Proceed with Feb. 5 primary

Even if no presidential candidate visits Utah next year, an investment in a Feb. 5 primary will be worthwhile.

That date quickly is shaping up to be a nationwide mega day of decision. So far, 19 states have decided to hold primaries, conventions or caucuses on that day, including the very large and attention-hungry state of California. Earlier, Utah had hoped that only a small group of Western states would hold primaries on that date, and that this would force presidential candidates to pay attention to the unique issues and concerns of this region. A nationwide primary would dilute that significantly.

But that's no reason to avoid holding a vote. Both the governor's office and leaders of the Democratic and Republican parties expressed the reason well in this newspaper on Sunday. Utahns should hold a primary so that voters here get a say in picking the Republican and Democrat who most likely will emerge as candidates for president.

In other words, the focus of a Utah primary has changed. It no longer is about bringing attention to the state. It is about people of this state having a say along with much of the rest of the nation.

Frankly, that's worth the $3.5 million cost of setting up equipment and letting people vote, an expenditure already approved by the Legislature.

A recent poll commissioned for this newspaper and KSL-TV by Dan Jones & Associates found that Utahns overwhelmingly oppose spending money on a primary. Only about a quarter were in favor. Our guess is many of those surveyed hadn't considered the value of at least being able to cast a vote in a process that until now has been more or less decided entirely by people elsewhere.

Because of its small population and its history of voting Republican, Utah never will be a big player nationally. For some reason, however, states that are equally insignificant politically, such as New Hampshire and Iowa, have been given huge clout when it comes to whittling away at the presidential field.

Feb. 5 will give people here a say, if nothing else. The presence of other Western states could combine to force some attention from candidates, as well. Frankly, $3.5 million is a small price to pay for that.