This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

GOP frets about Democratic turnout in early voting. Pence to visit Utah today. And a deep dive into who Evan McMullin is.

Happy Wednesday. Early voting has begun in America, with hundreds of thousands of voters casting ballots ahead of Election Day on Nov. 8. But there appears to be a strong turnout of Democrats over Republicans. Democrats are usually ahead in early voting but the number of them showing up this year has Republicans worried. [<a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/trump-clinton-early-voting-230315">Politico</a>]

<strong>Topping the news: </strong>Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, the Republican vice presidential candidate, is in Utah today, while the Hillary Clinton campaign is sending Democratic National Chairwoman Donna Brazile to campaign in Utah on Thursday. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4506959-155/top-democrat-official-donna-brazile-to"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> Evan McMullin could win Utah's electoral votes. But who is he? Matt Canham takes a deeper look at the independent presidential candidate's life. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/home/4506207-155/who-is-evan-mcmullin-an-unorthodox?fullpage=1">Trib</a>]

-> Sen. Mike Lee holds a strong advantage going into the election, with 61 percent of the vote vs. opponent Misty Snow's 22 percent, a new poll shows. [<a href="http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/11246-">UtahPolicy</a>]

-> Meanwhile, Utahs believe Hillary Clinton will win the White House even if they don't plan to vote for her. [<a href="http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/11245-">UtahPolicy</a>]

-> The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints launched the website mormonandgay.org on Tuesday. The site still firmly states the church's belief that marriage in the afterlife is heterosexual, but it features tips for parents of gay and lesbian children, supportive video profiles and statements from church leaders insisting on an approach of love and inclusion at church. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/lifestyle/faith/4504773-155/lds-churchs-new-mormon-and-gay?fullpage=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2016/10/25/lds-members-talk-about-being-faith-mormons-and-gay-on-updated-church-website/"; target="_blank">Fox13</a>] [<a href="http://www.good4utah.com/news/local-news/lds-church-updates-mormon-and-gay-website"; target="_blank">ABC4</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/new-mormon-and-gay-website-aims-to-reach-out-to-gay-members-families"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>] [<a href="http://kuer.org/post/new-lds-church-website-embraces-gay-worthy-label#stream/0"; target="_blank">KUER</a>] [<a href="http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/faith/lds-church-updates-mormon-and-gay-website/article_b8c39169-122e-57bc-a89c-4845cce3899f.html"; target="_blank">Herald</a>] For more highlights, read <a href="http://www.sltrib.com/lifestyle/faith/4505459-155/more-highlights-from-new-mormon-and"; target="_blank">here</a>.

<strong>Tweets of the day: </strong>From @<a href="https://twitter.com/jaketapper"; target="_blank">jaketapper</a>: "I'm trying to envision something more fitting than this election actually ending in a Biden-Trump fist fight and I cannot."

From @<a href="https://twitter.com/utahbug"; target="_blank">utahbug</a>: "When Trump decided not to show up for a scheduled Utah debate, he didn't realize that he'd eventually need our electoral votes."

 

<strong>Happy Birthday: </strong>to state Sen. Peter Knudson.

<strong>In other news: </strong>As the election enters the home stretch, Democrat Mike Weinholtz is spending in the same ballpark as Gov. Gary Herbert and airing more than four times the TV ads but can't seem to approach Herbert in the polls. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4506868-155/weinholtz-more-prominent-on-airwaves-but"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams presented his 2017 budget on Tuesday to applause for transparency, balancing interests and not raising taxes. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4505601-155/no-tax-hike-little-new-money?page=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865665632/McAdams-unveils-streamlined-Salt-Lake-County-budget-with-no-tax-increases.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://kuer.org/post/mayor-mcadams-unveils-12b-county-budget-proposal-prioritizing-safety-homelessness"; target="_blank">KUER</a>]

-> Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski took a shot at addressing a winter shelter for the homeless by proposing to spend $250,000 to use the St. Vincent de Paul dining hall across the street from The Road Home as emergency backup. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4506258-155/salt-lake-city-mayor-announces-plan"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> Salt Lake City Council is debating an extension of a construction impact-fee moratorium for four months after its Nov. 2 expiration — which would bring the total money lost for the city to about $9 million — after a delayed proposal from the mayor's office. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4506252-155/impact-fee-freeze-has-cost-salt-lake"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865665643/Moratorium-on-collecting-impact-fees-costing-Salt-Lake-City-500000-per-month.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>]

-> The Iranian intelligence minister said Tuesday that Sen. Jim Dabakis, a gay member of the Utah Legislature, was under full surveillance when he visited the country as a private citizen in September. Dabakis, whose trip was intended to foster friendliness between Iran and the United States, says he's a little let down. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4506150-155/iran-spy-says-utah-state-senator"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4505035-155/iran-official-gay-utah-senator-watched"; target="_blank">APviaTrib</a>]

