Elections

Road to the White House

Elections '96 bring out the student vote

by Naomi Blum

Chalkings peppered the campus urging students to register to vote. Campus political organizations created a non-partisan agreement between themselves and each group set out on a mission — to register as many voters as possible before the government deadline. They stormed the dorms, equipped with voter registration slips. "The registration was very successful. We registered approximately 1,000 voters," senior Ronald Spitz a student coordinator for the Weinzapfel campaign said. "They were either first-time voters or they wanted to switch their registration."

The elections offered opportunities to students seeking involvement in the political system. Campus organizations, such as College Democrats, College Republics. INPirg and the Youth Vote Coalition, offered students real experience in running a political campaign. Spitz spent 15 to 20 hours a week recruiting volunteers to help with mailings, voter registration and door-to-door literature drops within Bloomington and the larger district.

As the election neared, the chalkings increased and supporters for the candidates desperately tried to rally the student body. They held forums and debates to discuss issues they felt were most important to students in the coming year.

The 8th District Congressional race between Republican incumbent John N. Hostettler and Democrat John Weinzapfel attracted the most local attention. One of the reasons was the focus on student issues like financial aid. He also had an energized group of students working his campaign, including three student coordinators. Finally, students wanted to be involved in a campaign where they could make a difference. Although Hostettler won the seat, there was still a debate as to how to interpret the student vote.

Bloomington was divided into 17 precincts. Thirteen were "mixed" precincts containing both III students and Bloomington residents. The other four encompassed the dorms and were 100 percent student.

The voter turnout, however, did not represent the full population of Monroe County. There were 80,110 people registered and 40,719 votes calculated, a 50.83 percent turnout. "I'm 24 and I still haven't registered and I'm not planning to. My vote wouldn't count anyway," said sophomore Brian Simmons. "I don't like the way our government runs, and I don't care to be any part of it.-

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Supporters for the Republican party showing their spirit, listen to speakers during a rally at the Indianapolis International Airport. Presidential candidate Bob Dole attended the rally during the last week of his campaigning. Photo by Kevin Stuart.

Above: Bob Dole shakes hands with Republican supporters at the Indianapolis International Airport. Hundreds of people stood out in the cold, waiting to see the Republican speak. Photo by Jim Bowling. Opposite page: Janet Bartell, a Chicago-area resident cheers as Bob Dole took the stage for a stop at the Vincennes University Aviation Center in Indianapolis. The stop occurred during the 23rd hour of Dole's "96 Hours to Victory." Photo by Kevin Stuart.

Bloomington resident Rick Hakala protested the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. "If there weren't a chained-off pit of loyal opposition, then we wouldn't be a democracy would we?" he said.

Although cynicism ran high on campus, some students believed in the importance of voting and proudly voted in person or by absentee ballot. If you don't even care to vote, you have no reason to complain about the anything," senior Michael Overcash said.

In addition to the traditional media outlets covering the 1996 Campaign, MTV ran its own election coverage. Equipped in a sleek, "Choose or Lose" van, MTV urged young people to register and vote.

The effects on the election were mixed. Some students felt MTV presented a slanted point of view, while others felt they addressed important issues that affected Generation-X. "I think that MTV had more of an effect in the '92 election," sophomore Ryan Burke said. "But people in general are highly ignorant, and listen to the media and not their minds."

All the President's Men

George Stephanopoulos visits campus

by Sara Brazeal

Red, white and blue placards carrying the message, -Students vote Clinton-Gore and the Democratic ticket," rested in the laps of students and community members who packed the Whittenberger Auditorium at the Indiana Memorial Union the morning of Sept. 7.

As local Democrats made their pitches to student voters, they worked the standing-room only crowd into a partisan fury.

Then, the boyish-looking George Stephanopoulos walked down the center aisle of the auditorium. Stephanopoulos, whose title of senior policy adviser to President Bill Clinton, was nearly as weighty as his last name, received a standing ovation.

In town campaigning for eighth district congressional candidate Jonathan Weinzapfel, Stephanopoulos emphasized the positive direction Clinton had taken the country in since being elected in 1992.

Stephanopoulos said Clinton made more progress on economic growth and the deficit than the previous 12 years of Republican presidency. Still, Stephanopoulos said, this paled in comparison to the importance of education as a national priority. "We cannot improve as we move into the next century unless we invest in education," he said. In stumping for Weinzapfel, Stephanopoulos said the Republican congress had devastated education loans. They voted against college education from top to bottom.

Stephanopoulos said he owed much to the federal government for his own college education. One month after Election Day 96, he said he would finally finish paying off his student loans. "I wouldn't have had all the opportunities I have been blessed with over the last 14 years without college student loans," he said.

Some students in the audience said they gained political insight from Stephanopoulos' speech. "I learned the Democratic party is really focused on education and what college students want," said freshman Laura Woody.

Candidate Weinzapfel, a 1988 IU alumnus, said Stephanopoulos targeted his speech well to the student audience. "Young people can make a difference," he said. "It's really up to this generation."

Opposite page: George Stephanopoulos shakes hands with attendants of his speech Sept. 7. Stephanopoulos visited Bloomington to support Democratic John Weinzapfel. In his speech, Stephanopoulos talked about the importance of financial aid for college students. Photo by Matt McClain. Below: Democrat Jonathan Weinzapfel listens to the Stephanopoulos speech at Whittenberger Auditorium in the Indiana Memorial Union. He ran for the 8th District Congressional office and although the race was close, Weinzapfel lost to Republican John Hostettler. Photo by Matt McClain.

The Democratic party celebrates after the polls close Nov. 5. The election night party attendees included volunteers and Bloomington Mayor John Fernandez. Students volunteered as campaign workers for the Democratic party. They registered voters, mailed brochures and solicited door to door. Photo by Matt McClain.