In the last municipal election, only 40 percent of Fairfield's registered voters exercised their constitutional right.

Genola, a small town 26 miles southwest of Provo, also had its fair share of responsible citizens. More than 400 of the town's 599 voters raised their voice on election day. Mayor Eric Hazelet said the hot topic wasn't Referendum 1 but an annexation proposal that would have doubled the town's population over the next few years.

"I think I only saw one sign (for Referendum 1) the whole time," he said.

The high voter turnout was no surprise to Hazelet. He said it's typical Genola behavior.

"Traditionally, the people here are pretty good voters," he said. "The community also has a good sense of voluntarism."

Of all the cities in Utah County, Provo reported the lowest voter turnout at 33.6 percent, but Provo spokeswoman Helen Anderson considers that a triumph.

"That's actually up for Provo," she said. "We're pleased with the turnout."

In the 2005 election, only 29 percent of Provo's registered voters made an appearance at the polls, she said. In 2003, only 26 percent cast their ballot. Hoffman credits hot-button issues such as Referendum 1 for the slight spike in voter turnout.

Anderson also said she's disappointed with the turnout in the areas around BYU.

"It's understandable that residents who are only going to be here temporally are not as interested in voting in municipal elections," she said. "But we welcome their participation ... they're important to us. Their votes count if they care."

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