Orientation Edition 2008
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
'Uncommitted' takes campus precincts
Clinton wins
Michigan primary
By EMILY BARTON
Daily News Editor
Jan. 16, 2008 - In a Michigan Demo-
cratic primary featuring a limited
field of candidates, Hillary Clinton
emerged victorious yesterday, win-
ning 55 percent of votes throughout
the state.
But voters in student-heavy pre-
cincts near campus overwhelmingly
rejected Clinton, instead choosing the
"uncommitted" option. Supporters
of Barack Obama and John Edwards
had urged voters who wanted to sup-
port their candidates to vote uncom-
mitted, since their names weren't
on the ballot. 51 percent of voters in
those precincts voted uncommitted,
while only 30 percent chose Clinton.
The significance of the Demo-
cratic primary in Michigan was
greatly diminished after the Demo-
cratic National Committee stripped
the state of its delegates for moving
its primary before Feb. 5.
In response, Obama and Edwards
removed their names from the pri-
mary ballot in Michigan, leaving only
Clinton, Sen. Christopher Dodd, Rep.
Dennis Kucinich and former Sen.
Mike Gravel on the ballot.
For many students, an uncommit-
ted vote meant support for Edwards
or Obama.
LSA sophomore Travis Davis said
he voted uncommitted because he
supports Obama and would rather see
him win the presidency than vote for
Clinton or a Republican candidate.
LSA freshman Mimi Singh said
she supported Obama and chose to
vote uncommitted as a result.
"I originally wasn't going to vote
because there were no Democratic
delegates," she said, "But then a
friend stopped me and told me to vote
uncommitted."
Still, some Democratic students
chose to vote in the Republican pri-
mary so their vote could translate
into delegates.
LSAsophomore Spencer Chauncey
said he supported Obama but voted
for McCain because he agreed with
his policies more than any candidate
listed on either ballot.
LSA sophomore Kelly Bernero,
chair of Students for Hillary, said
Clinton's win was encouraging, con-
sidering the candidate didn't cam-
paign in Michigan.
LSA sophomore Tom Duvall, chair
of Students for Obama, said it was
great to hear the uncommitted vote
had strong support in Ann Arbor.
"I think it's really a testament to
our hard work," he said. "People,
especially students, were receptive to
Senator Obama's message."
Daily staff reporters Charles
Gregg-Geist, Lindy Stevensand
Julie Rowe and The Associated
Press contributed to this report.
BY THE NUMBERS
PRIMARY BREAKDOWN
I
STATEWIDE
Republicans
STUDENT PRECINCTS'
Paui -
6% Other
Other
Huckahbee
6%
Democrats
Voter turnout rate statewide and in nearby
student precincts.
20%
Statewide voterturnout rate
If ucinich Other
Turnout rate at 15 student-heavy Other
precincts near campus. SOURCE: T HE ASSOCIATED PRESS & WASHTENAW COUNTY CLERK
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