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LOGAN — Do voters know if they're deciding more than just a president this year? Americans will decide a president this year, but a Utah State political scientist tells us not to forget about the local candidates and initiatives that may impact us more.
This is a presidential election year, but voters have other issues to decide, like who they'll send to congress, the incorporation of Millcreek and other initiatives. Utah State University professor Michael Lyons says those other issues just aren't as exciting and wishes so many voters wouldn't be surprised at the polls come election day.
"It's certainly rational to focus your attention on these local races, and frankly, less rational to worry about one vote being cast in Utah one way or the other for a presidential candidate because it's not going to determine the outcome," Lyons said. "…You could have more impact in these local elections and a lot of times the effects on your personal quality of life are much greater as a result of the outcome in a local election."
Lyons said the lesser known, local initiatives are usually forgotten, but shouldn't be. He argues that Utahns will have more control over impactful local initiatives and candidates, but the voting won't reflect that.
"Unless (issues) are emotional, unless there's significant levels of advertising, they tend to produce random or arbitrary patterns of voting in a lot of cases," Lyons said.
Lyons says the majority of Utahns will vote for Mitt Romney for president, but they must compete with the other 49 states. Lyons also says that perhaps the only Utah race getting attention from voters is that for the 4th district congressional seat between Democratic Rep. Jim Matheson and Republican Saratoga Springs Mayor Mia Love. Voters have been bombarded with radio and TV ads from all sides, and Love got the national spotlight when she addressed the Republican National Convention in August.
