West Valley City tries to reach its voters

WEST VALLEY CITY — In 2003, the leaders of Utah's second-largest city were chosen by fewer than 5,000 voters — less than 5 percent of the population.

This year, West Valley City hopes to see its residents get more involved in local elections.

"I just don't take the time to do that," West Valley resident Brooke Calder said of voting in municipal elections. She occasionally votes in state elections and always in presidential elections, but somehow, local races don't grab her interest.

"I feel bad saying it, but sometimes I think it's not quite as important," she said.

A handful of West Valley residents approached recently at the Valley Fair Mall all said that they regularly failed to vote in city and county elections, and while most declined to give their names, they all had about the same things to say:

Local races don't seem all that important.

It's hard to keep track of who's running and what their positions are.

Media coverage is harder to find in local elections.

It just doesn't seem worth the time.

But West Valley's city recorder's office feels differently, and it has launched an effort to convince more voters that municipal elections do matter — and that every voter's voice is needed.

The recorder's office has enlisted the help of the city's public relations and community outreach departments to spread that message to voters. Pamphlets including registration information, polling locations, absentee voter information and candidacy requirements have been placed throughout the city.

"Voter participation in the past has been pathetic," City Recorder Sheri McKendrick said. "People aren't getting out and exercising their right to vote."

Beyond voting, the city hopes to see more people becoming actively involved by running for city offices.

According to the numbers, West Valley is hurting more for voters than it is for candidates, but the city's voter outreach campaign argues that there's always room for more office-seekers.

In 2003's municipal elections, where three City Council members were chosen and Mayor Dennis Nordfelt ran unopposed, only 4,897 ballots were cast, less than 12 percent of the registered voters and less than 5 percent of the city's population.

By comparison, Salt Lake City had a turnout of 41,844 voters — 48.5 percent of registered voters and about 23 percent of the population. But Salt Lake had a hotly contested mayoral race between Mayor Rocky Anderson and Frank Pignanelli, three City Council races and six bond propositions.