-> Alliance for a Better Utah sent a letter to members of the Utah Technology Council Tuesday frowning on the council's process of throwing its support behind any school board candidate not endorsed by the Utah Education Association without learning about their platforms. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4506132-155/alliance-for-a-better-utah-criticizes?page=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> A campus climate survey at the University of Utah says that more than half the student body doesn't know where to formally report sexual assault or where to go on campus for help. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4500428-155/most-university-of-utah-students-dont?page=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.good4utah.com/news/local-news/survey-gives-insight-into-sexual-assault-at-university-of-utah"; target="_blank">ABC4</a>]

-> New owners of The Gateway mall in downtown Salt Lake City are on the lookout for new retailers and restaurants, painting over exteriors, stepping up security and rolling out ad campaigns to spruce up the place. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4501755-155/not-just-window-dressing-salt?page=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> Starbucks passed on renewing its master liquor license that would have been part of a plan to serve evening beer and wine with food in some Utah stores. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4505764-155/starbucks-drops-liquor-license-to-serve"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2016/10/25/starbucks-drops-liquor-license-to-serve-beer-and-wine-at-utah-stores/"; target="_blank">Fox13</a>]

-> West Valley City Police Department filled the City Hall lobby Tuesday with red cut-outs of people to represent local victims of domestic violence. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4505490-155/red-silhouette-cut-outs-represent-utah-victims"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food says to watch out for the "Commercial Rabbit" brand of feed as the manufacturer recalls a tainted batch that has caused the death of 500 bunnies since May. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4505636-155/state-agriculture-officials-warn-of-tainted"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/more-than-500-rabbits-dead-after-eating-commercial-rabbit-feed"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>]

-> Pat Bagley depicts Clinton and McMullin making a run for Utah's normally Republican-dominated vote. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/4506743-155/bagley-cartoon-utah-in-play"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> Paul Rolly clears the air — a Doug Owens attack ad on Rep. Mia Love is falsely listing Rolly's column in The Salt Lake Tribune as the source for a claim Rolly couldn't verify and didn't print. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4500766-155/rolly-owens-attack-ad-against-mia"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

<strong>Nationally:</strong> Tuesday's WikiLeaks dump revealed Clinton ally Neera Tanden suggesting in an email to campaign chairman John Podesta that staffers who knew Clinton's use of a private email server would muddy her presidential bid kept the information hushed, hoping to let it slip by unnoticed. [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/her-instincts-can-be-terrible-wikileaks-reveals-fears-and-frustrations-inside-clinton-world/2016/10/25/a6ceefdc-9ae0-11e6-a0ed-ab0774c1eaa5_story.html"; target="_blank">WaPost</a>] [<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/25/politics/neera-tanden-john-podesta-clinton-email-server-wikileaks/index.html"; target="_blank">CNN</a>] [<a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/clinton-private-email-server-wikileaks-230294"; target="_blank">Politico</a>] [<a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/clinton-confidantes-privately-questioned-handling-of-email-controversy-1477421418"; target="_blank">WSJ</a>]

-> Donald Trump's campaign announced Tuesday that it was winding down on fundraising events for the GOP to rake in big cash. [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/amid-lagging-polls-trump-stops-holding-high-dollar-fundraisers/2016/10/25/11ffeecc-9ac9-11e6-b3c9-f662adaa0048_story.html"; target="_blank">WaPost</a>] [<a href="http://www.thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/fundraising/302789-trump-halts-big-money-fundraising-for-gop"; target="_blank">Hill</a>]

-> Trump gladly accepted Vice President Joe Biden's sarcastic invitation to fight "behind the gym" at a rally in Tallahassee, Fla., on Tuesday. [<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/25/politics/donald-trump-joe-biden-fight/index.html"; target="_blank">CNN</a>] [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/10/25/trump-responds-to-bidens-take-him-behind-the-gym-remark-id-love-that-2/"; target="_blank">WaPost</a>]

<strong>Where are they?</strong>

<ul>

<li>Rep. Chris <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/RepChrisStewart"; target="_blank">Stewart</a></strong> heads to St. George to speak at a ribbon cutting for Dixie State University's Institute of Politics & Public Affairs Center, chat with international relations students and sit down with constituents in his St. George office.</li>

<li>Gov. Gary <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/GovHerbert"; target="_blank">Herbert</a></strong> meets with office staff and makes an appearance at Vivint Smart Home Arena's solar installation event.</li>

<li>Lt. Gov. Spencer <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/SpencerJCox"; target="_blank">Cox</a></strong> joins an affordable housing task force and sits in on a budget discussion.</li>

<li>State Auditor John <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/FrugalDougall"; target="_blank">Dougall</a> </strong>hits a Tooele County Chamber of Commerce candidate event and a Box Elder County candidates meeting.</li>

<li>President Barack <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/BarackObama"; target="_blank">Obama</a> </strong>sticks around the White House for meetings.</li>

</ul>

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— Thomas Burr and Zoe Woolf McGinn

<a title="Thomas Burr" href="https://twitter.com/thomaswburr"; target="_blank">Twitter.com/thomaswburr</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/zoewmcginn"; target="_blank">Twitter.com/zoewmcginn</a>