Several local races could swing either way

While the incumbents in Utah's major races hold double-digit leads in the polls, some local races could be decided Tuesday by 2 or 3 percentage points — a couple of hundred, even a couple of dozen, voters.

And the Utah Republican and Democratic parties, along with some campaign-rich candidates, will spend more than $200,000 to get their supporters to the polls to vote for their candidates.

The pre-Election Day get-out-the-vote efforts are in full swing. If you haven't heard from a candidate or political party by now, you are probably listed as an "undecided" or "independent" voter — and thus parties and candidates aren't too interested in getting you to your ballot box just in case you'd vote the wrong way.

And most of the GOTV effort missed early voters, as they could go to certain locations and vote starting two weeks ago.

"I've never seen our get-out-the-vote effort as well organized," said Jeff Hartley, executive director of the Utah Republican Party.

U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah — who has more than $2.7 million in cash in his campaign account — is picking up most of the cost of the Republicans' $100,000 coordinated efforts. "Yeah, we're paying for most of it," said Dave Hansen, Hatch's campaign manager. Hatch has had several full-time people working on the effort for the past month.

Democrats, however, are no slackers, kicking in more than $100,000 for voter-I.D. and turnout.

"We're focusing on getting out our vote for our legislative races," said Democratic Party executive director Todd Taylor.

U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah — who like Hatch is leading his challenger in the new newspaper and TV poll published over the weekend — handles his own turn-out-the-vote effort in his 2nd Congressional District, said Taylor.

"I think we've always done pretty well at turning out our voters. The Republicans have learned from us," Taylor said. When Republicans outnumber you 2-to-1, Utah Democrats know you need to get your voters to the polls.

And parties will do whatever it takes to get supporters to the polls. If people need a ride, all they have to do is call either party headquarters and say they are a guaranteed vote in their party column and someone will knock on their door.

Traditional GOTV activities include identifying your voters, walking neighborhoods to get your supporters to the polls, using automated and/or personal candidate and party telephone calls, picking elderly or disabled voters up and taking them to the polls.