CAMPAIGN '96
The Michigan Daily -- Wednesday, November 6, 1996- 5A
Michigan ballot
proposals present
mixed results
9PROPOSAL A
A ballot proposal to ban the use of
bingo to raise political money for can-
didates went to the voters yesterday.
With 46 percent of the vote in, 55 per-
cent of the voters were opposed to ban-
ning the use of bingo for political fund-
raising. About 45 percent were voting
for the Republican-backed ban.
ew times has the public been asked
rule on such a partisan issue.
The issue's supporters said they were
trying to safeguard bingo for" more
legitimate purposes. "Bingo should
support charity, not politics," said
Robert LaBrant, vice president for
political affairs of the Michigan
Chamber of Commerce, a leading pro-
Yes 45%
OPROPOSAL B
A person will need at least five
years' experience as an attorney before
running for judge under a Michigan
ballot proposal passed yesterday.
With 46 percent of precincts report-
Proposal B passed with 81 percent
of the vote, or 1,281,929 ballots, to 19
Yes 81%
PROPOSAL C
Ballot Proposal C lending constitu-
tional protection to the veterans' trust
fund was approved yesterday.
With 46 percent of the state's
precincts reporting, the proposal
passed 74 percent to 26 percent, or
1,112,464 votes to 387,329.
Proposal C wasn't especially contro-
versial, but it has been an important
issue to veterans tired of the fund
being raided to shore up the state bud-
Yes 74%
ponent of Proposal A.
But Democrats said Republicans
were just trying to tip the political field
in their favor.
"Political bingo provides one of the
few ways those in the middle and
lower income brackets can actively
participate in financially supporting
their political beliefs," said Mark
Brewer, chair of the state Democratic
Party.
Proposal A would apply to both par-
ties. But it would hurt Democrats more,
because they use bingo more often to
raise money - bringing in close to $1
million a year, according to some esti-
mates.
i
~No
55%
WARREN ZINN/Daily
Incumbent Mayor Ingrid Sheldon gets election results over a cellular phone last night at the Clarion Hotel in Ann Arbor with her daughter, Amy Cell.
Sheldon secures third term
percent, or 293,653, opposed.
With the passage of Proposal B,
one can only run for trial judge, a
judge of the Court of Appeals or for
the Supreme Court at least five years
after being admitted to the practice of
law.
No
19%
get.
Proposal C would put the current
Michigan Veterans' Trust Fund and the
board of trustees responsible for
administering it in the state constitu-
tion, in hopes of safeguarding the
money.
All current funds would transfer to
the constitutional fund, and any expen-
diture or transfer would have to get
majority support from the board.
By Katie Plona and Will Weissert
Daily Staff Reporters
With the race for Ann Arbor mayor in a dead heat,
Democratic challenger Christopher Kolb threw in the
towel.
Sighting the historically Republican-friendly absen-
tee ballot numbers that were yet uncounted, Kolb con-
ceded the Mayor's Chair to Republican incumbent
Ingrid Sheldon at about 12:30 a.m. - even as the lat-
est numbers reported the two candidates in a virtual
deadlock at 50 percent apiece.
"This was very, very close - I knew I could lose
it because of the coattail effect," Sheldon said. "I
would like to thank all of those people who took the
time to educate themselves about city governments
and city issues and voted on more than just a party
ticket."
Kolb said his campaign was as successful as he had
hoped it would be.
"I knew that I had a long mountain to climb," Kolb
said. "We saw the top, but it doesn't look like we made
it to the top."
Sheldon. who secured her third term with last
night's victory, said she was expecting low student
support at the polls, but that she would continue to
work on their behalf.
"I tried to get out and talk to students, but my intent
was mostly for damage control - I knew i would lose
the student vote," Sheldon said. "But in my own spe-
cial way I watch out for students and try to look out for
their interests in every way possible, and I will contin-
ue to do so during my next term."
Kolb, on the other hand, said he was relying on
strong student support.
"The campus was great, the student vote was
great," Kolb said. "I'm disappointed we didn't get
enough student votes to come out on top, but I appre-
ciate all the work the College Democrats did in getting
students out to vote."
Students said last night's close election should send
a message to Sheldon.
"It's going to send a message about what the people
in the city of Ann Arbor want," said LSA sophomore
Jeff Firestone. "I hope and think she will listen to the
results of the election."
Other students said Sheldon is the better candidate
for the University.
