If you are a Utah voter, you may have noticed one name on your presidential ballot that sticks out from the rest.
Lucifer “Justin Case” Everylove has become a hot topic on social media and news headlines in Utah. What has not been mentioned is that he has made headlines many times before, just under a different name.
Prior to legally changing his name, Everylove was known as Ryan Clayton and was the president of an anti-Trump organization called Americans Take Action.
The organization says their three main goals were to restore free and fair elections, create a purpose-driven economy and resist any and all threats to a free and open internet. Everylove said a lot of it was done through artful activism that makes politics a little more fun.
“I did a lot of fun, impactful, amazing things.”
Everylove was known for his protests using Russian flags with "Trump" printed across the center.
The most infamous protest was when he snuck into the capitol using an expired press pass where he threw mini Russian Trump flags at Donald Trump while yelling “Trump is Treason,” according to Fox News.
Everylove made his stance at the time very clear and very public. In a Huffpost article he wrote in 2017, Everylove said, “Working with a foreign power to undermine our free and fair elections is treason. Let’s be clear, Putin picked Trump because it’s good for Russia, not because he’s great for America.”
Though, Everylove said this all occurred in “a past life.”
Everylove said that he has since had a “spiritual awakening” that occurred about 5 years ago during his travels abroad. He said during this spiritual awakening, Lucifer — the name that has since sparked so much attention — came to him.
Everylove is passionate about explaining that the name Lucifer means “bearer of light” and has no biblical connections.
“The reason I chose the name — it's kind of like it chose me, in a way. I believe that it was my spirit. Looking back — even as a young kid, you know — it's been quite apparent to me that, you know, I was the embodiment of that spirit for a long time.”
Everylove said his spiritual awakening has been led by openness after he discovered, through his research, that openness is the “psychography of theology.”
“Adventure and openness has been beautiful and amazing and difficult at times, but really it was kind of the commitment to openness that really led me to the name.”
This openness has led him to many adventures such as nearly dying in the ocean after swimming in it for 12 hours in Indonesia, and finding himself imprisoned in Honduras for smoking cannabis.
Everylove said his time in prison taught him many lessons. Especially when he learned that the guards keeping him in prison for smoking cannabis would also smoke cannabis themselves.
“I became very convinced that what we're doing by putting people in prison, especially for nonviolent offenses, is morally reprehensible. And unfortunately, our country has been one of the leading proponents of that kind of behavior.”
When Everylove finally found himself returning to the U.S. from his travels, he said he felt a sort of calling to get his name on the Utah presidential ballot.
He had the opportunity to meet many Utahns as he traveled around the state, collecting more than the required 1,000 signatures at monster truck rallies, concerts and grocery stores to get his name on the ballot.
Everylove was inspired to run in Utah after Evan McMullin’s success as an independent candidate in 2016 when he received 21.3% of the popular vote, according to The New York Times.
His goal in Utah was to give the voters conscientious electors. He said he has named the wives of the temple presidents as his electors.
“I do think Utah and the voters here and the people here should think very seriously about how it reflects upon your movement (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) to elect people who are at such odds with the morality of your religion.”
Everylove said he is throwing a Halloween party on Oct. 30 at Area 51, a night club in Salt Lake City, where he will be DJing. Everyone will have the opportunity to dance and meet the presidential candidate for themselves.
Everylove said he wants Utah voters to know that politics used to just be political but now, all politics are geopolitical.
Everylove has a history of openly expressing his strong feelings against Donald Trump, but Trump is no exception to Everylove's love for everyone.
“I love Trump and I love Kamala. My last name’s 'Everylove.' I love everyone," said Everylove. "If I could speak to them, I would say, 'Can I give you a hug?'"
Voting is currently open in Utah. In person early voting ends on Nov. 1 and ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 4. The 2024 Utah elections are scheduled to be held on Tuesday, Nov. 5.