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www.mic/ikandaily.com Ann Arbor, Michigan * Vol. CXV, No. 24 2004 The Michigan Daily
WEWAT
AGAIN
Election
hinges on
Ohio, where
Bush leads
By Farayha Arrine
and Jameel Naqvl
Daily Staff Reporters
BOSTON - Americans waking up this morning may feel
like it's the year 2000 again.
Once again-tthanks to the Electoral College --the coun-
try will have to wait to find out who will be its next president.
Despite President Bush's commanding lead inthe popular vote
- garnering at least 3.5 million votes more than Democratic
nominee John Kerry as of 3:30 a.m.-the closeness of Ohio's
election and trouble with Iowa's election machinery made the
race for electoral votes impossible to call.
Democrats were considering sending political and legal
teams to Ohio, already the scene of dueling lawsuits over pro-
visional ballots. Inside the Bush campaign, an intense debate
waged into the early hours as some aides said parachuting
teams into Ohio would only create a political stalemate in a
state Bush hopes he has already won.
Florida fell into Bush's lap with relative ease. Kerry took
New Hampshire from Bush-the first and perhaps only state
to switch parties -but it has just four electoral votes. That left
Ohio as Kerry's only hope.
The holdup was over provisional ballots - those cast by
people whose qualifications to vote were challenged. At 3 a.m.
EST, Bush had a lead of 125,000 votes; there were more provi-
sional ballots outstanding.
"There's no mathematical path to victory for Kerry in
Ohio," said Nicolle Devenish, spokeswoman for the Bush-
Cheney campaign, arguing that Bush would get his share of
the provisional ballots. The White House had contacted Ohio
Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell, urging the Republican
to clarify the number of provisional ballots.
Nationwide, with 96 percent ofthe nation's precincts report-
ing, some 111 million people had voted-up from 105 million
in 2000.
At 2:30 this morning, Democratic vice presidential candi-
ALI sLS/Day date John Edwards briefly addressed local supporters assem-
See ELECTION, Page 9
A thinning crowd remains at Copley Square - the site of John Kerry's election party - as CNN declares that Ohio is still too close to call early this morning.
PROPOSAL 2 LEGAL DEFINITION OF MARRIAGES AND UNIONS
Mich. bans same-sex unions in constitution
By Karen Tee
Daily StaffReporter
Voters in Michigan approved a ballot proposal
yesterday to amend the state's constitution to ban
gay marriage and other similar unions. With the
adoption of Proposal 2, the constitution will now
define the union between a man and a woman in
legal marriage as "the only agreement recognized
as a marriage or similar union for any purpose."
About 63 percent of voters approved the pro-
posal.
Kristina Hemphill, spokeswoman for Citizens
for the Protection of Marriage, the group that col-
lected petition signatures in order to put the propos-
al on the ballot, said, "When we saw the number of
signatures collected during the petition drive, we
knew Michigan citizens understood the issue and
wanted to protect the meaning of marriage."
Speaking during the group's victory party in
Lansing, Hemphill said, "We are now celebrating
the victory, that the voice of the people have been
heard."
Opponents of the proposal have voiced their dis-
appointment over the outcome but are not willing
to concede that their cause is lost. Rocky Byington,
amemberofthe Coalition foraFair Michigan, said,
"If Kerry becomes the next president, there is still
hope that something can be done at the federal level
to preempt what is being done at the state level."
In fact, it is very likely the constitutionality of
the amendment will be challenged in the courts.
Andrea Knittel, co-chair of the Stonewall Demo-
crats - the gay and trasngender arm of the Col-
lege Democrats - said, "We are arguing that this
amendment puts discrimination into our constitu-
tion. The last six words are so vague and poorly
worded that we don't know what the amendment
will do." Members of the Stonewall Democrats
have been campaigning against the proposal on
campus, talking to potential voters on the Diag
every day for the past week.
Knittel said the amendment threatens to take
away benefits that were offered to couples in
domestic partnerships and civil unions. As such,
unions willno longer be recognized under state law.
This means benefits such as health insurance for
See PROPOSAL, Page 9
"We are arguing that
this amendment puts
discrimination into our
constitution. The last
six words are so vague
and poorly worded ..."
- Andrea Knittel
Co-chair, Stonewall Democrats
Meaning of Prop 2
The only type of legal union the state
will recognize is marriage between one man
and one woman.
In addition to the constitutional ban on
gay marriage, opponents of the amendment
say its language could be interpreted to
ban domestic partnership benefits to same-
sex couples.
The 'U' says it will still give benefits to
same-sex couples.
T THE PI
VOTERS, CHALLENGERS AND ACTI
Residents cast ballots amid conflicts
¢y Victoria Edwards
and Michael Kan
Daily Staff Reporters
Trickling out of the Michigan Union's doors
and wrapping around the corners of the hallways
in the residence halls, seemingly endless lines
of University students eager to cast their ballots
marked the climax of one of the most politicized
elections to date.
Ann Arbor polling sites endured the outpouring
of students in an election that expected to turn out
more student voters than in the last 10 years, accord-
ing to a Pew Research Center poll.
"This is an unbelievable turnout although its
paking things extremely hectic," said Mike Roth,
an election chair of an East Quad polling site.
The fear of lawsuits or challenges over bal-
lots appeared overstated. Chris Paolino, spokes-
man for the Michigan Republican Party, said the
party was suing Detroit for trying to remove poll
challengers from polling sites, but he added that
the party would likely not challenge any votes
in Michigan.
Besides the occasional jamming of the ballot
scanners, many students across Ann Arbor polling
sites, they encountered no extra problems in obtain-
ing their ballots. They added that there were no
groups attempting to disenfranchise voters at poll-
ing sites said. Voter monitors and lawyers from both
the Republican and Democratic parties, as well as
non-partisan groups, helped ensure the integrity of
the polling process.
Still, some voters left their polling sites frus-
trated that their ballots may not count in the
election, as they were forced to cast a provision-
al ballot at the polls.
See STUDENTS, Page 7
How 'U' voted
According to unofficial election results
from seven main polling locations on cam-
pus, 6,472 ballots were cast for John Kerry
(D), 1,765 for George Bush (R), 49 for
Ralph Nader (1), 36 for Michael Badnarik
(Lib.) and 6 for Michael Cobb (Green).
The same results stated that voter
turnout at these polling sites was about
55 percent. Nearly 9,000 voters cast bal-
lots at these sites, while nearly 16,000
voters were registered there. The polling
sites included four residence halls, the
Michigan Union, the University Sports Coli-
seum and family housing.
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