From Deseret News archives:
It's down to the vote
And now we'll finally learn the winners and losers
The major party presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama have been running for two years.
Local candidates campaigned maybe a shorter time, but many races were just reaching their peaks of intensity over the last few weeks in the Beehive State.
Embattled state House member Rep. Greg Hughes, R-Draper, likely summed up the opinions of many candidates and voters when he said last Friday: "I just want this to be over. I don't want any recounts — just a winner and a loser."
Utahns go to the polls today from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. And there could be lines if you vote at the most popular times, in the morning or after work.
Voters may find out where to vote and whether they are registered by calling their local county clerk, or by going to a state Web site: leaveyourprint.com.
Salt Lake County Clerk Sherrie Swensen says it is best if all voters know where their polling place is located — you don't want to waste your time or raise your frustration level by going to the wrong polling place. In the county, you can find out your place by calling her office at GOT-VOTE (468-8683) or go directly to her Web site, www.clerk.slco.org, where you can also view a sample ballot for your area.
In the long campaign, state and federal candidates in Utah have raised $20.1 million — or more than $13 per registered voter to try to persuade them. That does not count money raised by county-level candidates. For that amount, candidates could have bought each Utah voter a pizza or one of the lowest-cost tickets to a Utah Jazz game.
Most of the Utah political donations went into the presidential campaign — more than $9 million. And most of that — $5.5 million — went to Republican Mitt Romney, who lost in the primary season and will not be on the final ballot.
Candidates in Utah's three congressional races raised a total of $4.5 million. Candidates in Utah's governor's race raised $1.1 million. And candidates in Utah legislative races raised a combined $4.5 million.
By all accounts, this is a record-setting election year for Americans. More than 130 million citizens will likely cast a ballot. And the second-place finisher in the presidential contest may well get more votes than the winner of any past presidential race.
In the 30-plus states that have early voting (Utah is one) up to a fourth of the citizens actually won't be voting today — they've already voted. About a fifth of all registered voters in Utah cast ballots early.
It is a trend that is changing campaigns across the country, as last-minute attack ads or rumor campaigns become more ineffective.
