Besides the individual victors in Tuesday’s Utah Primary Election, chalk up a victory of sorts for the public and the democratic system. A big improvement on primaries of some recent years, the voter tumout in the state was about 42 per cent of the registered voters. That percentage isn’t as great as it ought to be, but compared with the “Iess than 20 per cent” who cast ballots in the off – year primary of 1974, it’s commendable. Nearly a quarter of a million Utahns voted Tuesday. Republicans outvoted Democrats nearly 2 to 1, as the press associations put it. But that should not be construed as a gauge of the strength of the two parties in Utah. With the longer primary ballot, including several very attractive races, it was quite natural that the GOP slate would be more widely voted than the short Democratic ballot. With the primary back of us, there obviously will be some exciting political contests in the Nov. 2 general election – local, county, state, and national. Topnotch Utah races will include: l.ncumbent Democratic Frank E. Moss vs. Republican Orrin Hatch for a U.S. Senate seat; Democratic incumbent Gunn McKay vs. Republican nominee Joe H. Ferguson for First District congressman; Democratic incumbent Allan T. Howe vs. Republican nominee Dan Marriott for Second District congressman; Democratic nominee Scott Matheson vs. Republicans, contender Vernon Romney for the Utah governorship being vacated oy Calvin L. Rampton; and Democratic nominee David Duncan vs. Republican David Monson for lieutenant governor. Locally, a string of state legislative races will inject a lot of interest. and two good county commission contests are in the sffing: Republican nominee Karl R. Lyman, incumbent, vs. Leslie D. Brown. Democratic contender for four-year commissioner; and Republican Kenneth J. Pinegar vs. Democrat Allen D. Warner for the two – year post to be vacated by Commissioner Verl D. Stone. In a comparison of the primary election tumouts, Utah County’s total vote was about 41.4 per cent, just under the state average of 42 per lcent. In the municipal primary a year ago, Provoans had only a 19 per cent vote, compared with 25 per cent in Salt Lake City and 15 per cent in Ogden. In ‘1974, the Utah County percentage was only 17, and in the state it was “less than 20.” But in the presidential election year of 1972, Utah County had a 30 per cent primary vote and the state “less than 40.” i Congratulations are due the victors in Tuesday’s election, The losers also are entitled to a vote of thanks for offering their services to the public and for their campaign efforts. As for the 42 per cent Utah tumout – it’s an improvement and the voting citizenry should be commended. But lest we pat ourselves on the back too enthusiastically, we should remember that the decisions at the polls still were made by less than a majority of the voting public. So They Say “Jimmy Carter wasn’t running around screaming his head off one way or another, but he was no redneck. It wouldn’t have done him any good to go around screaming for integration as a state senat0r.” -Warren Fortson, former legal adviser in Sumter County, Ga., discussing Jimmy Carter’s approach toward promoting integration while he was a member of the state legislnture.. “No other country in the world, including some with ancient and respected systems of justice, is as protective of the rights of accused persons as the United States under. our Bill of Rights.” -Supreme Court Justice Lewis F. Powell, Jr.