Getting out the vote
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By Loretta Park
Standard-Examiner Davis Bureau
Vouchers could be driving more voters to 2007 polls
Indications are pointing to a higher-than-usual voter turnout in next week's election, but it is anyone's guess as to what that means for candidates seeking municipal office.
Driving the turnout expectation is the presence of the controversial school voucher proposal, the only statewide issue on what are otherwise local-issue ballots.
Normally, only 10 percent to 25 percent of registered voters show up at the polls during municipal elections.
This year, that number could reach 30 percent to 45 percent, say Top of Utah voting officials.
"I'm guessing there will be a bigger turnout because of the voucher (issue)," said Robert Hunter, an adjunct faculty member at Weber State University.
However, what that will do to city council and mayoral races is unclear, he said.
"It will be hard to predict which candidates (voters) will vote for when that is not their focus."
Kirk Jowers, director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, said the traditional low turnout in odd-year elections usually makes it easier for incumbents to stay in office.
But this year, incumbents could have their work cut out for them, he said.
Incumbents know how to win during a normal election year, but may have to mix things up a little to get noticed this year, Jowers said.
On the other hand, the polls have also showed the voucher race is getting "pretty one-sided," he said.
"If people believe their vote is meaningless, it may shift back to a more normal, odd-(year) election."
Frank Guliuzza, Weber State University political science chairman, said a high voter turnout during a municipal election normally has to do with voters wanting to oust incumbents.
That's not the case this year.
"I've seen high-quality ads done by those in favor of the vouchers and also done by those opposed," he said.
One indicator that more people may show up at the polls is the number of people registering to vote.
Weber County had 1,000 new voters register within the past two weeks, said Gloria Berrett, the county's election administrator.
"Candidates are actively going out and recruiting voters to register," she said.
However, in Ogden, it may not be just the voucher issue that is drawing voters -- there is also a hotly contested mayoral race.
Early voting this year seems to be about the same as last year, officials say.
In Davis County, 1,569 early votes were cast as of Oct. 26, said Pat Beckstead, the county's election coordinator.
In Box Elder County, there had been 130 early voters at the county courthouse as of Oct. 26, said Dawn MarieLayton, the county's election specialist/deputy clerk. She said she did not have the number of early votes cast at other polling places in the county.
Election officials are confident they have more than enough materials, no matter how many voters show up. Each county has hired about the same number of election judges and poll workers as last year.
Berrett said she ordered extra provisional paper ballots for every city, but is prepared just in case one area runs low in supplies. She is telling election judges to call her if it appears they are going to run out.
More people casting their votes because of the voucher issue may not be all bad, even if it alters city races, officials say.
"I think there will be a better representation of what voters want," said Box Elder County Recorder/Clerk LuAnn Adams.
She added that it isn't just the voucher issue that's bringing out voters. In Box Elder, issues that have caught the public's interest include a$70 million school bond and the quarter-cent transportation sales tax.
Luring voters in Syracuse are such issues as whether alcohol should be served in restaurants and what structure the city's government should have, said City Recorder Cassie Brown.
She said she believes at least 30 percent of registered Syracuse voters will cast their ballots.
"I think it's all the issues. I wouldn't say it's just the voucher issue."
The primary election in Farmington showed what could happen if more voters than expected turn out.
During the primary, 300 new voters living on the city's west side registered to vote, and 36 percent of the registered voters in that area cast ballots.
Voter numbers were lower throughout the rest of the city, with only about 10 percent voting.
The concerns of those living on the west side may have been what enabled three candidates for Farmington City Council to move on to the general election.
Cory Ritz, a council candidate, said if there had been fewer voters in the primary, different candidates would have made it to the general election.
But he's not willing to make any predictions about the final outcome.
"I'm just hoping for good results."
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