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www. michikandaz~y.com

Ann Arbor, Michigan Vol. CXVII, No. 21

@20

06 The Michigan Daily


C S 0 Y W
VOTING ADVENTURE

he fire alarm blared through East Quad Residence Hall
Wednesday night, forcing occupants outside. It turned
out to bea false alarm, but it didn't stop Voice Your Vote
volunteers who had spent the past hour registering East Quad
residents to vote. They continued their registration blitz on the
crowded sidewalk.
There is nothing subtle about the persistence of registration
volunteers. When going door-to-door, they routinely knock three
times and wait for a response. If that doesn't work, they'll knock
again, just to be sure the room is empty.
By going through the dorms or staking out the Diag, Voice

Your Vote brings the registration process to the students. This
often helps. because registering to vote can be tricky.
For example, if your residence has changed since you last voted,
you need to let the government know. You also need to find your
precinct for Election Day. If you don't know your precinct, check
out the map below. To find your polling place, see a list attached
to this article at michigandaily.com.
Nov. 7 is inching closer. A week from today is the last day to
register for the election. Several of the races this November are
close. Your vote could make a difference.
Still confused on what to do? Here are some tips.

RODRIGO GAY/Daily
Republican gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos and incumbent
Gov. Jennifer Granholm faced off in East Lansing in their first of
three scheduled debates last night.
Candidates
first debate

'START HERE

ABSENTEE
Register with the local clerk in your home district
or any Secretary of State office. There are two
Secretary of State offices near campus: one at 353 N.
Maple Road and one at 2720 Washtenaw Road in Ypsi-
l anti. First-time voters cannot vote absentee unless
they register in person. Absentee laws vary state-to-
state, so check your local regulations for all of these
steps if you're not from Michigan.

VOTING IN ANN ARBOR
O Live in Ann Arbor for at least 30 days
before the election. If you were here at
the beginning of the semester, you're set.
Acquire a voter registration form. To do this, find
a registration volunteer in your dorm or on the Diag.
They'll be wearing blue "Voice Your Vote" T-shirts. You
rn nk o to the Ann Arbn City Cl k'c ffir n tha

c7tar aso g L cr or r 1tAy kIe r oev tye e
7 second floor of City Hall at 100 N. Fifth Ave. and pick
Once registered, download an absentee ballot up a voter registration form or download one from www.
application from www.michigan.gov/vote. a2gov.org/communityservices/c/erks/index.html.
Mail your application to your local clerk. Make Complete the voter registration form. A
sure it reaches the clerk by 2 p.m on Saturday, Nov. volunteer can fill this out for you - all you need to
4 if you want your absentee ballot mailed to you. You do is sign and date the bottom. The volunteer will
should send your application as soon as possible, send it in for you or you can send it in to the city
though, to allow time for the clerk to receive your clerk's office on your own. Don't forget to find out
application, process it and mail the ballot back to you. where you are supposed to vote on Election Day.
Complete your absentee ballot and sign the out- If this is your first time voting, you must present
side of the envelope. If you do not sign it, your vote will a photo ID when you go to the polls on Nov. 7.
not be counted. The local clerk must receive your bal-
lot by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 7. You can either mail
your ballot or deliver it in person.
VOE

I ol

Granholm,
DeVos focus on
economy, stray little
from talking points
By Andrew Grossman
Daily Staff Reporter
EAST LANSING - Gov.
Jennifer Granholm took
the stage here last night to
defend her record against
Republican challenger Dick
DeVos in the first of three
televised debates before the
Nov. 7 general election.
The race is close, with
most recent polls showing
Granholm with a slight lead.
So far, campaign rhetoric
has largely focused on Mich-
igan's ailing economy. Last
night, the candidates offered
viewers different economic
visions for the state.
"A governor is respon-
sible for setting the atmo-
sphere for what goes on in
this state," DeVos said before
reeling off statistics about
the state's dire economic
straits. "That's why we need
leadership who has practical
experience, who understands
the world of business, under-
stands what it takes to create
jobs"
Granholm said she does
understand how to fix Mich-
igan's economy - and she
has a plan to do it.
"We know that we've got
to up our standards for what
we expect of our high school
graduates, double the number
of college graduates or those
who get technical and voca-
tional certifications," she
said. "We know that we have
to diversify our economy,
and this is part of our eco-
nomic plan. We are investing
more than any other state in
the country in diversifying
our economy."
She also accused DeVos of
lobbying for what she called
unfair trade practices as chief
executive of Alticor, the par-
ent company of Amway.
But the questions from the
moderators, Detroit News
reporter Charlie Cain and
public television host Tim
Skubick, soon swerved to
more obscure topics. Ques-
tions ranged from stem cell

