• Tom K. Ellevold, 28, is a microbiologist and chemist making his first foray into politics. He wrote that he has worked on charity drives to raise money for cancer victims and a nursing home in Tooele, adding, "I consider these actions to be political experience because I feel helping the needy is one of many duties all politicians should make a priority." He wrote that the top issues in the city are growth-related and include land and water use, low-income housing issues and ordinances regarding new building projects. He also wrote that he wants to address Tooele's crystal meth problem.

• Bobby Joe Main Jr., 46, a retired police lieutenant currently working as the Tooele County attorney's investigator, agreed that growth issues are the biggest facing the city. "While growth is inevitable," he wrote, "it has to be managed in a way that the infrastructure can keep pace with managed growth and the citizens are able to receive the services they deserve." Water availability, he wrote, needs to be studied, and "if more water is needed then proper conservation methods need to be employed and funds need to be allocated to ensure conservation of water as well as securing additional water rights, but not at the expense of the current citizens of Tooele." In addition, he wrote, the city needs to recruit businesses with "the reputation of being good community partners."

• Ryan Timmins, 29, a college student and collections specialist, listed as his previous political experience being a volunteer for President Bush's 2004 campaign. He also said growth is the city's major issue. "How to best manage it?" he wrote. "Certainly not by following the current blueprint of the woefully inept and unresponsive mayor and city council." Tooele needs more jobs and more major roads, he wrote. He criticized city planners for focusing growth on the north end of Main Street, "effectively destroying the downtown area to the south and causing massive congestion" to the north. He also said the east side of the city has been neglected and should be revitalized, possibly with federal redevelopment assistance.