Deidre Henderson

Deidre Henderson
Born	Deidre Marie Ellingford 4 9, 1974
Birthplace	Netherlands
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician
Known for	Lieutenant Governor of Utah, Utah State Senator
Education	Brigham Young University
Spouse(s)	Gabe Henderson
Children	5

Deidre Marie Henderson (née Ellingford; born September 4, 1974) is an American politician serving as the ninth Lieutenant Governor of Utah since January 4, 2021. A member of the Republican Party, Henderson previously represented District 7 in the Utah State Senate from 2013 to 2021, a seat based in Spanish Fork, Utah. Born in the Netherlands, Henderson grew up in Utah and attended Brigham Young University, where she completed her degree after a long hiatus while raising her family. She was selected as the running mate of gubernatorial candidate Spencer Cox in March 2020, and the Cox-Henderson ticket won the general election that November. As lieutenant governor, Henderson has overseen Utah's election administration and has attracted attention for her positions defending state election practices, including the state's vote-by-mail system, and for her willingness to push back against elements within her own party that she has described as "taking us down the wrong path."

Early Life

Deidre Marie Ellingford was born on September 4, 1974, in the Netherlands. She later moved to the United States and grew up in Utah. Henderson lived in Taylorsville, Utah, for several years before settling in Utah County. She married Gabe Henderson, and the couple have five children together.

Henderson's early career and community involvement preceded her entry into formal politics. She became active in civic affairs in Utah County and developed an interest in public policy and government, which ultimately led to her decision to seek elected office in 2012.

Education

Henderson attended Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah. Notably, she did not complete her degree on a traditional timeline; she returned to BYU to finish her studies while serving in public office. In a ceremony covered by local media, Henderson celebrated her graduation from BYU, an accomplishment she pursued while balancing her responsibilities as lieutenant governor and mother of five children. Her graduation was noted as an example of nontraditional educational attainment and received coverage from Utah media outlets.

During her time as a state senator, Henderson also participated in an internship program at the Utah State Capitol, an experience that was covered by ABC4 News and highlighted her commitment to continued learning about the legislative process.

Career

Utah State Senate (2013–2021)

Henderson was elected to the Utah State Senate representing District 7 in the November 2012 general election. She succeeded Ross I. Romero in the seat, which is based in Spanish Fork, Utah, and covers portions of Utah County. Henderson took office on January 1, 2013, and served in the state senate for eight years across four legislative sessions.

During her tenure in the Utah State Senate, Henderson served on multiple committees and participated in the legislative process on a range of policy issues. She was involved in legislation related to education, visiting schools in the Nebo School District alongside other government officials to observe educational programs and engage with students and educators. She also held committee chairmanships during her time in the senate.

Henderson was involved in the legislative process on various bills during her senate career. Among the legislation considered during her time was Senate Bill 125 during the 2012 legislative session. She filed conflict of interest disclosures as required by Utah law during her service.

Henderson built a reputation as a legislator willing to work across party lines and engage in policy detail during her eight years in the senate. Her work in the state legislature ultimately brought her to the attention of Spencer Cox when he was assembling his gubernatorial campaign ticket in 2020.

When Henderson left the Utah State Senate upon assuming the office of lieutenant governor on January 1, 2021, she was succeeded in District 7 by Mike McKell.

Selection as Running Mate and 2020 Gubernatorial Campaign

On March 19, 2020, Spencer Cox, then serving as lieutenant governor of Utah under Governor Gary Herbert, announced that he had selected Deidre Henderson as his running mate in the 2020 Utah gubernatorial election. The selection of Henderson, a sitting state senator from Utah County, was seen as a strategic choice to strengthen the ticket's appeal among conservative voters in the state's most populous Republican-leaning county.

The Cox-Henderson ticket competed in a contested Republican primary. Reporting by The Salt Lake Tribune in July 2020 noted that Cox's lead in the race had narrowed as the primary approached, indicating a competitive contest for the Republican nomination. Despite the tightening race, Cox and Henderson ultimately prevailed in the Republican primary and went on to win the November 2020 general election.