Debates
on deck
Oct. 10
Where: Grand Rapids
When: 8 p.m.
Tune in: WDIV-TV, channel 4
Oct. 16
Where: Detroit
When: 8 p.m.
Tune in: WXYZ-TV, channel 7
research to the roles of the
candidate's spouses.
In a question that seemed
to make both candidates
squirm, Skubick asked
DeVos if he thought Gran-
holm was responsible for the
death of Ricky Holland, a
foster child who was abused
and eventually killed at the
hands of his caretakers.
Skubick also pressed DeVos
to say whether Granholm
should accept responsibility
for the three murders com-
mitted by Patrick Selepak,
a prisoner whom the state
Department of Corrections
accidentally paroled.
"There are shades of
Willie Horton in this," said
communications and politi-
cal science Prof. Michael
Traugott. He was referring
to a 1988 George H.W. Bush
presidential campaign ad
that tried to tie his opponent,
Michael Dukakis, to crimes
committed by Horton, a con-
vict who had been let out on
furlough while Dukakis was
governor of Massachusetts.
DeVos stopped short of
saying Granholm was direct-
ly responsible,but questioned
her handling of the cases.
Granholm defended her
response. She said her crime
credentials were strong,
pointing out that she had
served as a federal prosecu-
tor and attorney general.
"When Patrick Selepak
was released, it was a mis-
take" she said. "The Depart-
ment of Corrections was
informed that it was a mis-
take and I ordered the people
responsible to be fired."
Skubick questioned
DeVos on his opposition to
abortion even in cases of
rape and incest.
Granholm tried to paint
See DEBATE, page 7

IN PERSON VS. ABSENTEE
Your guide to deciding whether to fill out an absentee
ballot or vote in person.
HOW? PROS CONS
E If you're registered You have to fill
in a competitive out an application.
congressional district You have to mail
Absentee or another state with in your application
a close election, and ballot in a timely
you may want to manner to make sure
vote there. Your your vote is counted.
vote is more likely
to make a difference
in a tight race.

For a
complete map
of Ann Arbor
precincts, visit
ewashtenaw.org

Voting
In-person in
Ann Arbor

Voting in person
requires less paperwork
than voting absentee.
You get to vote
for local politicians
who have an impact
on your day-to-day
life in Ann Arbor.
Your voting place is
close to home - possibly
even in your dorm.

Local general
elections are rarely
competitive because ;he
Democratic presence in
Ann Arbor is so strong.
E If you vote in Ann Arbor,
your vote will likely make
more of a difference
in local primaries,
statewide elections
and ballot proposals.

MICHIGAN
STADIUM

MICHIGAN SoURCE: WASHTENAW coUNTY
UNION GRAPHIC BY: BRIDGET o'DoNNELL/Daily

Cops: Don't cash n
strangers' checks

'U' re-examines
use of space

Students have lost
thousands of dollars
in bank scams
By Ashlea Suries
Daily Staff Reporter
l Con artists armed with bad
checks have stolen thousands
from at least four victims near
campus banks within the last
two months.
In each case, the con artists
approached the victims, asking
them for help. The con artists
told the victims they desper-
ately needed money and asked
if they could write checks for

the victims to go inside
and cash.
The victims obliged,
cashing the checks
against their own accounts
and handing over the money
to the strangers, only to find
out - sometimes weeks later
- that the checks were inval-
id and that they could be held
accountable for the missing
funds.
The most recent incident
was reported to police last
Wednesday outside of the
Michigan Union. According to
the report, a man approached
a student and said he needed
See SCAM, page 7

New initiative
could help save
money
By Emily Barton
For The Daily
Fourteen million square
feet - that's how much space
the University owns and des-
ignates for classrooms, offic-
es and libraries. Much of that
space is open all day, even
when it's not being used.
Some administrators are
wondering whether that's
wise.
The University is embark-

ing on a multi-year study on
how it can better use space
and facilities on campus.
The initiative has three
main goals, said Philip Han-
lon, associate provost for aca-
demic and budgetary affairs.
First, the University is
looking to save money to sup-
port its core goals of educat-
ing students, helping them
pay for college, recruiting and
retaining respected professors
and supporting research.
"The more efficiently we
use our facilities, the more
resources we will have to go
towards that academic mis-
See SPACE, page 7

I