SALT LAKE CITY — When election results are finalized Tuesday, the tallies will set in stone Salt Lake City's next mayor and conclusively resolve the close race of Proposition 1 in Salt Lake County.

It's expected that Jackie Biskupski will take Mayor Ralph Becker's chair as mayor of Utah's capital city after she was ahead of him by 1,450 votes on Election Day. Becker has not conceded, but election officials have said a comeback would be highly unlikely.

Both Becker and Biskupski will be at the Salt Lake City-County Building at 2 p.m. Tuesday when the city's board of canvassers certifies the final tallies.

'Looking foward' to victory

"We're all looking forward to it," said Simone Butler with Biskupski's campaign. "We're really excited to start the next steps (of Biskupski's transition). It will be a good day."

Becker's campaign spokesman Matt Lyon said he's "looking forward" to seeing the results when the race comes to a close.

In anticipation of victory, Biskupski has planned a celebration at the Utah Pride Center from 5-7 p.m.

Prop 1

Proposition 1, however, hangs in the thralls of defeat after the local option sales tax increase apparently failed by 1.8 percent on Nov. 3.

With 24,000 Salt Lake County outstanding ballots left to be tallied, Proposition 1 supporters have been holding out hope for the tax hike, which could generate nearly $59 million for local transportation projects.

But Salt Lake County Clerk Sherrie Swensen on Monday was skeptical of Proposition 1's chances in Salt Lake County.

"I guess anything is possible with those 24,000 ballots, but honestly I've never seen a margin that isn't less than 1 percent flip a race," she said.

County by county

Davis and Weber counties were among 10 counties statewide that approved the local option sales tax increase for transportation-related projects. Utah County voters soundly defeated the proposal.

If Proposition 1 does pass in Salt Lake County, 40 percent of the new tax money would go the Utah Transit Authority, 40 percent to cities and 20 percent to counties.

Utah Transit Authority Board Chairman H. David Burton acknowledged Friday that public backlash against the agency figured into the Proposition 1 outcome in Salt Lake and Utah counties.

UTA controversy

UTA has come under fire for high executive salaries and bonuses, some of which were as much as $30,000. Late last month, UTA executives announced they would forgo bonuses for the next two years for the benefit of the agency.

Swensen said a recount may be requested in close races if vote tallies come within 0.25 percent. By law, candidates must file for a recount within seven days after the canvass. For ballot propositions, 10 voters must file for the recount request within that same timeline.

Final results of races throughout Salt Lake County will be posted on the county's website at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

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