OREM — While voter turnout across Utah County wasn't as great as some candidates may have hoped, incumbents cleaned up in Orem, Pleasant Grove and Payson.

Orem incumbents Margaret Black and Mark Seastrand made it through the primary, along with Brent Sumner, Carl Hernandez III, Michael Whimpey and Tom Fifita Sitake.

Each city will announce final results after canvassing the votes, adding in provisional and absentee ballots. Winners advance to the Nov. 6 general election.

Hernandez, a law professor at Brigham Young University, said he wanted to run for a council seat to speak for all residents of Orem, where voter turnout was about 12 percent, but also to give a greater voice to the growing Hispanic population.

Tongan Tom Fifita Sitake also ran with hopes of adding more racial diversity to the council but said his concern is doing what's best for all Orem residents.

In Eagle Mountain, where voter turnout was about 20 percent, Richard J. Culbertson with 505 votes and Heather Jackson with 416 votes will now compete for the mayorship — a position that has been filled and vacated eight times since the city's inception in 1996.

Mayor Don Richardson was appointed last November when Mayor Brian Olsen resigned Oct. 20. Days later, Olsen was accused in court documents of misusing public funds.

In Mapleton, Laurel Brady, the wife of former Mayor Jim Brady, won the mayoral primary with 355 votes. Ann Tolley finished second with 300.

Brady said her initial reaction was one of gratitude when her husband came home and delivered the news. "I really appreciate all the people who turned out to vote," she said. "I appreciate their support."

Brady didn't bask in the victory long. The "real campaign" is approaching, she said. She said her main issue will be development because some project Mapleton's population could double in the next five years.

The voter turnout was lower than most of the cities expected, but that didn't mean the victories were outright.

Payson Mayor Burtis Bills said the city is waiting for more ballots to arrive. The tally was so close the city didn't want to announce winners until Monday when the city canvasses the votes.

In Highland, all but one candidate will advance in the race for three council seats. Candidate F. Chad Copier came in last with an unofficial 132 votes.

Turnout was low, said Highland City Recorder Wini Jensen. Of 7,383 registered voters, only 631 voted.

"A lot of times, if it's not a mayorship (turnout ) is lower," she said. "There wasn't a lot of campaigning going on. I think this time of year, people are just not tuned into the change in the time schedule with the election."

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