House District 61. Her opponent is Keith Grover (R)(incumbent),

Deon Turley is running as the Democ candidate for
Her website is www.deonturley.org, Facebook page can be found by clicking here and her Twitter account is @ElectDeon. She can also be reached via email at electdeon@gmail.com.
Here are Deon’s answers to my absurd questions:
1) How long have you lived in your district and what made you move there in the first place? Fifteen years ago my husband accepted an offer to teach at BYU. It was an offer he had been anticipating for a long time.
2) What does your family look like (married; kids; pets)? I am married to a great man and we have seven children. These days my youngest daughter is a virtual only child and she cares for two pet rats. Five of my seven children live out of state; three of them are married and I have six grandchildren. For many years our family included foreign exchange students or foster children.
3) What do you drive? What is your dream vehicle? I most often drive a Prius (or when hauling, a little Ford pickup). I was enamored of the Smart car when I first saw it but I prefer a hybrid to a diesel engine. So I guess I’m driving my dream car.
4) What was the last book you finished? Outliers by Malcomb Gladwell.
5) What is your favorite store and/or restaurant in your district? I like the one-of-a-kind places, and there are very few of them, but that’s where the people who serve you are really invested in the place. The two in my district are The Great Steak Sandwich Company on Center Street and Molly’s on Columbia Lane. Both are lunch only.
6) Turn your head to the right, what do you see? A comic strip called “Zits” that I cut out because it reminded me of my daughter. In it, a teenage son commandeers his father’s computer –and sandwich.
7) In 25 words or less, explain why you are a Democrat. I am a convert– a “moderate”, abandoned by the Republicans of Utah County. As a Democrat, I find a variety of opinions and mutual respect.
8) Who would win if a bear and a shark fought each other (feel free to explain)? Obviously, it would depend on the venue of the fight. (Is this supposed to discourage me from running as a Democrat in Utah County?)
9) In 50 words or less, explain why you want to be a public servant. I think everyone should find ways to serve their community. This is the way I choose to serve now. I find that most of this district is not well-represented at present. I want to bring more balance into government, both in priorities and political perspectives.
10) What was the last cultural event you went to? I attended a concert of Five For Fighting last spring at Tuacahn. Family reunions or the Freedom Festival in Provo are cultural events of sorts, if hanging out there counts.
11) What are the three things you plan to fight for when elected? State government would better serve its citizens if there were more cooperation and less “fighting”. I will, however, “work” for my constituents. I will be conscientious in my duties, study the issues brought before the legislature, and listen to those I represent. I will work to keep open communication with my constituents. Most of us have had to make sacrifices on account of the struggling economy. I will work to see that the sacrifices don’t turn into permanently lowered standards. “Lean” can turn into “starved” if we aren’t careful and the future of our state relies on healthy public services and infrastructure.
12) Do you know what OMGWTFBBQ stands for? No. Any abbreviation that is that long is only pretending to hide its meaning.
13) What is the most important amendment in the Bill of Rights? “Important” as in “consequential”: The recent Supreme Court ruling concerning corporate campaign contributions. Oh, did you say “in the Bill of Rights?”; I thought you meant “to the Bill of Rights”.
14) What is your favorite band? I admit I had to consult with my teenage daughter to find out the names of the bands who sing some of the contemporary songs that I enjoy. I don’t follow the popular music scene. She tells me I like Owl City, Ingrid Michaelson, and Coldplay. But seriously, can they compete with Carole King, Chicago, Anne Murray, Elton John, Boz Skaggs, Paul Simon and Three Dog Night? I think not. Sorry, but I left my musical heart in the 1970’s!
15) If you could change one thing about your district, what would it be? A change to the physical, geographic district? It would be more compact. That long northern stretch and the narrow Upper-Carterville peninsula are ridiculous. Or do you mean a change in the people that make up the district? If I could change one thing, I would have them each stay home on the Saturday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday that I set out to visit them.
***
To see other responses in the Meet the Candidates series, click here.
*Disclaimer – The opinions expressed in candidate responses are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Blue in Red Zion or its author. Every candidate with a working email address has received these same questions and are welcome to respond. If you are a candidate and did not receive these questions, please email curtis.haring@gmail.com in order to provide your own answers. The publication of a candidate’s questions should in no way be interpreted as an endorsement of said candidate.
Please note that readers are welcome to use the comment section to express their own opinion. As per the disclaimer on the right, comments will only be deleted if they can be widely viewed as offensive or not germane – though the final decision will be made by the administrator.