"Ingrid Sheldon is the better candidate," said LSA
senior Adam Clampitt. "She is concerned with student
outreach, which is very important."
With all of the incumbent candidates winning re-
election, Sheldon said the City Council would work
toward the same goals it set last term.
"It will pretty much be the way it has been on coun-
cil," Sheldon said. "I would have liked to have had a
stronger Republican showing tonight, but if the intent
is to make good decisions for Ann Arbor, this group
should continue to be very effective."
Chris Kolb (D):
Ingrid Sheldon (R):
62%
38%
Despite his defeat in the mayorial race, Kolb has
one year left on his council term.
"I'm still on council no matter what," Kolb said. "I
am planning to run for re-election a year down the
road and until then I will work with anyone to move
the city forward."
The final tally left Sheldon with a victory of about
six percentage points - 53 to 47 percent.
Sheldon said she hopes new University President-
select Lee Bolinger will continue the positive rela-
tionship with city officials interim President Homer
Neal began.
"Homer Neal has been wonderful about making
sure the city and University relationship is as best as
possible," Sheldon said. "He has shown a renewed
interest in the community that needs to be there -
hope that kind of spirit can continue."
Exit Poll
In an unscientific exit poll con-
ducted by The Michigan Daily
yesterday, of the 798 student
voters who responded, 668
indicated a preference for Ann
Arbor mayor. Despite strong
student support, Kolb lost.
No
26%
PROPOSALS D, G
Lumm squeaks by in
race for 2nd Ward seat
Michigan voters reaffirmed their
love of hunting and the outdoors yester-
as they overwhelmingly rejected a
ballot proposal that would have out-
lawed the use of bait and dogs in hunt-
ing bear.
At the same time, they gave a solid
endorsement to current state wildlife
management by overwhelmingly
approving a counterproposal to give the
state Natural Resources Commission
sole authority for setting hunting regu-
lations.
With 46 percent of the vote in,
posal D - to restrict bear hunting
-lost, 60 percent opposed to 40 per-
cent in favor. With 46 percent reporting,
Proposal G, to give the NRC sole
authority to set hunting rules, passed 68
percent to 32 percent.
I think it reminds us all the people
of 'Michigan care greatly about their
natural resources and the way they're
managed," said K.L. Cool, director of
state Department of Natural
sources.
Proposal D
Yes 40%/
Proposal G
*e Yes 68%
4'ROPOSAL E
With 49 percent of the state's
precincts reporting, Proposal E had
881,565 "no" votes and 873,009 "yes"
votes, or 50 percent no and 50 percent
,It's a very close race," said Donna
Halinsky, a spokesperson for the Yes on
E Committee. "We're cautiously opti-
miitic."
Trisha Arndt, a member of Citizens
Against Casino Gambling, said the
early returns and close exit polls make
"I think the vote revitalizes the DNR
and its employees," he said. "It's good
for the DNR and the state of Michigan
and wild resources."
"It's an overwhelming victory for
those who have supported scientific
results" in game management, said
Rick Jameson, executive director of the
Michigan United Conservation Clubs.
"It was a strong showing by the hunt-
ing and fishing fraternity in Michigan
and other like-minded groups."
Tony Holmes of Citizens United for
Bears said he was disappointed as early
returns showed a trend that held up.
"I think this is what happens when
you get outspent and outmaneuvered
the way we did. ... They've never
addressed the issue of why hound hunt-
ing and baiting should be allowed," he
said.
The ballot proposals had been seen
as a showdown between hunters and
outdoor sports enthusiasts on one side
and animal-rights activists on the
other.
No
No
60%
32%
By Katie Plona and Will Weissert
Daily Staff Reporters
The city's 2nd Ward wasn't supposed to be an
extremely close race - but in the end it was too
close for incumbent Republican Jane Lumm's
comfort.
The final tally saw Lumm capturing about 51
percent of the vote compared to Democratic chal-
lenger Barbara Bach's 49 percent - but even a 2
percent victory was more than Lumm had expect-
ed after hearing of returns late last night.
"According to the best numbers I've heard - in
terms of the raw number of votes she beat me, but
the absentee ballots put me
over the top by about 30
votes, we think," Lumm said
just after 12:30 this morning.
"I don't feel terribly confident
with a margin of victory that
size - I would certainly a
understand a call for a
recount."
The see-saw battle for the
ward's council seat saw
Lumm grab a large early lead Lumm
and then barely hold off a late
Bach rally at the polls.
Bach said she had not expected to win the race.
