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Although close together, Nevada, Utah a world apart politically

Posted at 7:18 PM, Oct 12, 2012
and last updated 2012-10-12 23:26:08-04

WEST WENDOVER, Nev. -- When it comes to money, the white stripe down the main drag might as well be the Great Wall of Wendover.

On one side of the painted stripe separating Wendover, Utah and West Wendover, Nevada, there are high-rise casinos joined together by an enclosed pedestrian bridge. On the other side are the parking lots for those casinos.

West Wendover, Nevada gets the money and Wendover, Utah, gets the drunk tourists making trouble outside, says Wendover, Utah Mayor Mike Crawford.

West Wendover, Nevada Mayor Donnie Andersen played high school basketball with Crawford and commiserates with his friend: "The difference is we've got casinos. That's our profit ratio. We've got people coming through."

The other divide separating residents on either side of the painted white line: West Wendover voters could cast deciding votes in this years presidential race. Voters a few feet away will have to settle for helping choose the Tooele County Commissioners.

Nevada is a presidential battleground. Utah is not.

Four polls taken in Nevada in October average out to show a 1.8 percent lead for President Obama.

The only presidential poll in Utah released since the Spring was conducted in July. Mitt Romney had a 32 percent advantage.

Each state will cast six electoral votes for the winner of their respective election.

But on Nov. 6, the nation may be waiting on Nevada as the only Pacific Time Zone state still up in the air.

Utahns will be watching with them. Oh, and rooting for their favorite county commission hopefuls.