Lieutenant Governor of Utah (2021–present)

Deidre Henderson was inaugurated as the ninth Lieutenant Governor of Utah on January 4, 2021, succeeding Spencer Cox, who had held the position before ascending to the governorship. As lieutenant governor, Henderson serves as the state's chief elections officer and presides over the Utah State Senate in a ceremonial capacity.

Election Administration

A central aspect of Henderson's role as lieutenant governor has been the administration and defense of Utah's election systems. Utah has been one of the leading states in the adoption of vote-by-mail as a primary method of voting, and Henderson has been a prominent defender of this system.

In August 2025, Henderson publicly disagreed with President Donald Trump's proposal to eliminate mail-in ballots nationwide, emphasizing that states have the constitutional right to choose their own election methods. Henderson argued that Utah's vote-by-mail system is secure and effective, pushing back against federal efforts to change how states conduct their elections.

Also in the summer of 2025, Henderson's office was confronted with a demand from the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) under the Trump administration to hand over Utah voter databases. Henderson's office refused to provide all of the requested information, insisting that the federal government needed to demonstrate a lawful purpose for the data request. The Salt Lake Tribune reported in August 2025 that the lieutenant governor's office had pushed back against the DOJ's demands, asserting state authority over voter data.

Lawsuits and Legal Challenges

Henderson has been a party to several lawsuits related to her duties as lieutenant governor and chief elections officer.

In June 2025, Phil Lyman, a Republican politician and former state legislator, filed a federal lawsuit against Henderson seeking access to the state's voter registration list. The lawsuit contended that Lyman was being improperly denied access to voter registration data.

In February 2026, a federal lawsuit titled Powers Gardner v. Henderson was filed by a group of Utah elected officials, members of Congress, and voters. The suit alleged issues related to redistricting in the state, with Henderson named as a defendant in her capacity as lieutenant governor.

Separately, the redistricting issue in Utah reached the Utah Supreme Court in early 2026. The court declined to hear the Republican Legislature's effort to prevent a court-imposed congressional map from taking effect, a decision that had implications for Henderson's role in administering elections under the new maps.

Criticism of Republican Party Tactics

In October 2025, Henderson drew attention for publicly criticizing certain tactics within the Utah Republican Party. Speaking to the Utah News Dispatch, Henderson stated that the Republican Party in Utah "is using tactics too often that are taking us down the wrong path." The remarks were notable for their candor from a sitting Republican officeholder and reflected Henderson's ongoing willingness to break with elements of her own party on matters she views as detrimental to democratic governance and electoral integrity.

Veterans Affairs and Ceremonial Duties

As lieutenant governor, Henderson has participated in a variety of ceremonial and community events. In November 2025, she took part in a ceremony at the Utah State Capitol honoring centenarian veterans, an event co-organized by the state of Utah and the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System. The ceremony was held in the capitol rotunda and honored veterans who had reached the age of 100.

Personal Life

Henderson is married to Gabe Henderson, and the couple have five children. She was born in the Netherlands and later moved to the United States, growing up in Utah. Henderson lived in Taylorsville, Utah, for several years before relocating to Utah County, where she raised her family and eventually ran for public office.

Henderson is a graduate of Brigham Young University, having completed her degree after a nontraditional timeline that included returning to school while serving in public office. Her graduation from BYU while serving as lieutenant governor was covered by KSL-TV and noted as a personal milestone.

Henderson has appeared on C-SPAN in connection with her political activities and public service.

Recognition

Henderson's defense of Utah's election systems has drawn editorial praise. In August 2025, The Salt Lake Tribune published an editorial titled "Utah Lt. Gov. Henderson stands up for democracy when so many others won't," which praised her for pushing back against efforts by the Trump administration and allies such as Senator Mike Lee to undermine confidence in the electoral system. The editorial argued that Henderson's stance in defense of state election sovereignty and the integrity of vote-by-mail was a notable act of political courage at a time when many Republican officeholders were unwilling to challenge their party's leadership on election-related issues.

Her selection by Spencer Cox as a running mate in 2020 was itself a form of recognition of her legislative service in the Utah State Senate, where she had served for nearly eight years and built a reputation as a policy-focused legislator.

Henderson's participation in events honoring Utah veterans, including the centenarian veterans ceremony at the state capitol in 2025, has also brought public attention to her ceremonial role as lieutenant governor.