*Students
buck state
vote for
*Democrats
By AMY KLEIN
Daily Staff Reporter
While the Republican Party won in
a landslide election nationwide, an on-
campus exit poll survey yesterday
showed overwhelming campus sup-
port for Democrats.
Surveys distributed at the Michi-
*gan Union, Alice Lloyd Hall, Bursley
Hall, Mary Markley Hall, East Quad
and South Quad polling places, found
the opinions of 173 exiting students.
Students strongly favored Demo-
cratic gubernatorial candidate Howard
Wolpe by almost a 2-to-I margin.
Christa Alessandri, a graduate stu-
dent in the School of Business Admin-
istration, said the gubernatorial race
will have the widest impact.
'The governor's race strikes me as
most important as a student of Ann
Arbor. It will also affect me once I
leave Ann Arbor," Alessandri said.
Others viewed the senatorial race
between Republican Spence Abraham
and Democrat Bob Carr as the most
crucial of the 1994 midterm elections.
"The Carr-Abraham is by far the
most important of all the races," said
LSA first-year student Jason Bouterse.
"The implications are huge, it's defi-
nitely going to have an effect here."
The mayoral election was the only
tight race on campus, with Democrat
David Stead winning by a five-vote
margin is the poll.
Many students believe one of the
most controversial issues surround-
ing this year's campaign has been the
m udslinging between candidates.
"The whole campaign period was
terrible," said LSA senior Candice
Fleming. "The commercials were ter-
rible. I'm so glad it's over so I don't
have to sit through those commercials
anymore."
LSA sophomore Lydia Bilinsky
said she began to resent the media and
political commercials by the end of
.the campaign.
"I can't trust what I read in the
media anymore. Spencer Abraham's
commercials during the primaries were
one of the most effective, but at the
same time bad," Bilinsky said.
Daily Exit Poll
The Daily took an unscientific
exit poll yesterday of about 160
students at campus voting sites.
Here are the results:
The Michigan Daily - Wednesday. November 9, 1994 - 3
Smith wins bid
for state Senate
Democrat wins by wide margin
MOLLY STEVENS/Dait
Left to right: Alma Wheeler Smith, Liz Brater, Lynn Rivers and Mary Schroer were all triumphant yesterday.
Dems take local state House seats
Schroer re-elected
with over 60% of vote .
By AMY KLEIN and APRIL WOOD
Daily Staff Reporters
Incumbent Democrat Mary Schroer won the race for
52nd district state House yesterday by a landslide - more
than a 30-percent margin.
With 19 of 50 precincts reporting early this morning,
Schroer garnered 65 percent of the votes, while Republican
challenger Marty Straub had 33 percent. The 52nd district
includes North Campus.
Straub ran on the platform of opening Michigan to more
industry, while Schroer focused on crime and education
issues.
Schroer viewed several aspects of Straub's campaign as
particularly divisive. "(In certain Ann Arbor precincts), my
opponent waged a really negative campaign," Schroer said
last night.
After the election results, Schroer expressed relief that
voters in these precincts ignored the negativity voiced
during Straub's campaign.
"I'm really happy (those) voters voted for me," Schroer
said.
Two years ago, Schroer was elected to the state House
after serving as a legislative aide to state Sen. Lana Pollack
(D-Ann Arbor).
Straub is a former engineer for General Motors Corp.,
who now owns his own business.
In many local races, student turnout proved significant in
the victory. Mike Pokrywka, co-chair of the College Demo-
crats, said he believed that the student vote helped in state
elections.
"On a local level, (the) power of the student vote is
definitely important," Pokrywka said.
Crime remained a key issue in the 52nd District elec-
tions. Earlier in the campaign, Straub accused Schroer of
assuming a lenient position toward crime, pointing to her
vote against stiffer laws for marijuana possession.
Schroer, however, does support some forms of gun
control and several community policing programs.
Straub's tougher stance was seen in his support of longer
jail sentences and harsher fines.
Issues also focused on included higher education financ-
ing and the state economy. The state fund surplus stands at
$664 million and the candidates disapproved of the sugges-
tion to increase state appropriations to public universities.
Straub supported state spending cuts in order to avoid a;
downturn in the economy in the next few years, while
Schroer expressed interest in utilizing the current budget
surplus.
Former mayor wins
race to replace Rivers
By ANDREW TAYLOR
Daily Staff Reporter
Former Ann Arbor Mayor Liz Brater defeated chal-
lenger Renee Birnbaum for the 53rd state House seat
yesterday. With 20 of 50 precincts reporting, Brater took 56
percent of the vote to Birnbaum's 44 percent.
