{{Short description|American attorney and politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2021}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Kirk Cullimore |office = Majority Leader of the Utah Senate |term_start = January 21, 2025 |term_end = |predecessor = Evan Vickers |successor = |office1 = Member of the Utah Senate |term_start1 = January 1, 2019 |term_end1 = |predecessor1 = Wayne Niederhauser |successor1 = |constituency1 = 9th district (2019–2023)<br>19th district (2023–present) |birth_date = |birth_place = Sandy, Utah, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |education = Utah Valley University (AA)<br>Brigham Young University (BA)<br>University of Oklahoma (JD) }} '''Kirk A. Cullimore Jr.''' is an American attorney and politician serving as a member of the Utah State Senate. Elected in 2018, Cullimore represented the 9th district until 2023. He currently represents the 19th district after being reelected in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2022 midterm elections: Here are the Utah Senate and House races to watch this year |url=https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2022/10/17/2022-midterm-elections-here-are/ |access-date=2023-02-27 |website=The Salt Lake Tribune |language=en-US}}</ref>
During his tenure in the Utah legislature, he has pushed to allow the legislature to repeal ballot initiatives and ban water fluoridation in Utah public water systems.
== Early life and education == Cullimore was born and raised in Sandy, Utah. He earned an associate's degree from Utah Valley University, a Bachelor of Arts from Brigham Young University, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Oklahoma College of Law.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kirk Cullimore|url=https://senate.utah.gov/kirk-cullimore|website=Utah Senate|language=en-US|access-date=May 20, 2020|archive-date=March 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200309171312/https://senate.utah.gov/kirk-cullimore|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== Career == After graduating from law school, Cullimore began working as an attorney. He established a private legal practice in 2012. In 2018, Cullimore was elected to the Utah State Senate, succeeding Wayne L. Niederhauser. Cullimore was sworn in on January 1, 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kirk Cullimore|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Kirk_Cullimore|website=Ballotpedia|language=en|access-date=May 20, 2020}}</ref>
In 2024, Cullimore, as Utah Senate Majority Whip, helped push through an amendment to Utah’s Constitution that gave Utah lawmakers powers to amend and repeal ballot initiatives.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024 |title=GOP lawmakers vote for power to amend, repeal ballot initiatives. Now Utahns get final say. |url=https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2024/08/21/utah-republicans-pass/ |website=The Salt Lake Tribune |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2024 |title=Utah lawmakers want voters to give them the power to change ballot measures once they've passed |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/utah-lawmakers-voters-give-power-change-ballot-measures-113036891 |website=ABC News |language=en}}</ref> Utah Republicans pushed for this amendment to the Constitution after a ballot initiative passed that prohibited partisan gerrymandering.<ref name=":0" />
In 2025, Cullimore sponsored legislation to ban cities or communities from adding fluoride, a mineral that reduces tooth decay, to public water systems.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-02-24 |title=Utah close to fully banning fluoride in water, stripping cities' ability to decide |url=https://apnews.com/article/fluoride-water-utah-rfk-fluoridation-674abe33eb044077bac840c1c39d8ded |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref>
=== Election History === {{Election box begin no change|title=2022, Utah State Senate District 19, general election}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Kirk Cullimore|votes=28,020|percentage=58.4%}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Parker Bond|votes=16,626|percentage=34.7%}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=United Utah Party|candidate=Tyler Peterson|votes=3,301|percentage=6.9%}}{{Election box total no change|votes=47,947|percentage=100%}}{{End}}{{Election box begin no change|title=2018, Utah State Senate District 9, general election}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Kirk Cullimore|votes=24,410|percentage=65.2%}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=United Utah Party|candidate=Alexander Castagno|votes=12,639|percentage=33.8%}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=-|candidate=write-in|votes=381|percentage=1.0}}{{Election box total no change|votes=27,430|percentage=100%}}{{End}} <ref>{{Cite web |title=Kirk Cullimore |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Kirk_Cullimore |access-date=2025-08-18 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-ut-sen}} {{s-bef|before=Evan Vickers}} {{s-ttl|title=Majority Leader of the Utah Senate|years=2025–present}} {{s-inc}} {{s-end}}
{{Utah statewide political officials}} {{U.S. State Senate Floor Leaders}} {{Utah State Senate}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cullimore, Kirk Jr.}} Category:21st-century members of the Utah Legislature Category:Brigham Young University alumni Category:Living people Category:Republican Party Utah state senators Category:University of Oklahoma College of Law alumni Category:Year of birth missing (living people)