This is not at all surprising to me, disgusting, but not surprising. Part of the problem is the non-thinking attitude of most of the LDS people I know (and I am LDS). It's created a more or less one-party system in the State. That means that the Democrats can't get your vote no matter how good of a candidate they field. The Republicans don't have to earn your vote and that's led to widespread corruption- as we are now seeing through scandal after scandal.

It's our fault. We gave these people unchecked power and power unchecked will always corrupt. Our mostly Mormon state legislature has adopted the lowest standards for ethical conduct of ANY legislature in the US.

People have become disenchanted but what they really need to do is SHOW UP and get rid of the people who have become corrupted by power. They aren't accountable to us because we don't hold them accountable. The people have created this problem and they need to step up and fix it.

Don't trust the stats on this one.

there is no point in voting in utah, because the state is conservative and the LDS have too much say in politics

ahhhh, so THAT explains the continued existence of Chris Buttars!!

Maybe the problem is that the LDS majority is disappointed by the Republican Party machine that feeds on corruption and power.

I'm a Republican because I believe in small government, lower taxes, and plain facts of right and wrong. I'm not a Democrat because that party has a tradition of supporting moral relativism and big government.

But now, the Bush43 Republicans in Utah and DC are more like old school Democrats. They ignore plain morality and grow government to entrench their own power.

They hide racism behind "law and order" claims, but flout the basic principles of human decency that make law and order meaningful.

The ONLY reason I went to the caucus was because church leaders asked us to. The party machine ruled and all the important decisions were made at the convention. Of six elected delegates in my precinct, only one bothered to vote in the primary.

Utahans will vote again when one of the parties represents the foundational values of our society. For now, we have a choice between wolves in wolves clothing and wolves in sheep's clothing. The majority choose to stay at home and abstain.

Also - woohoo! first post!

What irony. The lead article is about abysmal voter turnout in Utah, and second article touts all the celebrations and 4th of July patriotism.

Are we patriots when it comes to fireworks and parades and barbecues....but not so much when it comes to selecting our leaders and influencing policy?

Well, there you have it...thank the lunatic fringe who haven't been overcome by apathy for the disaster the GOP has rained down upon us.

Why vote in Utah? You know which party will win. There is no room for any discussion. Rush is right.

All blow and no show.

Methinks it's the cognitive dissonance that explodes when a voter plans to go to the polls. He or she realizes their heart and mind aren't congruent with the dominant political view. It causes paralysis. The voter then stays home rather than vote their conscience which they perceive as sinning. Quite the conundrum.

I just don't have time to vote.I have a large family and my wife stays home to raise the kids. I have to work 2 full-time jobs and a part-time job just to make ends meet. I know that God has inspired my leaders to know who to support in the elections and I know they will tell us who is the right candidate and then I can trust my less busy neighbors to elect the right people. Sort of like voting in proxy. This system has worked for Utah for more than a 160 years. If the rest of the country would follow our example, just look where we coould be today.

I see many excuses on here on why people don't vote. A couple of the excuses are the state is conservative dominated and LDS dominated. With attitudes like that it will continue to be and the only person you can blame is yourself for not voting. I am pretty sure the conservatives won't mind if you guys continue thinking like you currently are either. All I see on here are a bunch of people who have convinced themselves that it isn't worth voting because they think the deck is stacked. Pretty pathetic when you think about it.

Low voter turnout. If there were more primary elections, including Republicans, Democrats and Constitution Party and other parties, not just Republicans, more people would have a reason to go vote.

If we had fewer one-issue or one-race ballots, more people would vote.

The important point is that people have the opportunity to vote, but in Utah County, there were no primary races at all regarding Utah House and Senate seats. None. Zero. Zip. No Democrats, no Republicans, no Constitution, no Libertarian. If people had more to vote about, they would go vote.

We should not be forced to vote nor should we be prevented from voting. Some feel that they are cheated because they can't vote in the Republican primary, but that is silliness if they do not want to be a Republican.

In my opinion, the valid issue in Utah county is that party officials there support the incumbents with money, manipulation (appointed replacement delegates), endorsements for each other
contrary to their own neutrality policies, automatic and discretionary delegates, all intended to avoid primaries, which they did.

