Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Sam Penrod ReportingThe votes are now counted and there are several surprises after election day in Utah County. There were some races that weren't suppose to be close, but were. A well-known incumbent was defeated, and in one of the smallest communities in Utah County, someone who was not even on the ballot was elected mayor.
First of all, the Provo mayor's race was not as close as expected, with Mayor Lewis Billings easily winning re-election for a third term, with 60 percent of the votes. Billings was challenged for a second time by retired firefighter Dave Bailey, but unlike four years ago, the finish was not close.
Billings says the campaign has helped him better understand what Provo residents expect of him.
Lewis Billings, Mayor of Provo: "One of the things, among other things that I want to do is make sure that we are doing all we can do to communicate and help residents understand what we're doing for them here at Provo City."
In Lehi, longtime Mayor Ken Greenwood was defeated by more than 500 votes by newcomer Howard Johnson.
In the Spanish Fork mayor's race, it was a very close finish, Joe Thomas defeated Sherman Huff by less than 100 votes.
But the biggest surprise last night came in the town of Cedar Fort, where a write-in candidate defeated incumbent the mayor who was running unopposed on the ballot. Howard Anderson who served as mayor in the mid 1990's lost in the primary election, but yesterday with 92 write in votes he won! So you can say that in at least one Utah County election yesterday, there was an 'upset.'
