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Ann Arbor, Michigan

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

michigandaily.com

* Ann Arbor, Michigan Wednesday, November 9,2011 michigandailycom

* * ELECTION DAY 2011

*

Turnout of
'U' students
low for city
elections

Student-heavy
precincts yield
between three and
65 votes cast
By RAYZA GOLDSMITH
Daily Staff Reporter
Though Ann Arbor resi-
dents elected new and incum-
bent local leaders yesterday,
University students had little
to do with the results.
University residence halls
and off-campus buildings
that served as precincts saw
low student voter turnout
yesterday for Ann Arbor
City Council elections. Only
seven voters cast ballots at
the Michigan Union - Pre-
cinct 4-1 - which is a stu-
dent-heavy precinct. Other
precincts heavily comprised
of students reported totals
ranging from three to 65 vot-
ers. According to poll work-
ers, election years that do not
have national or state candi-
dates on the ballot - like this
year - notoriously attract a
small voter base.
Eric Sheie (R), city coun-
cil candidate for Ward 4 who
was not elected, said he was
shocked by the lack of stu-
dent participation in the elec-
tion and would like to help
increase student voter turn-
out in the future.
"It's a shame (students are)
not more involved," Sheie
said in an interview after the

election. "There should have
been a lot more people voting.
Period."
No voters showed up to
the voting booths at Palmer
Commons before 3 p.m. yes-
terday, according to Precinct
2-2 Chair Stacia Zellner. Zell-
ner said she was disappointed
that no one had come to cast
a vote because local elections
are important.
"It's sad," Zellner said. "I
would like to see more people
come out, but unfortunately
we can't do much about that
at this point."
She added that she didn't
expect to see more students
show up to vote. In fact, only
three people had cast ballots
at the precinct by the end of
the day.
Precinct 1-1 Co-Chair
James Wessel Walker, said he
was not surprised by the low
student voter turnout con-
sidering it largely depends on
the type of election. For state
and national competitions,
voter turnout is much higher
than for local elections.
"There's not much to
attract attention (in off-elec-
tion years)," Wessel Walker
said.
As of 2:30 p.m. yesterday,
12 people had cast votes at
Precinct 1-i's voting location
in the Michigan Union. The
University typically expects
about 1,200 voters for presi-
dential elections, according
to Wessel Walker.
LSA sophomore Han-
See TURNOUT, Page SA

Jane Lumm celebrates her win for a seat on Ann Arbor City Council at Paesano Restaurant on Washtenaw Avenue last night.
Lumm beats Rapundalo

Independent unopposed.
Voters also passed three pro-
snags seat posals last night that dealt with
road and sidewalk issues and
from Democratic the city's retirement regulation
board.
incumbent In an active race for Ward 2,
Stephen Rapundalo, a Democrat,
By JENNIFER LEE and faced off against former Repub-
ADAM RUBENFIRE lican Council member Jane
Daily StaffReporters Lumm, who served from 1993
to 1998 and chose to run with no
One Ann Arbor City Council party affiliation in this race. In
seat will change after the results an interview at her watch party
of elections last night. at Paesano Restaurant on Washt-
With 63.68percentofthevote, enaw Avenue, Lumm thanked
Independent candidate Jane members of her campaign for
Lumm beat incumbent Stephen helping her gain the victory.
Rapundalo to become a council "I'm excited, very grateful
member for Ward 2. The other and this is truly the result of an
four winners - Stephen Kunsel- incredible team effort," Lumm
man (D-Ward 3), Mike Anglin said. "So many people ... did so
(D-Ward 5) and Marcia Higgins much to make this possible."
(D-Ward 4) - are currently on When she assumes office
council. In Ward 1, incumbent in January, Lumm said she'll
Sabra Briere (D-Ward 1) ran place a greater emphasis on con-

ELECTION RESULTS

WARD 1
Sabra Briere (D) 95.3%
WARD 2
Jane Lumm (I) 60.37%
Stephen Rapundalo (D) 39.46%
WARD 3
Stephen Kunselman (D)
77.28%°l
David Parker (R) 21.43%
WARD 4
Marcia Higgins (D) 58.84%
Eric Scheie (R) 40.06%
stituents' voices in city politics.
Lumm added that she will easily
adjust to her new position given
her prior experience on council,

WARD 5
Mike Anglin (D) 79.59%
Stuart Berry (R) 19.59%
- PROPOSAL1
Street and Bridge Millage
Yes 77.3%
NO 22.7%
PROPOSAL 2
Sidewalk Millage
Yes 60.12%
NO 39.88%
PROPOSAL 3
Pension Board
Yes 68.14%
NO 31.86%
and she said she's already think-
ing about issues to bring before
the council.
See LUMM, Page SA


UNIONIZATION
MERC to
evaluate
* GSRAs'
positions
MSA in support
of GSRAs voting
on unionization
By RAYZA GOLDSMITH and
KAITLIN WILLIAMS
Daily Staff Reporters
After months of debate regard-
ing graduate student research
assistants' status as employees
or students, the body denying
GSRAs unionize will be reconsid-
ering its 30-year-old ruling.
After declining to reconsider
the role of GSRAs in August -
See GSRA, Page 5A
WEATHER HI: 45
TOMORROW LO 32

GAMELAN JAMMIN'

STATE LEGISLATION
Faculty mayleave'U'if
domestic benefits removed

S
I

Students play isa gamelan ensemble in tbe School of Music yesterday.
COLLEGE ATHLETICS
NCAA approves eligibility,
new scholarship reforms

By ADAM RUBENFIRE
Daily Staff Reporter
A new series of reforms for
collegiate athletics may make
life easier for some student-
athletes, but more difficult for

future athletes to get recruited.
In response to the Knight
Commission on Intercolle-
giate Athletics - an indepen-
dent committee that assesses
the academic standards set by
See NCAA, Page 5A

Sc
leave
In
Univ
grew
ily li
arour
consi
the
woul
from
dome
"I

enate bills would reason to stay here," said Dennis,
a humanities librarian and coor-
ban health care dinator at the Hatcher Graduate
Library. "Normally (my partner
for partners at and I) would not have thought of
relocating, but I certainly have
iblic institutions become opento it given this."
State House Bills 4770 and
By PAIGE PEARCY 4771 aim to bar public entities
Daily StaffReporter like the University from provid-
ing health benefits to domestic
ott Dennis does not want to partners. The passage of the
Ann Arbor. bills would cause same-sex part-
addition to working at the ners of public employees to lose
ersity for 14 years, Dennis their health insurance. The bills
up in Ann Arbor, his fam- passed in the state House on
ves here and his life centers Sept. 15 with a vote of 64-44 and
nd the city. But now, he is are currently in committee in the
dering moving because of state senate.
possibility that new laws Cynthia Wilbanks, the Uni-
d prohibit the University versity's vice president for gov-
offering health benefits to ernment relations, said the
rstic partners. University opposes the bills.
love this state. I have a lot of "We strongly believe there

would be acompetitive disadvan-
tage with faculty and staff that
we are either trying to recruit
or retain," Wilbanks said. "As a
result, we want to be sure that we
raise these issues in every way
that we can with those who will
be voting on or considering the
legislation."
Wilbanks said the Univeri
has been working with diffe
legislators to try to stop the bills
passage. If they do pass, the situ-"
ation will be re-evaluated.
"We're going to take it one
step at a time," Wilbanks s
"Obviously we consider al
our options when evaluating the
impact of legislation on the Uni-
versity and then take the appro-
priate steps whennecessary."
State Rep. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann
Arbor), who voted against the
See BENEFITS, Page 5A


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