There should be more primary races if we want higher voter turnouts. Our voters are not apathetic; they would vote if could.

I do vote. I voted in February. But when the choice comes down to you either vote Republican or Democrat in the primaries, like it was in June, and you have to mark either or on the ballot -- well I don't like any of the selections in either party. And Church has nothing to do with it - it has to do with the Candidate running -- not what religion he/she is. That line I read about in quite a few of these comments "cause Utah is full of LDS and the Church tells their members who to vote for" is getting so old..and BORING. And is so WRONG!! They encourage their members to go out and vote-- but they don't tell us who to vote for.

This is exactly what one-party rule will get you.

The problem is that most Utah residents are convinced that voting has no meaning in Utah. Our elected government officials have indemnified themselves and their administration of accountability. Then there is the censored news media in Utah. They are under the control of the ruling party and are forbidden to disclose the truth about candidates and corruption in Utah's government and it's collaboration with large corporate business leaders. Utahn's don't hear the truth about corruption and all opposing candidates are at the mercy of who the nightly news media is told to support. Voters think they don't have any choice in who runs the government because they aren't given any choices. What ever candidate has the most power with religious and business leaders in Utah is usually the winner, regardless of how many vote. The money in Utah is the power, not the voters. Then many Utahn's are working 2-3 jobs to survive the taxes and corruption that won't go away. With jobs in Utah the voters are not allowed the opportunity to leave a job to vote. The only jobs given this option are government jobs that are also captive voters under the influence of their government employers.

We get the kind of govenment we deserve. True we have a lot of young voters but their interests are computer games, and sport events. Blame it on their parents for not encourgageing their children to get involved in the political processes. Also the vote is a waste of time if you do hold those running for office accountable on the issues on how it will improve our community with less tax dollars.

Isn't it amazing how it takes about 10 seconds for the professional Mormon haters to come out of the woodwork to blame the LDS Church for ANYTHING negative that happens in Utah. They even manage to turn low voter turn out into a gay-rights issue.

The next thing is to blame the Republican Party for anything these people don't like about their lives.

The Church does not tell it's people how to vote. Only that they should vote. We actually have one of the most effective, responsible legislatures in the country.

Having said all of this, I agree that low voter turnout is terrible. I remember when We used to have the highest vote turnout in the nation.

I also agree that one-party rule is dangerous. If we aren't vigilant, we'll become like DEMOCRATS.

I get to see what the results will be by the polls so why should I vote. They should use the polls to decide the elcections and save us time and money. I would like to outlaw polls.

To rkbl at 1:23 am

I'd like for you to tell me what church your leaders come from. Because in my LDS ward and stake no God-inspired leader has ever told me who "the right candidate" is! The LDS Church does NOT endorse candidates. Let's set the record straight!

The headline on this article is so misleading. How does a survey on one election translate into a conclusion that Utah has the lowest voter turnout. It should say "Utah has lowest voter turnout in 2006 election" that would bring some honesty back to the news business!

This is why I'm encouraging everyone in the state to become a Republican. If those of us who are more enlightened, join up with the rascally, reactionary, republicans we can dilute the "wacko factor" and bring the party into a more centrist position. Despite what many people think, not all conservatives are evil, greedy and closed minded, as proven by the esteemed Governor Huntsman, and the charismatic Arnold.

First of all, this doesn't apply to every election - just the 2006 election which was, as noted by the article and by common experience of anyone who happened to be in the state at that time, a non-competition. There simply was no serious opposition candidate - Utah Dems seem absolutely obsessed with just "making a point" rather than running serious campaigns which people could actually get behind.

I generally vote Republican, but I've voted - gladly - for many Democrats in the past in other states where I've lived. Of course, these Dems had platforms that a reasonable individual could get behind and substantive arguments against the opposition. The Utah Democratic, on the other hand, seems to have no interest in actually winning elections - just feeling martyred, and hopefully moving on to the national party if they can, i.e. Pete Ashdown I don't want ideological martyrs, willing to die on every hill their national party throws at them on either side - I want politicians who market themselves to the state I'm in.

