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Early voting to close Thursday Jackson County ballots look slim CHRISTINA SPAKOUSKY Daily Egyptian Only 1,400 early voting ballots have been cast in Jackson County, which is lower than statewide predictions, says Jackson County Clerk Larry Reinhardt. “We’re at about 10 percent cast early so far. Whether that’s a sign of low turnout or a sign that people are waiting until the last minute to decide, I’m not sure,� Reinhardt said. He said Jackson County usually averages 15,000 to 16,000 votes in the midterm elections, and he assumes this election will show the same results. John Jackson, visiting professor at the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, said in each of the county’s last seven elections — local, statewide and national — an average of 27.6 percent of the registered population voted. The 2008 General Election saw the highest voter turnout in the county since the election of President John F. Kennedy in 1960, at 57.4 percent, Jackson said. Still, he said that rate was 5 percentage points lower than the national average, and turnout typically drops for midterm elections. “We have this mythology in American life that the government closest to home is the one we care most about, when in fact the governments closest to home are the ones we care least about,� he said. For the past three local elections held in Jackson County, an average of 17.5 percent of registered voters cast ballots in each one, data from the Jackson County election results archives shows. Jackson said he doesn’t foresee the low turnout rate improving for the upcoming elections. “It’s continued for a long time and it seems to be exacerbated by this upcoming midterm election where the polls are showing young people not engaged and not planning to go vote,� he said. Please see EARLY | 2
DAN DWYER | DAILY EGYPTIAN
THE WRITING ON THE WALL Gavin Gottfried, 22, of Chicago, washes graffiti off the wall of Attitude Designs in Carbondale. “I’m all for graffiti, but when people do stuff like this, it’s
just ignorant,� Gottfried said. A recent increase in graffiti in Carbondale and on campus has caused authorities to step up patrols and offer rewards for information leading to arrests.
Provost candidate suggests solutions are already at SIUC RYAN VOYLES Daily Egyptian Gary Minish says SIUC already has what it needs to fix all its problems, it just needs to realize it has the solution. "Everything's here ... our folks know how to get it done, and have been getting it done, with limited resources," he said. "I tell you, once we get that turned around, just think of what we can really do at this university." Minish, former dean of the SIUC College of Agricultural Sciences from 2004 to 2009, was the third of four finalists for the provost and senior vice chancellor position to hold an open forum to address concerns by faculty, staff and students. Finalists Robert Hampton, a professor of sociology and social work at Tennessee State University, and Don Rice, current interim provost at SIUC, held their forums Oct. 18 and Oct. 20. The fourth finalist, Cameron Hackney, dean of the Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Re-
sources and Design, and director of the West Virginia Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station at West Virginia University, will hold his open forum Monday. Minish, who retired as dean in Dec. 2009, told the more than 80 people Tuesday at the Student Center Auditorium that his years of experience — 27 years at Virginia Tech and six years at SIUC — have prepared him for the many challenges he would face if he were to take over as provost. Minish said the university's major focus has to be on increasing enrollment and retention, and he said he has fixed enrollment problems in the past and will do it again if given the opportunity. "I've turned around enrollment numbers at Virginia Tech, and I did it again here," he said. "If I am selected, that will be fixed. It will be done and we can focus on more initiatives." After Minish took over as dean of Agricultural Sciences in 2004, undergraduate enrollment in the college increased to 21 percent in the last three years
STEVE BERCZYNSKI | DAILY EGYPTIAN
Gary Minish, former dean of the College of Agriculture, addresses members of the faculty, staff and students Tuesday at the Student Center Auditorium. Minish is one of four finalists for the provost and senior vice chancellor position. A decision is expected to be announced by the committee in late November. of his tenure, according to the 2009-2010 SIUC Factbook. He said bigger problems such as enrollment have distracted people from the smaller problems that are taking place on campus, such as the need to con-
nect to alumni, update facilities and increase faculty involvement on campus.
Please see FORUM | 2