Special Report

PRIMARY ELECTION 2010

Who For Governor?

Here's a guide to help you choose
who'll lead Michigan the next four years.

A Voter's Primer
on Aug. 3 Primary

Primary Election Voting

Michigan primary voters must
request either a Democratic or
Republican party ballot at the poll-
ing place. Designating a party does
not mean you are a member of that
party, but simply that you want
to vote in that primary. The poll
worker will give you the appropri-
ate ballot, which includes only that
party's candidates as well as those
running for non-partisan offices,
and any ballot proposals for where
you live.

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Where To Vote

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The State Capitol in Lansing

Don Cohen

Special to the Jewish News

T

his coming Tuesday, Aug. 3, five
Republicans will try to best each
other, and two Democrats will be
going head-to-head to win their party's
nomination for governor. The winners
will face off in the Nov. 2 general election,
with the winner elected to a four-year
term beginning Jan. 1, 2011.
While jobs and the economy are of
prime concern, there is an array of issues
of special interest to our Jewish commu-
nity. To get each candidate's answers, the
Jewish News and the Jewish Community
Relations Council of Metropolitan Detroit
(JCRC) asked them to address some par-
ticular issues of importance, and their
answers appear on the following pages.
"This will be one of the most impor-
tant gubernatorial elections in a long
time," says Robert Sklar, editor of the
Jewish News. "Not just because Michigan's
economy is in such a state of duress, but
also because we'll require a strong, coali-
tion-building leader capable of crossing

the aisle to enact policies and laws that
resonate in a political climate of change."
"We're delighted to join with the JCRC
in helping turn the public spotlight on
the candidates, and we urge voters to
embrace the right to vote. Since both
major parties face primary battles, every
vote really will count"
Allan Gale, associate director of the
JCRC, notes, "Our Jewish community is
quite political — registering and voting
in higher percentages than the general
population. Issues at the top of the Jewish
agenda statewide include quality of pub-
lic education, funding for public educa-
tion, services to the elderly, health care,
services to the disabled and strengthen-
ing the ability of nonprofits to be effec-
tive, especially in a time of reduced gov-
ernment services."
Jewish News Publisher Arthur Horwitz
also laid out some of the challenges fac-
ing our next governor:
"To stem the out-migration of our tal-
ent and children — our future — the
next governor must have laser-like focus
on economic revitalization and harness

the state's scarce resources to stimulate
a climate of entrepreneurship and job
creation. He must rally the legislature to
provide support to educate or retrain the
existing workforce and actively recruit
those who have left the state to return by
providing incentives to be pioneers in the
rebuilding of Michigan's economy."
JCRC Vice President Judy Rosenberg
adds, "It's always important to vote,
but as the numbers in our community
decline, we need the votes that a high
Jewish turnout produces to have an
impact on the election. If issues that
reflect the values of the Jewish commu-
nity are at risk, like embryonic stem-cell
research, the economy won't be the only
thing that will make it harder to keep
young Jews interested in staying in the
state. A governor, with the power to sign
or veto legislation, becomes of great
importance to the Jewish community.
So, review the responses from the
gubernatorial candidates, familiarize
yourself with the candidates and issues,
and be sure to vote on Aug. 3 for governor,
and all the way down the ballot. ❑

Polls are open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m.
To confirm you are registered, find
out where your polling place is
located or see a sample ballot, visit
the Michigan Secretary of State
website at www.michigan.gov/vote.

Making a Decision

Educate yourself about the can-
didates and issues on the Web at
these sites:Michigan League of
Women Voters, www.lwymi.org ;
the Detroit Free Press, www.freep.
corn; or the Detroit News www.
detnews.com or any newspaper or
TV station across the state www.
mondotimes.com/1/world/us/22.
The candidate's websites are listed
in their profiles.

How to Register

It's too late to register to vote in
the Aug. 3 primary but you can still
register to vote in the Nov. 2 gen-
eral election until Monday, Oct. 4.
Register by mail or at your county,
city, or township clerk's office or
by visiting any Secretary of State
branch office.

Governor's Race on page 20

July 29 • 2010

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