"I would have been surprised and delighted if I
had won" Bach said. "I'm the challenger, she's the
incumbent - the challenger always has to fight an
uphill battle."
Lumm, who secured her third term on council
with last night's slim victory said she wished other
Republican City Council candidates had fared bet-
ter in their bids to unseat Democratic incumbents.
"I was hopeful that Ren (Synder) and (Patrick
McKeon) would pull through because they share
many of my philosophical opinions," Lumm said.
"But I am comfortable working with the same
group once again"
Lumm said the Democrat-dominated council
was not very open to conservative ideas and poli-
cies.
"I will try to accomplish what I want to accom-
plish," Lumm said. "With my fellow council mem-
bers I will have to work extra hard and it will be as
difficult to accomplish my agenda as it has been in
the past."
"You have a world-class University with all
those students and you never use them," Hartwell
said.
As results came in throughout the evening,
McKeon said it didn't look good.
"I am conceding, but I'd like to see the absolute
ballots before I do anything official," McKeon
said.
Hartwell thanked University students for their
support at the polls and for their help in passing
out literature and motivating other students to
vote.
"I tend to lose a little bit in the residential ward
and I pick it up in the student district," Hartwell
said. "It's just a big thanks to the students for doing
all the work."
McKeon, who says he'd like to make another
run at office, directed a few criticisms toward
Hartwell.
"I think he needs to be more responsible to
addressing the needs of the people in his ward,"
McKeon said. "A lot of people voted along party
lines and party lines got lost in the shuffle - peo-
ple need to be more attentive to local politics and
not just vote partisan tickets."
5th Ward
Fifth Ward City Council Democratic incumbent
Elisabeth Daley walked away with an approximate
64-percent victory last night over Republican chal-
lenger Ren Synder, who grabbed approximately
36 percent of the vote.'
"I am very pleased," Daley said.
Synder said his Republican label in a night
dominated by Democratic victories hurt his bid for
the ward's council seat.
"A Republican party label is not the best label to
have right now," Synder said. "I think our leaders
should be concerned with community concerns
first and party concerns second - but that is not
the way the voters felt."
Daley said she wants to continue to work for
environmental issues.
"I would really hope we can get a natural fea-
tures ordinance passed and also refine some of our
other ordinances," Daley said last night.
The natural features ordinance would work to
preserve the natural environment, including
REG ENTS
Continued from Page 1A
Baker said he still thought the close
race could sway either way but he was
not surprised to learn that the two
Democratic candidates were leading.
"It doesn't surprise me," Baker said
at 3:30 this morning. "It's a very large
Democratic straight-ticket vote. The
president leads the ticket. If the presi-
dent wins, this is usually the result."
The election of two Democrats to
the board would shift the partisan
affiliation of the regents in their favor.
"You are looking at two people that
are very well qualified. Olivia
Maynard brings an incredible breadth
of experience and a great sensitivity to
the needs of people in the University,"
said Mark Brewer, chair of the
Michigan Democratic Party.
"These are just the model, the type
of people that you want to bring to the
board," he said.
Currently, the board is split evenly
between four Republicans and four
Democrats. Regent Nellie Varner (D-
Detroit) announced last year that she
would not seek another term after
having served as a regent for 16
years.
"Historically you will find although
people run as nominees of political
parties, once they enter the Regents'
Room, their partisan differences dis-
appear," said Regent Philip Power (D-
Ann Arbor).
Brewer agreed, saying that the elec-
tion of two Democratic candidates
should not impact the board political-
ly.
Maynard
Maynard:
Taylor:
Baker:
Bishop.
35.7%
32.8%
17.2%
14.3%
The survey of 995 voters was taken
as they left 45 randomly selected
polling places around Michigan. Voter
News Service is a partnership of The
Associated Press and television net-
works.
Gilbert Finger, who voted against
Proposal E in Grosse Pointe Park, said
casino gambling in Detroit would dev-
astate surrounding areas. "I've seen
what it has done to Atlantic City and
some other areas where it's been
"I don't expect it will make any
political issues. I don't expect them to
inject any political issues into the
board."
Bishop said the one lesson he
gained from running for a position on
the board was that partisan politics has
no business in a regents' race.
Although members of the board
claimed their partisan affiliations do Baler
not affect their decisions about the
University, the regents may be forced
to deal with a number of political questions in the coming
year, including the University's affirmative action policies.
Last summer, in light of a ruling against affirmative action in