Sheryl Allen

Sheryl L. Allen (born June 30, 1943) is a Republican politician and educator from Bountiful, Utah. She represented the 19th District of the Utah House of Representatives from 1994 to 2011. Before entering politics, Allen was a teacher and the president of the Davis County Board of Education.[1]

Sheryl L. Allen
Allen in 2015
Member of the Utah House of Representatives
from the 19th district
In office
July 20, 1994 – January 24, 2011
Preceded byKim Burningham
Succeeded byJim Nielson
President of the
Davis County Board of Education
In office
March 1982 – January 3, 1989
Preceded byLucile Cardon Reading
Succeeded byLynn Summerhays
Member of the
Davis County Board of Education
In office
January 1, 1977 – January 3, 1989
Personal details
Born (1943-06-30) June 30, 1943
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)John Allen
Children4
ResidenceBountiful, Utah, USA
Alma materUniversity of Utah
ProfessionTeacher, foundation director of the Davis School District
WebsiteUtah House of Representatives

In May 2010, Salt Lake County mayor Peter Corroon, the Democratic candidate for Governor of Utah, selected Allen as his running mate for the office of lieutenant governor, making them the first major bipartisan ticket in Utah state history.[2] However, they were defeated by the all-Republican ticket of Gary Herbert and Greg Bell in the 2010 gubernatorial election.[3]

Background

Sheryl Allen was born in 1943 in Salt Lake City, Utah.[4] Allen attended the University of Utah, where she received a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education in 1965.[1] She is married to John Allen, the chief statistician of the Utah Jazz. The Allens have four children and seven grandchildren.[5]

Educational career

In 1976, Allen, Lucile Cardon Reading, and Theo Italisano were the first three women to be elected to the previously male-dominated Davis County Board of Education and took office on January 1, 1977.[6] Reading, who became board president, and Allen worked to stop alleged mismanagement and ended the practice of officials receiving kickbacks from building contractors.[7] Allen became board president with the death of Reading in March 1982.[8] In 1988, Allen stated that she was stepping down from the board the following year to pursue graduate studies.[7] In 1990, she received a Master's degree in Education Administration from the University of Utah.[1]

It's not that we always agree, but on the big decisions you have got to be together.

— Sheryl Allen, Davis County Board of Education, December 1988[7]

Allen was also the public relations director of the Davis Technical College (formerly known as the Davis Applied Technology Center) from 1985 to 1995. She became the foundation director of the Davis School District in 1995.[4]

Political career

Allen ran against Quinn Gardner in June 1994 to succeed Utah state representative Kim Burningham, who was stepping down after 15 years of service.[9] Allen won with 54% of the vote and took office on July 20, 1994.[1][10]

On January 26, 1996, eight hours after the execution by firing squad of John Albert Taylor, Allen introduced a bill to eliminate the firing squad,[11] which did not pass. She later succeeded in passing HB180, which removed the right of the condemned to choose their method of execution after February 2004.[12][13]

If they choose the firing squad, it's one last magnificent manipulation of the system to bring attention to themselves... It's time for Utah to do away with the firing squad.

— Sheryl Allen, Utah House of Representatives, January 21, 2004[14]

In 2005, Allen was awarded Legislator of the Year by the Utah School Board Association. She was re-elected to her eighth term in the state legislature in 2008 with over 80% of the vote.[5] Allen is a member of the House Judiciary Committee and the Revenue and Taxation Committee. She is also the co-chairperson of the Economic Development and Revenue Appropriations Subcommittee.[1]

In 2008, Allen was involved in bringing forth an investigation by the Utah House Ethics Committee that led to the reprimand of fellow Republican house member Greg Hughes. Facing political ostracization from within her own party, Allen announced that she would not seek another term as a state representative in 2010.[2][15]

2010 campaign for Lieutenant Governor of Utah
See also: Utah gubernatorial election, 2010
Peter Corroon

On May 1, 2010, Salt Lake County mayor Peter Corroon asked Allen to be his running mate as lieutenant governor in his gubernatorial bid against incumbent Republican Governor Gary Herbert. As Corroon ran as a Democrat and Allen as a Republican, this was the first bipartisan team on a single ticket between major political parties in a Utah state election. In 1976, governor Scott M. Matheson and lieutenant governor David Smith Monson were elected from different parties, but on separate tickets. Political clashes between Matheson and Monson led to changes in state election law, requiring joint tickets in subsequent elections.[2]

Corroon and Allen ran on a moderate ticket to appeal to independent voters.[2] A major platform of their campaign was the improvement of education in the state of Utah.[16][17] Corroon's campaign accused Herbert's governorship of being "corrupt." After the second most expensive gubernatorial campaign in Utah history, Herbert won the election on November 2, 2010.[3]

Awards and honors
  • Susa Young Gates Award, 1998
  • Utah School Board Association Legislator of the Year, 2004
  • Utah Hotel and Lodging Association Legislator of the Year, 2005
  • Utah Medical Association Legislator of the Year, 2006[1]

Affiliations

See also

References
  1. "Representative Sheryl L. Allen". Utah House of Representatives. Archived from the original on November 10, 2010. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
  2. Roche, Lisa Riley (May 4, 2010). "Corroon picks Republican Sheryl Allen as running mate in Utah gubernatorial race". Deseret News. pp. 1–3. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
  3. Gehrke, Robert (November 3, 2010). "Herbert crushes Corroon to retain Governor's Office". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved November 12, 2010.
  4. "Representative Sheryl L. Allen (UT) – Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
  5. "Rep. Sheryl Allen's Biography". Peter Corroon for Utah Governor. Archived from the original on October 8, 2010. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
  6. "Women to shape schools". Deseret News. November 6, 1976. p. A5. Retrieved October 13, 2010.
  7. Campbell, Joel (December 27, 1988). "School board chief a survivor who stands by her convictions". Deseret News. pp. 1–2. Retrieved October 13, 2010.
  8. "Agency Histories: Davis County School District". Utah State Archives. July 2, 2003. Retrieved October 14, 2010.
  9. "Davis Republicans Race for 3 House Seats". Deseret News. June 21, 1994. pp. 1–4. Retrieved October 13, 2010.
  10. "Chart: Election Results". Deseret News. June 29, 1994. pp. 1–2. Retrieved October 13, 2010.
  11. Donaldson, Amy (January 26, 1996). "Firing squad carries out execution". Deseret News. pp. 1–3. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
  12. "Utah firing squad executes US killer Ronnie Lee Gardner". BBC News. June 18, 2010. Retrieved June 22, 2010.
  13. Dobner, Jennifer (January 22, 2004). "Plan to abolish firing squad advances". Deseret News. pp. 1–2. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
  14. Foy, Paul (January 22, 2004). "Firing squad". Daily Herald. Associated Press. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
  15. Bernick Jr., Bob (January 13, 2010). "State GOP lawmaker Sheryl Allen expects Republican opponents in 2010". Deseret News. Retrieved October 13, 2010.
  16. Tittensor, Annette (October 7, 2010). "Improving education a major focus for Corroon, Allen". Standard-Examiner. Retrieved October 12, 2010.
  17. Farmer, Molly (August 15, 2010). "Peter Corroon seeks feedback, crafts education platform". Deseret News. pp. 1–2. Retrieved October 13, 2010.
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