One-party politics aren't good for any state - like the market, we need competition. But Utah Democrats need to make themselves worth voting for.

I served in the Marines. I too am LDS but I don't automatically blame the Church for everything. I blame the parents for not teaching the kids to have a love for the country. Join the military and learn more if you don't believe me. You will also see that other states had low voter turn out, so according to you, Cythia, that must also be the fault of the Church. Years ago Utah used to be mostly democratic. However, the democrates support gay marriage, it was a democrate (Clinton) who had Osama and let him go, it was a democrate (Carter) who didn't stand up to Iran to free our hostages that took a republican to do. A democrate wants to bring our troops home and give the terrorists a chance to rebuild themselves, then, as history goes, it will be a repulican who will stand up to the terrorists and everone will ignore the fact that the democrate could have prevented it but lost his/her backbone and turned away. My car broke down, my cat died, I spilled my milk, the freeway is under construction, it's all because of the mormons.

1. We have few electoral votes so we don't feel our vote counts for anything.

2. National and local political coverage is abysmal. Nationally, the questions, coverage and discussions have been tabloid fodder. Why should what Chelsea Clinton thinks of Monica Lewinsky even be asked? Why bang on Romney for being a Mormon or on Obama for his minister's comments?

Locally, The Deseret News ought to watch what they publish. Promoting conservative views is their penchant, but trying to get us to vote for someone because they are Mormon only reinforces non-members' views that the Church tells us how to vote, which is not true. There are some very good Church members who are Democrats who have not been covered well. This practice also makes people feel you have to be a Republican to be LDS. Also not true. Poor journalism!

3. In the last 5 elections, my voting place has been changed EVERY TIME. In spite of Sherrie Swenson's efforts to get people to vote, rotating polling places causes people to just give up. If the announcement somehow got misplaced or didn't show up in the mail, not everyone can figure out where to go to vote.

It's truly amazing that hypocrits come to these boards and call LDS people bigots witout realizing that they truly are the pot calling the kettle black.

The deck IS stacked!!! We all know the outcome. Besides, independent voters aren't allowed into Republican primaries, and the Republican always wins. Why waste our time? And no, I just don't have ANY desire at all to become a Republican.

If you don't like how things are done here, you can always move!

Instead of this being the fault of the LDS church, maybe this is the fault of the Democratic party? Since when have they run viable candidates in more than a few districts? my review of public opinion data reveals that LDs do vote as much as people in other states. It seems to me that this is a party i s she , not a religious one.

Vote. Who cares about your excuses. By not voting, for whatever reason, you become part of the problem.

And to "Grass Roots Republican". I hope you do vote, but leave your moral high horse at home.

I haven't missed voting in an election for over 25 years. If you don't vote, you can't complain.

The purpose of this article is to show that Chris Cannon isn't just acting like a spoiled kid when complaining about loosing. If more people voted, he would have done worse.

The LDS Church doesn't tell people who to vote for.

The majority of those running are LDS, in both major parties. The reason, the church encourages civic participation.

When those that are not LDS, don't run, or vote, they shouldn't be able to complain.

I am still glad Chris Cannon lost.

I hope you are kidding because your line of thinking is incorrect and your facts are wrong. "Our Leaders" in the LDS Church don't tell us what candidates to vote for. On the contrary, every year they send a letter reminding us that the church takes no official position on parties or candidates. Also, if you are waiting for your neighbors to vote for you then you are missing out on one of the best opportunities to exercise your right as a member of a free society. Plus, it doesn't look like many of your neighbors are going to polls anyway.

We should be ashamed of ourselves for not voting at a higher percentage in this state.

"all it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing". Apathy is not an illiness that can be treated with drugs or therapy so I won't call this an epidemic but it does concern me when I see news footage of humanes being run over by cars and individuals being beaten to senselessnes and by-standers walking past and doing nothing more than give a passing glance. So go ahead and blame the LDS church leaders, consertives, republicans, or whomever it takes to salve your rotting souls.

