"I've always been a long outspoken proponent of the fact that there is a disconnect between the council and the city," Salt Lake County Councilman Joe Hatch said. "In terms of ideology they're just more conservative than Salt Lake City is."

Utah State Rep. Ralph Becker, D-Salt Lake, believes some constituents are ready for change.

"I've heard from some people that we need more diversity or we need some different representation on the City Council," Becker said.

But besides politics, Becker said, there is also some community concern over the state of downtown. While the City Council and Anderson have often talked about the need to revitalize the city's core, the perception is that the city lacks a collaborative plan to revitalize areas of downtown not owned by the LDS Church.

Others, however, downplay the notion that voters are upset with the City Council.

Former County Mayor Alan Dayton says legislative bodies often don't do well in polls.

"Frankly, I don't hear anything but positive comments about the City Council," he said. "I'll almost guarantee you all those guys will do well in re-election."

Former mayoral candidate Frank Pignanelli agrees and says if council members' actual names were used in the poll there would be more support.

"If you were to attach a name with those I firmly believe those numbers would be higher," said Pignanelli, a former legislator who also co-writes a political column for the Deseret Morning News.

And while that may be true, there is evidence that the council's popularity is slipping.

In 2003 Jones conducted a similar poll for the Morning News asking city residents if they favor or oppose re-electing their current City Council representative.

Then, 49 percent said they favored the incumbent, with only 16 percent opposing their re-election. Another 35 percent didn't know.

Besides Jergensen and Christensen, Councilwoman Jill Remington Love is running again unopposed in District 5, while District 7 incumbent Dale Lambert declined to seek re-election. A slew of candidates are fighting for that vacant seat.

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E-mail: bsnyder@desnews.com