SALT LAKE CITY — Even on Election Day, Utah's tight Senate race between Mike Lee and challenger Evan McMullin has shown no signs of slowing down.
LIVE BLOG: Latest updates on Utah's general election
On Tuesday, McMullin stopped in Salt Lake County to thank volunteers and persuade undecided voters to vote for him.
"We do think it'll come down to who turns out to vote, that's why we're targeting voters who we know may not have voted and we're reaching as many people as we can," said the candidate.
Election Day is filled with with nerves and excitement for candidates and volunteers alike. Even after long months on the campaign trail, there are still doors to knock, calls to be made and emails to be sent.
"I was surprised at how many [people] answered the phone," said McMullin campaign volunteer Lesley Christoph. "We had very polite conversations. I got a bunch of people that said they were planning on voting."
Campaign volunteers like Christoph are critical to elections and the candidates.
"Democracy is really in a fragile place right now and I felt very strongly if I could spend a hour-and-a-half of my day to make some calls, send some emails, and to show my support for a candidate who I think really represents the entirety of Utah, I think it's my civic duty to do it," she said.
Volunteers are also grateful for the time candidates take to spend with those who support the campaign.
"It's meaningful to us to make a connection with the man or the woman who's potentially representing us in the Senate," Christoph added.
As the Election Day votes start trickle in, volunteers and the candidate himself had a message for voters.
"Regardless of the party, this is not just another phone-it-in kind of midterm, it's a really important day, so I encourage everybody to stand up for democracy and vote," said Christoph.
"I encourage all Utahns, no matter who you're voting for, to vote," added McMullin. "Our system of self-government does not work unless we take that civic responsibility seriously."
McMullin's opponent, Mike Lee, has spent the past weeks campaigning across the state; however, all attempts to reach out to the senator's campaign were left unreturned.