I have lived in many parts of this great state and participated in every cacus meeting held at the time I lived there. I am 63 years old and I have yet to see one of you complaining sociallists at one of those cacus meetings to raise you concerns or put forth your ideas or be a candidate. But you can sure spout off in places like this with your barnyard braaaaying. Get involved with the full political process including voting then I will be able to hear your actions.

The article didn't say that they figured this for citizens and non-citizens. The numbers quoted are for citizens typically, but you can down load the spread sheet from the us census website in excel and check out the numbers.

The problem is that many in the non-lds community don't think they count. They obviously do.

Utah has a 1 party system which thrives on low voter turnout. The powers that be don't want a large turnout. If the people of Utah ever really turned out we could get rid of this corrupt and immoral bunch. I watched the parade in Provo. Congressman cannon came by and I began to applaud. A husky gentleman with several small children started to state me down and began to boo and heckle. We need to show respect for those who serve. That is how we teach our children respect for leaders. Utah is far to right. We must returns to our centrist roots. we make hannity look like a liberal. People choose to note vote when they have lost hope. we have that issue in Utah. The gadianton now own us.

Why vote for McCain, who is basicly an incarnate of Bush and apparently about as bright...Why vote for Obama who is left of left. And do I really want to have a Democrat president with a democrat congress headed up by Pelosi and Reid? So name the real choices. To have Hatch & Bennent supporting Canon really says a lot about the cronyism in politics. 2 knuckleheads supporting a third. As far as the Republican Utah state legislature. That is a joke for another day. Right now I'm ready to vote for anyone who is bright, fiscally conservative, wants to pull back from being the world's policeman, and become a self sustaining nation instead of spending all our wealth off-shore. There are many of those out there, so...Why Vote?

Its just that Utahns are too smart. They realize that the politians have, and are ruining this country. When you feel like its out of your control you just shut down.

Number 1 you're wrong about Mormons getting who they want in. If that is so, why did Rocky, an avowed Anti-Mormon, get to serve so long.

Number 2...you don't like it here in Utah? Move.

I am another to say that this really isn't surprising.

Many LDS people don't even know the meaning of Conservative anymore. Conservatism changed with Reagan and on to a more Neo-conservative view. Lately many conservatives are acting more liberal.

I hear many people say how much they love Bush. Personally, I didn't like him from the beginning. When the war changed to Iraq it was obvious that he has an agenda. We had no just cause to invade. WMD's were a made up lie, then proven not to exist anyway.

The phrase "Weapons of Mass Destruction" was meant to strike fear into Americans to get the war approved by people. A good president wouldn't have even used this phrase. This is intelligent thinking, much higher than most aspire to.

I am LDS, Conservative, and have no party in a world where parties corrupt. I tell others who are LDS my feelings politically. I am probably the most polite about it and yet I get such anger in return. People will yell and think I'm not a good 'Mormon' when they didn't even vote and they don't know a THING about politics. Most can't name 5 senators besides Hilary/Hatch etc.

I propose mail in ballots. That would make it a lot easier. I always vote!

I live in Washington state which I refer to as "The People's Republic of Washington". Democrats almost always win the governor's race and the senate races. Any office west of the Cascade mountains almost always goes to a Democrat. It's one of the most liberal areas in the country (Baghdad Jim McDermott is here). I vote despite all this. Despite the fact that I know my vote probably won't count. I vote because it's my right and my duty. I vote because others in the world have no vote.

The system is corrupt. We need term limits for Congress. No matter who they are, they are corrupt. Time to start over again. We've forgotten the "WE THE PEOPLE" part of our Constitution.

The reason why Utah now has the nation's worst voting participation rates is BECAUSE they mistaken what a person said, about not getting poltical and what was really ment bu that, was on Sunday in Church, not to do it there, because your there at Church for another thing, not a pep rally for some party member, but this "I, Me, My generation of today, dumbsizedown in public schools, nothing between their ears, buy empty space, filled with lies, anti-war, prochoice, liberalism, Communists, radical feminism, homosexuality, affirmative action and quotas in the workplace, peace, free love and dope", would only go to the polls, if it effected that, or when one of their own was going to get kicked out of their seat in Congress or a State, County or City seat. That's the real reason.

