How informed delegates felt
After the April convention, we asked delegates the same question we wish every voter could answer for themselves: How informed did you feel as a delegate, compared to your previous experience voting as a non-delegate voter? They rated their answer from 1 (less informed) to 5 (much more informed).All delegates
85.9%
say they were more informed than when they were a normal voter
FULL DISTRIBUTION
5 · Much more informed53.5%
432.4%
3 · About the same11.4%
22.2%
1 · Less informed0.5%
FIRST-TIME DELEGATES ONLY
83.1%
said the same
The finding does not depend on experience.
Who was at convention
The survey reached delegates across every district in Utah County. The room was not uniform.Majority new
Serving for the first time:
- 57% of county delegates
- 63% of state delegates
- 61% of precinct chairs
Multi-generational
- 15.1% were 40 or younger
- 51.9% were 41-60
- 33.0% were 61 or older
Neighbor-elected
Chosen by neighbors at precinct caucus on March 17. Each delegate represents about 150 Republican voters on average.
What the work actually looked like
Between the March caucus and the April convention, delegates had about five weeks to vet candidates across as many as eight races. The survey asked how they spent that time.61.1%
spent 11+ hours vetting
The median delegate fell in the 11-20 hour bucket. 14.1% reported 30+ hours.
70.3%
attended 3+ in-person candidate events
16.2% attended six or more.
93.5%
said direct contact influenced their vote
68.1% said it influenced them significantly.
On the candidate questions themselves. Delegates rated the categories of information they felt the vetting process surfaced that a regular voter would not have. The most-cited categories: depth of knowledge (81.1%), ability to answer difficult questions (74.6%), personal character (70.3%), candidate accessibility (58.9%), and consistency of messaging (58.9%).
What delegates said they learned
We asked, What I wish the public understood about the caucus and convention system is… The themes that came up most often were access, work, and trust. Here are a few representative answers, in delegates’ own words.● Returning delegates
”The only effective way to truly understand the candidates is to hear them and ask questions about where they stand. Sound bites and mailers cannot replace that."
"It’s about getting a neighborhood together to send someone people know and trust to help vet candidates."
"We are a diverse collection of your friends and neighbors. Come join us and help make us better, wiser, and even stronger.”
● First-time delegates
”It gives you a chance to personally know candidates when you otherwise wouldn’t."
"You don’t have to be ‘political,’ know anything, or have any special training. It’s for everyone. You just have to show up."
"It is designed to involve as many people as possible who are willing and committed to do the work in the vetting process of choosing a candidate.”
On the process itself
We asked delegates two final questions: whether the process felt fair and transparent, and whether they would recommend serving to others.FAIR AND TRANSPARENT
83.2%
said yes or mostly. 51.4% said yes outright. 31.9% said mostly. 9.2% said no or not really.
WOULD RECOMMEND SERVING
76.8%
said yes. 19.5% said maybe. 3.8% said no. 56.8% plan to run as a delegate again.
Source: UCRP 2026 Post-Convention Delegate Survey. Utah County Republican Party.