Come Tuesday, voters statewide will buoy up or knock down hundreds of candidates vying for scores of city offices.

Salt Lake City is grabbing most of the headlines as four front-line candidates seek to replace outgoing Mayor Rocky Anderson, who has inspired fans and enraged foes with his activist agenda.

In Ogden, Mayor Matthew Godfrey - who has launched an aggressive and, in some quarters, controversial downtown overhaul - must fend off four challengers in Tuesday's primary to win a shot at a third term this fall.

Eight of the state's 10 most-populous cities - Salt Lake City, West Valley City, Provo, West Jordan, Orem, Ogden, St. George and Layton - will narrow city-council races for the Nov. 6 general election. (Sandy and Taylorsville have no primaries).

Anemic turnout typically marks primaries, but a tightening mayoral chase could swell those numbers in Utah's capital.

Ralph Becker (26 percent), Dave Buhler (25 percent) and Jenny Wilson (24 percent) are locked in a statistical tie, according to last week's Salt Lake Tribune poll.

Keith Christensen, Anderson's chosen successor, trails at 11 percent, followed by five fringe candidates.

The front-runners hope last-minute blitzes will sway not only a chunk of undecided voters - pegged at 13 percent in the poll - but also encourage their backers to show up at the polls.

In the capital's 2003 mayoral primary, 29.5 percent of registered voters cast ballots.

Turnout often is even more dismal in the suburbs. In West Valley City two years ago, only 13.7 percent of voters went to the polls.

But this year, many ballots are loaded with candidates, perhaps signaling an increased interest in - or discontent with - city government. That could drive up traffic at the polls.

In West Valley City, seven candidates sprung up to fight for an at-large council seat left open by the retirement of the council's longest-serving member, Margaret Peterson. Voters in Utah's second most-populous city also will have to winnow down three-candidate races in Districts 1 and 3.

West Jordan's population burst has boosted the city to the fourth largest in the state. And 11 council candidates, seeking three seats, contend they can best lead the booming city.

Provo has nine candidates jostling for three council seats in the primary, and Orem has a dozen up for three council slots. St. George, which historically has seen tepid interest in running for office, has 14 candidates chasing three council seats.

Salt Lake City voters will cut the candidate lists in two council districts.

In District 6, four candidates are vying for Buhler's seat. They are William Huckins, J.T. Martin, Roger J. McConkie and Ellen Reddick.

In District 4, Councilwoman Nancy Saxton faces a stiff challenge from University of Utah political science professor Luke Garrott, who has raised three times as much campaign cash as the two-term incumbent. Carol Goode, Brian Doughty and Jack Lawrence Gray also are in the race.

In Ogden, Godfrey faces state Rep. Neil Hansen, City Councilwoman Susie Van Hooser, retired Hill Air Force Base machinist Doyle Sexton and state government employee John Thompson.

Godfrey touts successes with economic development, including attracting recreation companies and adding 5,000 jobs, as reasons voters should stick with him.

But Hansen charges the mayor has turned Ogden into a "real-estate company" and neglected infrastructure and services.

Van Hooser and Thompson say they would develop more constructive relationships with the council. And Sexton pledges to lower taxes and fees paid by businesses and give residents a bigger voice in policy decisions.

On the council side, nine hopefuls are pursuing three Ogden council seats in the primary. Six will advance to the fall finale.

Farther south, Utah County's Eagle Mountain is preparing to elect its 10th mayor in 11 years.

On Tuesday, voters will trim one of three mayoral candidates. Richard Culbertson, Wolfgang Franz and Councilwoman Heather Jackson are vying for the two-year job, finishing former Mayor Brian Olsen's interrupted term.

Olsen resigned 10 months after being elected and later was charged with seven third-degree felonies for allegedly misusing public funds. Don Richardson was appointed to fill the vacancy but is not running to keep the job.

rwinters@sltrib.com

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* STEVE GEHRKE contributed to this story.

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When and where to vote:

Polls will be open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. To find your polling location, contact your city recorder's office.