SALT LAKE CITY (KTVX) – Ballots were sent out to Utah voters starting Oct. 15 and while many people are familiar with the Democratic and Republican presidential nominees on the ballot, there’s one candidate running in Utah that people may not know as well.
Their name is Lucifer “Justin Case” Everylove – and yes, that is legally their name: “It’s the name that appears on my passport.”
But Everylove (who also goes by the name Lucy) told Nexstar’s KTVX that the name change “had nothing to do with any ballots” but was instead a “personal and spiritual decision.”
Everylove said some people mentioned “that other deity” – referring to the devil, or Satan, who is also sometimes referred to as Lucifer – while they were out collecting signatures, but they said the Latin roots of the name translate to “a messenger of light.”
But where did the middle name “Justin Case” come from?
“‘Justin Case’ is my DJ name,” Everylove said. “Also, yes it’s a pun, which I leaned on during the signature gathering, as in ‘Just in case you can’t vote for the other two guys.'”
Everylove is running as an unaffiliated candidate but is only on the ballots in Utah, according to Ballotpedia. Here’s how that happened.
How Lucifer Everylove got on the ballot
According to a 2024 certificate of nomination – which is available online through the office of Lieutenant Governor Deidre Henderson – Everylove certified that they met the necessary qualifications to run for office in June 2024.
Everylove certified that they are a “natural born citizen” of the United States, at least 35 years old, and a U.S. resident for at least 14 years. To appear on the ballot in Utah, Everylove paid a $500 filing fee and filed a petition signed by at least 1,000 registered voters in Utah.
The candidate traveled around Utah and said they sought signatures at monster truck rallies, concerts, and eventually grocery stores.
“I collected signatures up and down the state from St. George to Brigham City and Moab to Salt Lake City,” Everylove said. “The people around Utah are so kind, similar to other places I’ve been in the world where there’s an abundance of devotion.”
On Everylove’s certificate of nomination, they used a New Hampshire mailing address. Everylove said they spend about half their time in Utah when they’re in the U.S., and while the candidate said they are a “homeless world traveler,” they said Utah is “closer to feeling like home” than any other state.
“I chose to put my name on the ballot here because 8 years ago, another independent candidate got 20% of the vote in the Presidential race,” Everylove explained. “Clearly, the politics in Utah have a moral compass that is different from what is going on in the rest of the country.”
Everylove was referring to the fact that eight years ago, in 2016, unaffiliated candidate Evan McMullin received 21.5% of Utah’s votes, according to the election results posted on the Lt. Governor’s website. In 2016, Hillary Clinton got 27.5% of the votes and former President Donald Trump won the state with 45.5% of the votes.
“You cannot vote for the President,” Everylove said. “You only vote for the Electors, who pick the President.”
Everylove told KTVX that their electors are “the wives of the LDS Temple Presidents throughout the state,” and said those women can be trusted to “make a moral decision.” However, Everylove also said the electors are not obligated to vote for Everylove, but “vote their conscience.”
“If the national Electoral College is decided by less than 6 votes, a very real possibility, this would put Utah in the position to pick the President,” Everylove said. “That’s why I put my name on the ballot.”
Everylove is not the only unaffiliated candidate on the ballot in Utah but they are the only candidate without a vice presidential candidate and the only candidate appearing in just one state. Other unaffiliated candidates include Cornel Ronald West (on the ballot in 15 states) and Claudia De la Cruz (on the ballot in 19 states).