residents.”

Brown ran for Utah House of Representatives District 5 during the last campaign cycle and said that although she didn’t win the election, she has become even more optimistic about the common values Cache Valley residents and Utahns share.

“This optimism motivates me to work with people of different political backgrounds for causes we believe in such as child abuse prevention and health care access,” Brown said. “That’s why I’m so excited about this new opportunity.”