BYU's Patterson said his exit polling showed that by far most Utahns really liked the new machines and thought poll workers were informed and courteous.

Voter turnout wasn't setting any records. In Salt Lake County about 45 percent of registered voters used the new electronic machines.

In the only statewide proposition — an amendment to the Utah Constitution that would allow the Legislature to exempt from property taxes small personal property items — was winning 2-to-1.

Finally, in terms of money, in the U.S. Senate and three U.S. House races in Utah, between $7.5 million and $8 million was spent (the final totals are not yet in) on their campaigns.

The king of cash was Hatch, who raised more than $6.2 million since his last re-election in 2000 and spent more than $4.2 million. His Democratic challenger, Pete Ashdown, founder and president of XMission Internet access service, could have poured millions of dollars into his own campaign. He didn't, spending just over $38,000 — adding he wouldn't be a "rich guy buying his own seat."

Matheson raised $1.7 million and spent more than $1.2 million. He easily defeated state Christensen, who spent more than $500,000 of his own money, only to finish further behind Matheson than any of his previous three GOP victims.

And even Cannon got into the money race this year. Since first winning election in 1996 where he spent liberally from his own bank account, Cannon has not been a good fund-raiser. This year he spent $1.2 million, including $140,000 of his cash.

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Contributing: Lee Davidson and Deborah Bulkeley

E-mail: bbjr@desnews.com