This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Davis County is preparing for an expected record-setting turnout for the 2012 presidential election by mailing 72,000 postcards to residents reminding them they can vote by mail or vote early.
Clerk/Auditor Steve Rawlings anticipates that every voting machine in the county will be in use next year, but those resources will still fall short of the need. While voter interest in Utah could be heightened by the possibility that either Mitt Romney or Jon Huntsman Jr. might appear on the ballot, this awareness campaign — part of a statewide effort — is also about the bottom line.
"Anytime people are potentially on the ballot who have strong ties to Utah, that definitely tends to boost voting," Rawlings said.
However, the push to let registered voters know they can either vote by mail or participate in early voting — two options to minimize election-day lines — is also a way to avoid having to purchase more equipment, Rawlings said.
Cathy Mckitrick