Three out of four city dwellers in Utah say they're satisfied with their municipal governments, but almost half say they're going to vote for challengers in next Tuesday's elections rather than for incumbents, a just-completed Deseret News/KSL-TV poll shows.
Utahns living in the state's 228 cities and towns - more than 70 percent of the population - will elect mayors and council members Tuesday.A survey conducted Wednesday and Thursday by pollster Dan Jones & Associates throughout the state shows that 76 percent of those who live in cities are very or somewhat satisfied with their city government - a high approval rating. Only 22 percent are dissatisfied.
But 46 percent say they're going to vote for challengers in their mayoral or council races, Jones found. Only 26 percent say they're voting for the incumbents, 10 percent said there's no incumbent running and 18 percent didn't know whom they were going to vote for.
Jones says it's strange that so many Utahns say they're satisfied with their municipal government but contend they're going to vote for challengers rather than for the incumbents who are running that government.
The discrepancy leads him to believe that incumbents throughout the state will do better than the 26-46 split shows. However, 57 percent say they are only somewhat satisfied with their municipal government, and one could be somewhat satisfied and still vote for someone new, he added.
The fact that nearly half of all those polled said they're planning on voting for challengers to current officeholders can't, in a broad, general sense, be a good sign for incumbents.
Because there are more than 1,300 candidates running in the 228 cities and towns, it's impossible to poll on individual races.
Also on the ballot Tuesday will be a non-binding Olympics referendum question. Results of Jones' polling on that question will appear in Sunday's Deseret News.
It's widely believed that the Olympic question on the ballot will increase voter interest. Uncertain is what that turnout will be.
Jones asked several questions on voter interest and likelihood of voting. He found that 61 percent of all Utahns are very likely to vote Tuesday; 77 percent of the city dwellers said they plan to vote.
That, of course, is very high. People naturally tend to say they're going to vote whether they will or not since it's considered a citizen's duty.
"I expect the real turnout to be between 30 and 40 percent," Jones said - still a good showing for a municipal election year.
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(POLL)
In general, how satisfied are you with your city government? (Asked only of city residents.)
Very satisfied.....19 percent
Somewhat satisfied.....57 percent
Somewhat dissatisfied.....13 percent
Very dissatisfied.....8 percent
Don't know....4 percent
Do you plan to vote for the incumbent(s), if one is running, or do you think it is time to give a new person a chance in your municipal government?
Incumbent(s).....26%
Challenger..... 46%
Incumbent not running.....10%
Don't know.....18%
Sample size: 604; margin of error plus or minus 4 percent