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Town Leadership Shakeup Complete In Polygamous Town

Utah Attorney General's Office

The residents of Hildale, Utah, have made history by electing town leaders who aren't members of a polygamous group that has controlled the town for a century.

Final election results unveiled Tuesday show that Donia Jessop defeated incumbent Mayor Philip Barlow by winning 61 percent of the votes.

Three other non-FLDS candidates won seats on the Hildale City Council.

Jessop becomes the first non-FLDS member to hold the position and the first female mayor of the small town on the Utah-Arizona border. She is a former member of the religion but left over discord about how leaders were running the group.

The election result is another sign that the sect is losing control of Hildale amid government evictions and crackdowns.

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