Brater said she will not have problems working with a
Republican governor or Republican-controlled Legisla-
ture, which is an increasingly likely possibility.
"I've done it before. I will work with whoever is up there
to try to further the public interest of this community and the
state of Michigan," Brater said.
"I'll be voting with the Democrats to work for progres-
sive change for this state," she said.
"This district has a strong tradition of progressive repre-
sentation. That's the kind of record I have and that is who the
voters chose," Brater added.
Brater said she was thankful for the positive campaign,
calling it "a wonderful experience."
13rater has taught English and public policy at the
University. She also served one term as Ann Arbor mayor
and was a member of the City Council.
Robin Evans, co-chair of the College Democrats, said
the student vote was influential in Brater's election.
"(Brater's) very accessible to students, and will continue
to be so in office," Evans said. "She's in touch with the
students, sie works with the students at the 'U'."
Brater made her support of the University a cornerstone
of her campaign.
"The U-M in particular has seen a shrinking share (of the
state budget)," she said. "That's not good public policy. U-
M is the flagship of our system. We should take pride in that
institution."
Brater also favors restoring the Michigan Educational
Trust program. The program, which was closed to new
contracts in 1991, invested money in a child's name and
guaranteed tuition at any public college in Michigan. It also
could be applied toward costs at an out-of-state or private
school.
Brater said she is not looking to move to higher office in
the near future.
"My objective right now is to serve the people of the 53rd
District, and the people of Ann Arbor and Pittsfield Town-
ship.
"We know the government can do good for the people,"
Brater said.
- DailyStaffReportersZacharyM.RaimiandJonathan
Berndt contributed to this report.
By ANDREW TAYLOR
Daily Staff Reporter
Democrat Alma Wheeler Smith beat
out political newcomer and Republi-
can Joe Mikulec in the 18th state Sen-
ate seat race yesterday.
With 25 of 151 pre-
cincts reporting, Smith
held a 67 percent to 33
percent lead over Mikulec.
Some reports indicated
that her lead my have opened up even
wider by press time.
The seat was vacated when incum-
bent state Sen. Lana Pollack (D-Ann
Arbor) ran for U.S. Senate in the Au-
gust Democratic primary.
"Ann Arbor looks very good,"
Smith said. "I think I have enough
votes in Ann Arbor.
"(I) thank all of you who worked so
hard. We couldn't have done it without
the footwork from all of you," Smith
said.
Smith said the most disappointing
thing about her campaign was "the
negative campaign that my opponent
waged toward the end."
Mikulec owns Max's, an Ypsilanti
restaurant and catering service.
Smith was Pollack's legislative ad-
viser and currently serves as a
Washtenaw County commissioner. Her
father, Albert Wheeler, was the first
Black mayor of Ann Arbor.
Smith also served eight years on the
South Lyon School Board.
Smith supported Proposal P, which
sets up a constitutional endowment for
Michigan's state parks, and opposes
the approval of deep-injection wells
for hazardous waste in Augusta Town-
ship. Smith also worked with Pollack
for passage of Michigan's polluters-
pay law.
Smith is against Public Act 112,
which forces districts to expel students
bringing weapons to school.
"I think that was a knee-jerk tough-
on-crime bill that was so shortsighted,"
Smith said. "I should preface this re-
mark by saying that guns and other
weapons have absolutely no place in
M'O*LLYEVEN'S/Dai" Y
Alma Wheeler Smith won the 18th
state Senate seat yesterday.
schools." Smith said she opposed the
bill because it contained no provision
for the education of expelled children.
"We're creating a whole new series
of problems," she said.
Smith also said as an ex-school
board member, she is critical of recent
attempts by the state to exert more
control over school districts.
"One of the major responsibilities of
the next Legislature will be to put into
place the funding that the schools are
going to need," Smith said. "Proposal A
(of 1992) said that was to be done from
the general fund and the rainy-day fund
of the state. Well, the rainy-day fund is
essentially a one-time-only account, if
you begin to draw on it."
Smith projected that the fund could
be emptied in the first year of short-
falls. If such a shortfall were to occur,
Smith said the best source of funding
would be the corrections budget.
- Daily Staff Reporters Zachary
M. Raimi and Jonathan Berndt con-
tributed to this report.