In Utah, if you're Mormon and Republican, what more can there possibly be? - so why change it??

arc - I'm not sure why you're beating the CHris Cannon drum still. It's old already. He lost - try to be a gracious winner.

As an election judge, I have seen a lot of apathy especially with the younger voters. On one occasion, a grandmother had her grandson bring her to the polls but he refused to vote because he was in a school where people knew him. This past election, only six came in to declare their party affilliation. Also the election books are outdated and names appear that have moved from the district many years ago. This also distorts the percentage.

The LDS Mormon faith has nothing to do with it. To misdiagnose an illness and then try to cure the treatment with the wrong medication will do no good. This type of article only brings out the Mormon haters, many of which are members.

In my opinion the voters interest has been totally directed at the federal government where the will of the voters has become ineffective. The voters look at the issue as if they were electing a king. For example they think their only choice this year will be McCain or Obama, both of which are unsatisfactory to voters. Then, with the exception of the Utah 3rd CD this year, people have failed to get involved in the neighborhood caucuses where party delegates are elected and poor convention candidates are chosen year after year.

The electorate needs to become involved at the grassroots level and not just wait for the "automatic" party delegates to chose candidates, and I mean this for every party. Because voters don't understand that the real choices are at the grassroots level, they become cynical and fail to make an effort to vote in general elections. The problem is political ignorance and apathy.

If Utah (mormon) politics are more corrupt than in other states, and if the elected leaders are so lousy, then why is Utah the perennial #1 on Forbes list of states with the best fiscal government? Some of us need to get out more, to see what's going on, and go to church more, to see what is actually being said. That being said, the party of gay marriage, gun confiscation, and partial-birth abortion will have a harder row to hoe in Utah than in other areas, no matter what else they do. That party, however, will have a lock on such as San Francisco and NYC. Can you imagine how hopeless an LDS conservative would feel about his vote in one of those cities?

I am a California Republican (and LDS) in a very liberal state. My vote almost never matters, but I continue to vote in every election. Voting is about exercising my constitutional right that this wonderful land of the free offers. Even if you feel your vote doesn't count, the act of voting shows your gratitude for the blessing of living in America.

If the LDS Church tells us who to vote for, how come so many members in my ward are Democrats and proud to display it on their front lawns during elections? They haven't been ex'd yet! The Church ONLY tells us to be involved and vote.

You can't claim prejudice without displaying prejudice yourselves!

My husband and I take great pride in having the privilege to vote. We discuss the issues with our children and take them along. I agree that parents MUST teach their children better.

One hurdle we find time and again, however, is trying to get REAL info about the candidates before we vote. Almost seems like they're hiding, hoping no one will ask the hard, forgotten questions (ie: abortion - when we've asked, we don't get any answers.)

I think lack of information, translated into voter ignorance, accounts for more voters staying home than people realize. It almost kept us home in June. Signs and flyers are not enough. Candidate coverage is dismal. We don't just want to vote, we want to vote responsibly. And yes, we are LDS and Republican and we did NOT vote for Romney!

It is not surprising when people with an (R) usually get elected. At least in many local areas and local elections in Utah, people feel like their votes don't matter much when you have a one party system. You know, they have elections in countries with autocratic governments, even Saddam Hussein held elections where he was the only one on the ballot and I'm sure that voters didn't get to excited about elections there either. Utah is not quite that bad, but it is hard to get excited about elections here. Also, the Caucus system in Utah is where the real political moving and shaking happens within politics, but again, politically active people feel disenfranchised to a point because when someone is running for county or state delegate--they bring all their friends and neighbors to vote for them--and then the friends and neighbors leave immediately after casting their ballots--not even interested in the outcome or politics. It reminds me of a popularity contest in a student council election rather than people who gather to debate or discuss political issues. Primary elections are another problem, but I've run out of room to explain.

If my fellow Democrats would put up some candidates with credance such as Jim Matheson, Utah would be a two party state. Matheson is fiscally conservative and socially moderate, and he wins as did his father. Blaming the LDS church is a poor excuse for my party's failures.