Hardworking, with a low-key style that served him well, Matheson generally was not identified as either a liberal or a conservative--which was an asset rather than a liability as more and more voters found less and less to identify with in the political process, and voter turnout was at its lowest point since 1942. Matheson enjoyed the mechanics of government, had a penchant for the details and forms of governmental relations, was a skilled administrator, and was often characterized as a "technician governor."