Goveror
John Engler
Howard Wolpe
U. S. Senate
Spence Abraham
Bob Carr
John Coon
U.S. House
John Schall
Lynn Rivers
State Senate
Joe Mikulec
Alma Wheeler Smith
State House
* Renee Bimbaum
Liz Brater
mayor
Ingrid Sheldon
David Stead
'U' Board of Regents
Andrea Fischer
Paul Brown
Daniel Horning
James Waters
38%
61%
29%
66%
6%
26%
73%
34%
64%
32%
67%
48%
51%
22%
34%
13%
30%
GOP appears to control
state House; Senate close
From Staff and Wire Reports question of control in the House a toss
LANSING (AP) - Many of the up. Either outcome will affect the
110 House races were still up for grabs Legislature's relationship with Engler,
early this morning, as Democrats and especially if the state Senate stays in
Republicans battled for control of the GOP hands as expected.
chamber. "I think it's going to be a real
Early returns cliffhanger and nail-biter to the end,"
showed Republi- said William Ballenger, publisherof the
cans leading in 52 "Inside Michigan Politics" newsletter.
races. Democrats Senate Majority Floor Leader Phil
had the edge in 43 Arthurhulz (R-Whitehall) wore opti-
races, and 15 misticofGOPsuccess. Hesaid,"Michi-
races were in vir- gan is now a Republican state. It's the
tual deadlocks. combination of John Engler following
The parties through on promises made and people
have been evenly respecting him for that, even if they
divided in the / haven't agreed with his policies. And
House, 55-55, Democrats have run old-line liberals
since 1992. Be- with an ideology that has been repudi-
fore then, Demo- ated."
crats had held full control since 1968. "The Michigan voters have sent a
"We've said all along that it's go- referendum to the liberals," said Mark
ing to be very close, within a seat or Fletcher, president of the College'Re-
two either way," said House Demo- publicans.
cratic Leader Curtis Hertel of Detroit. "They will be able to get more of
Tight races in many of the districts theirprograms implemented," Fletcher
gave Republicans their best shot in said.
nearly three decades to take full con- "The Republicans are ready to lead.
trol of the chamber. Democrats still They are eager to show America what
were hoping to regain full power. Republicans can do," Fletcher said.
"It's just too early to tell," said - Daily Staff Reporters Jonathan
House Republican Leader Paul Berndt and Andrew Taylor contrib-
Hillegonds of Holland. uted to this report.
Most political watchers called the
Auto insurance reform proposal turned back
DETROIT (AP) - Voters yester-
day rejected a proposal that would have
made sweeping changes in the state's
no-fault auto insurance system.
An exit poll based on interviews
with voters as they left precincts across
the state said Proposal C would not gain
enough support to win. The poll was
conducted by Voter News Service for
The Associated Press and four televi-
sion networks.
"The voters have voiced their oppo-
sition to Proposal C, and we are disap-
pointed with the election results," said
Gary Mitchell, a spokesman for the
Michigan Association of Insurance
Agents, which supported the proposal.
Michigan is the only state that re-
quires unlimited medical benefits in
auto insurance coverage. Proposal C
would have capped the benefits at $1
million for each accident, or up to $5
million for those who paid a higher
premium.
Auto insurance rates would have
been lowered to their Nov. 1, 1992,
levels. Then the average rate would
have been cut an additional 16 percent.
The rates would have been frozen for
six months, after which insurers could
have changed them.
Proposal C also would have pro-
hibited people who caused accidents
from suing for their injuries, and lim-
ited other lawsuits.
Rick Stoddard of the Committee
for Fairness and Accountability in In-
surance Reform said the defeat should
tell insurance companies that consum-
ers are not willing to have their benefits
cut without some long-term guarantee
of lower rates.
"It's time for the Legislature to
wake up and actually pass something
that benefits the consumers of this state
and not just the insurance companies,"
he said.
Stoddard said he plans to work on a
new insurance reform proposal to
present to the Legislature after the first
of the year.
Read the Daily
I
I -
Group Meetings
U Golden Key National Honor
Society, general membership
meeting, 995-9297, Michi-
gan Union, Crowfoot Room,
7 p.m.
U Hindu Students Council, 764-
U U-M Students of Objectivism,
weekly meeting, 913-5530, Mod-
ern Languages Building, Room
B118, 7:30 p.m.
U U-M Taekwondo Club, 747-
6889, beginners welcome,
CCRB, Room 2275, 7-8 p.m.
Q "MechanismoftheHammerhead
Ribozyme," Professor Olke C.
Uhlenbeck, sponsored by Depart-
ment of Chemistry, Chemistry
Building, Room 1640,4 p.m.
Q "Reception for New Fall Issue,"
sponsored by Asian/Pacific
Wednesday, November 9 5:10-6:00 pm Career Planning & Placement
A