News roundup: Nonvoters back Obama over Romney

Nonvoters back Obama. Devo plans song on Romney's dog. 81 days to the election.

Happy Thursday. There are some 80 million Americans out there who don't plan to vote on Election Day — they're fed up with the whole political game, don't think it makes a difference, etc. — but if they were to cast a ballot, a good chunk of them would back President Barack Obama, a new poll shows. Some 20 percent of those nonvoters would support Mitt Romney. [Politico]

-> In completely unrelated but offbeat news, the band that brought you "Whip it" in the 1980s is planning a song tribute to Romney's one-time pet, Seamus: "Don't Roof Rack Me, Bro." [HuffPost]

Topping the news: The Washington Post's Dan Balz says the presidential race wasn't expected to be uplifting but it's got even nastier and appears there are no limits to how low it could go. [WaPost]

-> Some 8,000 Utah immigrants may be eligible to jump on a path to citizenship under the Obama administration's new rule. [Trib]

-> House Speaker John Boehner tells a Mia Love rally that this is the most important election in our lifetime and Utahns will have to dig deep to help beat Rep. Jim Matheson. [Trib] [DNews] [Herald]

Tweet of the day: From @PoliticoRoger: "I am shocked by new congressional approval rating. Who are the 10% that think Congress is doing a good job?"

Happy Birthday: To Mike Jerman and former state Sen. Brent Goodfellow.

In other news: ABC4's Chris Vanocur discusses his breaking of the Salt Lake Olympic scandal and how his work may have angered the LDS Church and set Romney on his current path. [CityWeekly]

-> Taylorsville is taking a different approach to electronic billboards by trying to work with applicants instead of outright banning the signs like other cities. [DNews]

-> Pat Bagley offers his take on Romney's reaction to VP Joe Biden's remarks on chains. [Trib]

-> Senate President Michael Waddoups criticizes the interim head of Utah's alcohol control agency for not implementing requested changes quickly enough. [DNews]

-> The state Senate confirms a judicial nominee — despite a committee's rejection of the governor's first minority pick for the job only days ago. [Trib] [DNews] [UtahPolicy]

-> Paul Rolly says there may be other motivations behind a Senate committee's rejection of Herbert's first minority judicial nominee. [Trib]

-> Salt Lake County's sales tax haul is moving up, a good sign of recovery in the local economy. [Trib]

-> County mayoral candidate Ben McAdams is up with new billboards touting him as a "different" kind of contender. [UtahPolicy] But opponent Mark Crocket and the Eagle Forum's Gayle Ruzicka aren't impressed. [KSL]

-> Utah officials herald a new public-private partnership to raise funds for an autism program — but the money has yet to materialize. [Trib]

-> State lawmakers postpone a vote on adding an EnergySolutions executive to the state radiation control board after HEAL Utah objects to the move. [Trib] [DNews]

-> The state Senate confirms the LDS Church's former historian to the Board of Regents. [Trib]

-> Lawmakers also confirm Dave Buhler as Utah's higher education commissioner. [Trib]

2012 watch: Rep. Jason Chaffetz talks up Paul Ryan as a great vice presidential candidate with MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell. [MSNBC] Utah Republican National Committeeman Bruce Hough also lauds Romney's choice. [Blogspot]

-> Some political observers say that Romney's timing of announcing Ryan as his running mate didn't work out so well. [RCP]

-> A group of former U.S. intelligence officials and special forces troops are planning to assail Obama for claiming credit for killing Osama bin Laden. [Reuters]

-> Ann Romney says there's nothing the couple is trying to hide by keeping their tax returns private but that releasing them will just open them up to more attacks. [WaPost]

-> Mitt Romney says the Obama campaign is a disgrace to the presidency. [CBSNews]

-> In an interview with Forbes, Romney says the rich will pay their share if he's elected president. [Forbes]

-> Romney shows a tinge of anger in a speech, hinting that he believes the gloves have come off. [WaPost]

-> Ryan will fall in line on Medicare, Romney says in showing some distance from the Ryan budget plan. [CBSNews]

-> Romney's dilemma: Would he overturn Obama's DREAM Act-like order not to deport immigrants who came to America as children? [CSMonitor]

Where are they?

Rep. Jason Chaffetz hits the Elephant Club event in the evening.

Gov. Gary Herbert heads to the ITT Exelis Composites facility grand opening and later stops by the Utah Sports Commission meeting.

Lt. Gov. Greg Bell hits a school finance meeting.

AG Mark Shurtleff attends a litigation division meeting.

SL Co. Mayor Peter Corroon sits down with the Visit Salt Lake executive committee and later hits the Unified Police District meeting.

SLC Mayor Ralph Becker heads to the Wasatch Front Regional Council Air Quality meeting and meets with Mayor Corroon.

WVC Mayor Mike Winder attends the Wasatch Front Regional Council meeting and welcomes Sen. John McCain to the Utah Cultural Celebration Center.

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden meet with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and later with Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner.

Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Email us at cornflakes@sltrib.com. If you haven't already, sign up for our weekday email and get this sent directly to you inbox. [Trib]

— Thomas BurrTwitter.com/thomaswburr