Eight council candidates also advanced to the Nov. 2 general election, when voters will choose the first leaders of their soon-to-be-incorporated city on the Salt Lake Valley's east bench.

Cullimore - owner of Cottonwood Heights-based Dynatronics, a medical-device company - emerged with more than 60 percent of the vote, according to unofficial returns. Campaign supporters cheered at his company headquarters as results flashed on the screen showing his numbers soaring throughout the night.

"I'm excited and I'm surprised it was that big of a margin," Cullimore said late Tuesday. "That gives me some comfort that I'm ahead, but you can't relax."

Bitter, who owns a gardening company, was excited to head to the fall finale and acknowledged she has a lot of work to do.

"We were expecting Kelvyn to come out on top," Bitter said. But "this is a good showing. We can still give him a run for his money."

Cullimore finished with 3,137 votes, compared with Bitter's 706.

Chad Booth notched a close third with 568 votes. Candidates Jim Keane and Jerri Harwell trailed with 449 and 322, respectively.

About 25 percent of voters turned out for the summer primary.

In the council races, candidate Josh Reid proved that money can buy love from voters - or at least that it helps.

Reid, the son of U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., raised more than $35,000 in his bid for office and advanced from a list of 10 candidates for the District 4 council seat. He attributed his success to pounding the pavement and talking to residents.

"I wasn't able to knock on everyone's door," he said. "I have lots more time now."

Reid wasn't the top vote-getter in that race, though. Former Salt Lake County Republican Party Chairman Bruce Jones topped him - 409 to 316.

In District 1, Gordon Thomas and Winton "Clark" Aposhian bested five other candidates. The District 2 finalists are Scott Bracken and David Kubinski. Incorporation sponsor Gordon Nicholl and Don Antczak emerged in District 3.

tburr@sltrib.com