While West Valley City's mayor survived Tuesday's election in the face of a challenge by a member of his LDS ward, Mayor Wayne Mortimer in Bluffdale was ousted by voters angry over the proposed development of the city's most rural quarter.

Mortimer was defeated 827-713 Tuesday by former City Council member Claudia Anderson. Anderson has been a leader of the Bluffdale United movement opposed to the city's negotiations with developers looking to build medium- to high-density neighborhoods and retail developments in Area 4 — 4,000 acres in the city's southwest corner.

Under Mortimer's leadership, the Bluffdale City Council and city staff have worked with the landowners in Area 4, who had filed a lawsuit seeking to be disconnected from Bluffdale so they could be annexed into Herriman. Mortimer and other supporters of the compromise said that after the suit was filed, the options were for the city to fight to keep Area 4 in its boundaries or for the question to be decided by the courts — which, they say, would almost certainly result in the loss of about 40 percent of Bluffdale's land mass.

And then, they said, the land would probably be developed anyway.

But Bluffdale United and its supporters believe the negotiations and proposed settlement of the lawsuit not only would have sold the city out but would also have thwarted a referendum drive that had gathered enough signatures to call for a citywide vote on a special zoning category created to facilitate the development. The settlement has not been approved by a judge, and the lawsuit is still pending.

Anderson did not return calls seeking comment Tuesday night.

Mortimer said he wasn't surprised about his loss, saying he is certain it is due to the work of Bluffdale United. And he had congratulations for his opponent.

"She did a good race," he said. "She is to be complimented — she didn't go negative. She stayed with the issues, consistent throughout."

Bluffdale United's favorite City Council candidates, Nancy Lord and Bill Maxwell, also were elected, defeating John Roberts Jr. and incumbent Morris Clark.

Clark agreed Bluffdale United was behind his loss, saying, "They got in on a referendum where they were not totally honest with the people, but the vote's the vote, and we accept it and go on. I'm a firm believer that any city that votes, they get the government they vote for."

Meanwhile, West Valley Mayor Dennis Nordfelt handily beat political newcomer Adam Calvin Leffler — the second counselor in the bishopric of Nordfelt's ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Nordfelt won 4,442-1,016.

Among the other incumbents to be re-elected Tuesday was South Jordan's Mayor Kent Money, who defeated challenger Michael Walters 1,993-861.

In Taylorsville, where Mayor Janice Auger did not seek re-election, Councilman Russ Wall beat Richard Tanner Morley 2,984-1,187 in the mayor's race. Another open race, Riverton's mayoral race, saw City Councilman Bill Applegarth elected with 2,144 votes to Donald Green's 404.

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