Municipal elections get to the heart of politics

Murray — Two-term Mayor Dan Snarr is a tireless campaigner who utilizes unorthodox methods to gain attention. For example, in his 2001 re-election bid, volunteers sported T-shirts emblazoned with "For no B.S. vote D.S." The outspoken mayor has a solid record of achievement including cleaning the famous smokestack sites to make way for the largest medical center in the Intermountain West and wiring most of the city with Internet service. His challenger, Salt Lake County Council member David Wilde, is an experienced campaigner (he ran for U.S. Congress in 2004), well-known in GOP circles. Despite his charismatic appeal, Snarr is vulnerable for sponsoring numerous fee increases. The issue in this race is whether voters want to replace a nonpartisan but controversial mayor with a Republican running on a platform of traditional conservative principles, especially lower taxes.

Sandy — Mayor Tom Dolan is the undisputed "Master of the Game" who will likely be awarded an unprecedented fourth term. Although he has encountered some blows for perceived insensitivity to growth concerns, the best politician in the state may run unopposed.

Webb: Municipal elections are actually bigger elections, in terms of the number of candidates and positions, than even-year general elections.

In most of Utah's 241 cities and towns, at least two council posts and the mayor's seat are up for grabs, totaling more than 700 positions. Assuming just two people run for each seat, that would be 1,400 candidates seeking office, far more than in general elections. Unincorporated areas, of course, are not involved.

These are all very local races, but city positions can be some of the toughest and loneliest offices in politics. With little fanfare and often more than their share of abuse, Utah's hundreds of municipal elected officials quietly go about serving at the level of government closest to home.

But being that close can get uncomfortable. Local politics can be the nastiest of all. That's because it gets personal in a hurry. The issues are often emotional and touch people not just on an ideological or theoretical level, but in a practical way in their everyday lives. An opponent on an issue may be the guy across the street or over the fence. Issues divide neighborhoods. City leaders make tough decisions, then face those affected at church, at the grocery store and on the soccer field where their children play together.

And in almost every city, a few always-angry rabble-rousers seem to have nothing better to do than harass council members and mayors.

In many municipalities, hot local issues like battles over Wal-Mart or beer sales and Sunday closing ordinances will spill over into this year's election.