Education, the economy and voter turnout were the focus of Utah’s only Lieutenant Governor’s debate. Less than a week away from the election, Republican Lieutenant Governor Greg Bell joined Democratic candidate Vince Rampton this morning at Utah State University in Logan.
Utah’s 2nd Congressional District has been overshadowed by the newly added 4th District this election year. The race between Jim Matheson and Mia Love has attracted national attention as well as money from out of state, while candidates in the recently redrawn 2nd District have had little time in the spotlight.
Utah’s 8th Senate district candidates vie for votes in one of the states few contested races, Candidates in Utah’s 2nd Congressional district try to get noticed, and the Millcreek incorporation debate gets even hotter.
Within the boundaries of Utah’s 8th Senate district are the cities of Cottonwood Heights, Midvale, most of Murray, and a sliver of Holladay. Unlike most districts in the state the demographics of the 8th district essentially make it a toss-up between Republicans and Democrats and both candidates feel they have a shot at victory.
Emotions are running high in Millcreek Township, as residents make final appeals to voters who are undecided on whether or not to become a city. This morning residents who oppose incorporation gathered near a street corner on 2300 east to address some looming financial problems they see with the proposal. But they weren’t alone, as residents who support it gathered close by.
Two Democratic State Lawmakers joined progressive watchdog group Alliance For a Better Utah this morning to condemn what they call a barrage of negative campaign ads leading up to this year’s election.
Senator Patricia Jones says voters should not ignore the onslaught of negative political mailers and television ads being employed during this election season.
Thanks to early voting and absentee ballots, 169,000 people have already cast ballots in Utah - or about 13 percent of registered voters. Those are the latest numbers on Friday afternoon from Justin Lee, Elections Specialist for the Lieutenant Governor’s office. At this rate, Lee said, early voting may make up half of all ballots in the state.
Utah has three independent candidates running for Congress this election. But most voters haven’t seen a single ad or billboard about their campaigns. For a candidate with no funds or party support, it’s an uphill battle to get a message out. This story looks at what it means to be an independent candidate in Utah.
