Like prize fighters before the big bout, the two sides of the voucher debate talked plenty of trash.

But from the moment the bell rang Tuesday, it was a one-sided affair, with the anti-voucher crowd decidedly crushing Referendum 1, which would have given families public dollars to pay for private schools. With nearly 99 percent of the state reporting, the vote against vouchers was 308,910 to 187,682.

"I think people realized the way to help was to really make a commitment to helping all the children," said Lisa Johnson of the group Utahns for Public Schools.

Knocks against vouchers were that they helped too narrow a section of the public and that the bill didn't provide enough accountability. Proponents said it would help minorities and the poor get out of a public school system that was failing them.

The fight drew plenty of attention from voters. Salt Lake County and most of the rural counties overwhelmingly opposed the referendum. And while Happy Valley voters tipped in opposition, the vote was much closer. In Utah County, 43,905 or 52.7 percent voted against vouchers and 39,430, 47.3 percent voted in favor.

It also drew national attention, as millions of dollars were spent by both sides, much of it coming from out of state. The referendum was considered a litmus test for the voucher movement, which has yet to see a successful broad-based program.

Utah's referendum was the first in the country since 2000, when voucher proposals were voted down in Michigan and California, The Associated Press reported. There have been 10 state referendums on various voucher programs since 1972, according to the National School Boards Association. Each time vouchers or tuition tax credits were voted down by an average of 68.6 percent. California, Michigan and Colorado voters defeated voucher proposals twice.

And while Utah vouchers were left bloodied on the canvas Tuesday, its supporters surely took it on the chin, as well.

Gov. Jon Huntsman campaigned on the issue and said he was voting for Referendum 1. It's also the first big issue for which he's found himself on the losing end. He probably saw the writing on the wall early, though, as he softened his stance, saying that people should vote how they see fit.

"Huntsman has tried his best to skate through this vote without leaving any marks," said Kirk Jowers, director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah. "He may get away with it this time, but I think there will be increasing scrutiny on him in the future on whether he will stand up for causes in which he is associated."

Also on the receiving end of a body blow is Speaker of the House Greg Curtis, R-Sandy. His seat is not well-protected, Jowers said, and the voucher issue is going to hurt him.

"This doesn't make his re-election any easier," Jowers said.

Utah County politicians, like Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo, and Rep. John Dougall, R-Highland, will probably be spared a beating because the vote among their constituents was much closer.

But that doesn't soften the blow of the final result.

With a 40-percent increase to public education over the past two years, Bramble said the Legislature has listened and spent all they could. They're now looking for other options to improve education, and voucher opponents had better come up with ideas that are more creative than "more money."

"Those same individuals are going to have to come forward of what a vision of their solution would be," he said. "I'm genuinely interested in what their response would be."

Bramble said he expects some bills on improving technology and distance learning, but also efforts at changing the way the state school board is elected.

"No matter what the proposal is, I think you'll see the opposition coming out and saying 'That's just the Legislature trying to be vindictive'," he said.

If it reduces class sizes and attracts more quality teachers, public school advocates are OK with that, though those things don't come cheap.

"Most of those things will involve an investment in funds," Johnson said.

Whatever the fix, the two sides are going to have to stop throwing punches and start working together, as a massive influx of students - 150,000 - is expected over the next 10 years.

Even the great Muhammad Ali once said "There are more pleasant things to do than beat up people."