PROVO — The mother of Utah Rep. Stephen Sandstrom, R-Orem, found herself battling for her own political life during Tuesday night's primary.

Two-term incumbent Provo City Council member Barbara Sandstrom's bid for a third term survived by a mere 16 votes — and she promised to buy signs for the general election on Nov. 6.

"I put no signs up at all," she said. "I didn't have the money. That's the absolute truth. I'm going to buy some signs."

All three Provo incumbents advanced to the general election in an interesting mix of races that could dramatically alter the dynamic on the City Council.

Steve Turley earned 50.56 percent of the votes in his effort to retain his seat. Recently retired fire chief Coy Porter earned 42.56 percent, setting up what promises to be an outstanding race for one of Provo's two citywide seats.

Brigham Young University student Christopher Stowe finished third, with 6.88 percent of the votes, and was eliminated.

"When you're running against an incumbent and a retired fire chief as a student who doesn't know many people, it's hard," he said.

The increasingly personal confrontation between incumbent District 3 Council member Midge Johnson and Melanie McCoard, who lives in the same precinct, will continue for the next two months. Johnson landed 63.55 percent to McCoard's 24.42 percent. Brian J. Smith finished third at 12.03 percent and was eliminated.

"It's pretty much what I expected," Johnson said. "Last time, I took every precinct in the general election, and I don't think anything's changed."

She did win every precinct again, but McCoard promised a tougher fight than the one she put up when she lost to Johnson four years ago.

"I backed off saying some things for the sake of people who were in an uncomfortable position (in the neighborhood)," McCoard said. "I didn't even campaign in my neighborhood because people said they were uncomfortable. I wish someone else had run this time, but no one else did. I don't agree with her and I have to say so. Four years ago was tame. She's going to be held accountable for things she's done, for the questions she hasn't asked."

Sandstrom edged Howard Stone to stay alive in District 4, where she'll now face off against the woman who made her campaign brochures four years ago, Sherrie Hall Everett.

Everett earned 309 votes, Sandstrom 294 and Stone 278.

Stone said he would endorse Sandstrom, while she and Everett immediately made it clear they didn't want to fight an east-west battle in their district.

Sandstrom lives on Grandview Hill, in the east end of the district, where she dominated. Everett lives west of I-15 and Geneva Road.

"The west side really showed out," Everett said. "We have an opportunity to really get our issues on the table. But I'm just as passionate about the Grandview neighborhoods as I am the west side."

Sandstrom said she knows the west side as well as Everett and has represented it well.

She said she tossed her signs in a Dumpster four years ago after handily beating Stone because she didn't expect to run again.

A meager 7 percent of registered Provo voters cast ballots on Tuesday. The best turnout came in the tight race in District 4, where nearly 10 percent of registered voters went to the polls.

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E-mail: twalch@desnews.com