More than 58 percent supported amending a zoning ordinance to require a public vote on any conditional-use permit for a coal-fired power plant, according to unofficial returns. The grass-roots initiative made it to the ballot only after the Supreme Court cleared the way.

Voters in Box Elder County appeared to back a grass-roots referendum to repeal the sale of the county's Little Mountain landfill. With two-thirds of precincts reporting, the referendum was passing with 58 percent of the vote. The County Commission wanted to sell to a consortium handling waste for five northern Utah counties.

In neighboring Cache County, voters soundly rejected paying higher taxes to preserve open space.

Springville voters, however, were poised to endorse higher taxes for a library. And Cedar City voters overwhelmingly approved paying more for a new pool.

Only one incumbent county commissioner was ousted: Emery's Drew Sitterud, a Republican who pleaded guilty to misusing public money in September. Democrat Laurie Pitchforth won.

Summit County elected an almost entirely Democratic council, with David Ure the only Republican elected to the new five-member body that will replace the three-member commission. The council also will be dominated by residents from the populous west side. Only Ure lives on the east side, in Kamas.

In Davis County, Republican John Petroff turned back Democrat J. Dell Holbrook, a former commissioner. Petroff, West Point's mayor, captured 63 percent of the vote as the Davis GOP kept its grip on elective office. Holbrook was the last Democrat to hold office there, 14 years ago.

kmoulton@sltrib.com