Celeste Johnson served as the Mayor of Midway, Utah from 2018 to 2025, completing two terms in office. She won her second term unopposed and chose not to seek reelection, believing in the principle of term limits. But now she is running for State House!
Before running for office, Johnson was a community activist who founded Pure Midway (now Preserve Midway), a nonprofit dedicated to open space conservation. Her passion for protecting Midway's agricultural land and rural character became the defining focus of her tenure as mayor.
During her eight years in office, Johnson's signature accomplishments include the passage of two $5 million open space bonds — in 2018 and 2024 — which enabled the city to purchase development rights and establish conservation easements, preserving hundreds of acres of farmland. The 2024 bond passed by a 3-to-1 margin. She also guided the city through the COVID-19 pandemic, directing government relief funds to local businesses, and navigated challenges related to rapid growth, infrastructure, and traffic management.
Johnson began her career in public service as a young staff member for the Utah House of Representatives. A registered Democrat, she has credited Midway's nonpartisan municipal elections with enabling her bipartisan policy successes.
A mother of four and grandmother of thirteen, Johnson is actively involved in the Wasatch Community Foundation, the Wasatch Caring Coalition, and A Bolder Way Forward. In January 2026, she announced her candidacy for Utah House District 59, representing Summit and Wasatch counties, with a platform focused on local control, open space preservation, affordable housing, and transportation.