Wednesday, November 6, 1996REACTION:
Despite apathetic label, many students head to the polls to make
voices heardBy Frances Lee and Hannah Miller
Daily Bruin Contributors
A steady stream of students trickled into voting booths Tuesday,
casting their ballots to decide who would hold the reins of the
most powerful job in the nation.
Ranging from the conservative to the liberal, UCLA students
banded together in a collective effort to make their voices heard,
contrary to the popular belief that "Generation X-ers" are
politically apathetic.
An informal Daily Bruin exit poll of 398 students showed
significant schisms between youth votes and the mainstream poll
numbers.
Like the American majority, most students chose to give Clinton
a second chance, at 73 percent according to the Daily Bruin exit
poll. Dole won 19 percent of the UCLA vote, with Ross Perot and
Ralph Nader each claiming 3 percent.
It was not a clear-cut victory for Clinton, however, as many of
the students at the exit polls expressed hesitation about his
abilities as a leader.
"I voted for Clinton, (but) my secret fantasy is that in his
second term he’ll really be a liberal," said Tracy Mann, faculty in
residence at Hedrick Hall.
Monica Emerick, a third-year law student, voted for Clinton
because "the idea of Dole and Kemp in the White House scared
me."
Not that Emerick, a Democrat, would have voted for a Republican.
"I don’t think the Republicans could have produced a candidate (I
could have voted for)."
West Los Angeles resident Marilyn Brown, 59, expressed regret at
the Republicans’ choice of candidate.
"The Republicans had the wrong candidate," she said. "(Dole and
Kemp) didn’t represent the youth of America. Clinton and Gore were
much more representative of the optimism and enthusiasm (of
America’s youth)."
First-time voter Amanda Oudin cast her ballot for Bob Dole.
Although she was sure he would lose, "I believe a lot in (Dole’s)
values," said the first-year biology student. Clinton, on the other
hand, "will take on the values of whatever crowd (he happens to be
in)."
Many students took a different view of the election altogether.
Rather than focus on the two major parties, votes were cast for
Ross Perot or Ralph Nader.
In an effort to show Clinton that he’s fed up with Clinton’s
middle-of-the-road stance, Jorma Taccone, a second-year theater
student, voted for Nader.
"I hope my vote (for Nader) shows Clinton that there are more
people who want a liberal (in the White House)," Taccone said. He
hopes that without the pressure of having to win another election,
Clinton will finally implement the far-reaching reforms he promised
to make.
UCLA voters did produce some votes for Perot. "I think he’s the
most honest candidate," commented Caneel Joyce, a first-year
undeclared student. "He’s just gonna do what he says."
Clinton’s victory hardly came as a surprise to voters; the
controversial issues of the night were the California propositions.
Among the more hotly debated issues was Proposition 209.
Proposition 209, repealing affirmative action programs, was
voted down by UCLA voters with a wide margin of 71 percent against
it.
Megan Estrada, a second-year English student, explained her vote
against the proposition as an educational issue. "There are some
schools that don’t offer the same courses, or the same objectives,
and these schools are mostly in minority areas."
Proposition 209, termed the California Civil Rights Initiative
by proponents, was a heavily controversial ballot measure within
the UCLA community. Joyce expressed a common pro-209 sentiment.
"I’m against affirmative action, but I think most people on this
campus voted against 209," Joyce said. "The only way we are ever
going to have equality is if we stop paying attention to race."
Proposition 215, the measure legalizing the medicinal use of
marijuana, passed with UCLA voters with a margin of 66 percent.
Natalie Tenenbaum, a second-year English student, voted yes, and
expressed frustration at popular opposition to the marijuana
measure.
"People think everyone’s gonna use it for the wrong reasons, but
I’m just a little bit more optimistic about human nature," said
Tenenbaum.
The California Public Interest Research Group’s campaign finance
reform bill, Proposition 212, passed with a 58 percent margin at
UCLA, according to the poll. "I was torn between 212 and 208," said
Katie Vallance, second-year undeclared student. "CALPIRG convinced
me to vote for 212."
Proposition 210 passed with UCLA voters, with 68 percent voting
for the measure that will raise the minimum wage. Steve Engel,
faculty in residence at Hedrick Hall, explained his yes vote.
"People working those kinds of jobs need as much money as we can
give them," Engel said.
The "Securities Fraud" ballot measure, Proposition 211, didn’t
seem to strike a chord with UCLA voters, closing at 66 percent
against it. It would ease the way for securities fraud lawsuits and
outlaw restrictions on attorney-client fee arrangements, according
to the ballot pamphlet.
In the California Legislature elections, the UCLA results were
more skewed. In the 23rd Senate District race, Democratic incumbent
Tom Hayden defeated Scott Schreiber with a margin of 86 percent to
a paltry 14 percent. In the 42nd Assembly District, Democratic
incumbent Wally Knox took the UCLA vote over UCLA alumnus
Republican Adam Ross at a rate of 72 percent to 28 percent.
The 29th U.S. Congressional district went to the Democratic
incumbent Henry Waxman, whom UCLA voters chose over challenger
Republican Paul Stephanek at a margin of 84 percent to 16
percent.
According to observers, voter turnout appeared to vary. Resident
advisors and faculty advisors conducted registration drives in
Hedrick Hall, but "we were worried that students wouldn’t vote,"
said Engel.
Third-year political science student Aram Goldberg wasn’t
worried about that. "Props. 209 and 215 got a lot of my friends out
to the polls this year," he said, "whether they were vehemently
supportive or opposed (to it)."
Vallance estimated that about half of her neighbors in the
residence halls didn’t vote. "I guess they feel that voting doesn’t
make a difference," she commented.
Elizabeth Baller was one UCLA graduate who returned to vote on
campus  much changed since she graduated in 1943. "I’m 75
years old and a dedicated liberal," stated Baller.
"I’m against 209 because I think every opportunity should be
given to the disadvantaged," she continued.
Karen Lin, a second-year psychobiology student, expressed a
common frustration: the lack of clarity on certain ballot measures.
"There are so many commercials both ways. Not all the propositions
were as advertised as 209. I wouldn’t want to vote for something
I’d regret."
Goldberg responded negatively to the early announcement of a
Clinton win. "I’m very excited that Clinton won, but a little
disenfranchised that they announced it before the California
results," he mused. "It’s like my vote doesn’t count."
KRIS FALLON
A student enters the University Co-Op, one of seven polling
places in and around the UCLA campus, to cast his ballot on
Tuesday.