Up to 80 percent voter turnout expected in Utah

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Director of Elections Mark Thomas says he expects Tuesday's election to draw one of the highest voter turnouts in the state in decades.

He says turnout has already hit 30 percent with early voting and absentee ballots, and should reach 75 percent to 80 percent by late Tuesday.

He attributes the interest partly to the presidential campaign of Mitt Romney, who is Mormon as are most Utahns. Romney also was chief of the 2002 Winter Games in Utah.

Thomas says the tight race between Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, and Republican Mia Love also is generating interest.

Voter turnout for the 2008 presidential election was 67 percent.

Voters also will decide races for the U.S. Senate and three other House seats, and statewide races for governor and other top offices.