Ralph Becker (mayor)

Ralph Elihu Becker, Jr.
34th Mayor of Salt Lake City
In office January 7, 2008 – January 4, 2016
Preceded by	Rocky Anderson
Succeeded by	Jackie Biskupski
Personal details
Born	May 30, 1952 Washington, D.C.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Kate Kopichke
Residence	Salt Lake City
Occupation	Urban planner
Website	Salt Lake City Website Ralph Becker

Ralph Elihu Becker Jr. (born May 30, 1952) is an American politician and attorney who is the former Minority Leader of the Utah State House of Representatives and the 34th mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah.

Early life and career

Becker was born in Washington, D.C. to Ralph Elihu Becker and Ann Watters Becker. His father, Ralph Elihu Becker, was United States Ambassador to Honduras from 1976 to 1977 during the Ford administration.

He received his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1973, his J.D. from the University of Utah College of Law in 1977, and his M.S. in Geography/Planning from the University of Utah in 1982. Becker is an attorney and planner (Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners), who has co-founded Bear West in 1985, a planning, natural resources consulting firm. He also is an Adjunct Professor at the College of Architecture and Planning, University of Utah.

Becker has had a career that has spanned serving in the National Park Service as a garbage man, firefighter, and ranger (law enforcement and EMT) (1971–76), Utah State Planning Coordinator under Governor Scott Matheson (1981–1985), and Salt Lake City Planning Commissioner (1988–1996). He is one of three people in Utah to be a Fellow of the American Institute of Certified Planners. His Utah legislative accomplishments include six years in Utah legislative leadership (four years as House Democratic Leader), leading the passage of the Quality Growth Act (1999), funding for trails, open space, and transit, Utah's first Energy Policy Act, and advocating social justice issues.

In November 2006, Becker announced his candidacy for the 2007 race for Salt Lake City Mayor and won on November 6, 2007.

On January 7, 2008, Becker took the oath of office and began his four-year term as mayor. In 2011, Becker was reelected in a landslide, winning 75% of the vote.

Political accomplishments and controversies

In July 2009, Becker received major criticism for his decision to place a Public Safety Building in the same city block as Salt Lake City's Main Public Library known as Library Square. Eventually, Becker would opt to place the Public Safety Building on the block immediately east of the proposed location - a more popular option.^[1]

In November 2009, Becker signed into law non-discrimination ordinances that forbid landlords and employers to deny housing or jobs due to sexual orientation or gender identity.^[2]

In December 2013, Becker officiated over some of the first same-sex marriages performed in the state of Utah.^[3]

In February 2014, Becker signed the Freedom to Marry Petition,^[4] a non-partisan declaration that "all people should be able to share in the love and commitment of marriage".^[5]

Becker served as the 2014-2015 President of the National League of Cities.^[6]

2007 General Election

2007 General Election [7]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Ralph Becker	27,556	63.77
	Republican	Dave Buhler	15,524	35.93
	Other	write-ins	129	0.30
Total votes			43,209	100

2007 Primary Election

Top 2 candidates advance to General Election (Regardless of Party Affiliation)

2007 Primary Election [8]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Ralph Becker	10,486	38.50
	Republican	Dave Buhler	7,570	27.79
	Democratic	Jenny Wilson	6,364	23.36
	Independent	Keith Christensen	2,295	8.43
	(unknown)	J.P. Hughes	378	1.39
	(unknown)	John M. Renteria	53	0.19
	(unknown)	Quinn Cady McDonough	42	0.15
	(unknown)	Rainer Huck	37	0.14
	(unknown)	Robert 'Lot' Muscheck	14	0.05
Total votes			27,239	100

2011 General Election

2011 General Election [9]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Ralph Becker	12,916	74.91
	Republican	J. Allen Kimball	4,150	24.02
	Other	Write-Ins	2,121	1.24
Total votes			19,187	100

Family

His father, Ralph Elihu Becker, was U.S. Ambassador to Honduras during the Ford administration.

References

1. Rosemary Winters (July 2, 2009). "Becker picks new site for police HQ -- across street from Library Square". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2013-12-24.
2. "Non-discrimination ordinances become law in Salt Lake City". KSL-TV. April 2, 2010.
3. Matthew Piper (2013-12-20). "Salt Lake County offices see a crush of same-sex marriages". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 2013-12-24.
4. Romero, McKenzie (Feb 13, 2014). "Becker joins mayors signing Freedom to Marry petition". Deseret News. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
5. "Freedom To Marry Website".
6. "NCL Officers". Retrieved 14 April 2014.
7. "OFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS 2007 GENERAL ELECTION SALT LAKE COUNTY, UTAH". slco.org. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
8. "UNOFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS 2007 PRIMARY ELECTION SALT LAKE COUNTY, UTAH". slco.org. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
9. "FINAL OFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS 2011 MUNICIPAL GENERAL ELECTION SALT LAKE COUNTY, UTAH". slco.org. Retrieved 14 April 2014.

External links

• Mayor's Office website
• Campaign website
• CityMayors profile
• Appearances on C-SPAN