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WEDNESDAY

ELECTION 2010 | RESULTS

Iowa voters oust Supreme Court justices

In an unprecedented move, Iowans voted not to retain three Supreme Court justices who voted to legalize gay marriage in Iowa in 2009. A campaign initiated by politician and businessman Bob Vander Plaats found enough votes to remove the judges from their benches. Vander Plaats claimed the justices were guilty of judicial activism when they voted to legalize marriage for homosexual couples under the Iowa Constitution. Chief Justice Marsha Ternus and Justices Michael Streit and David Baker were all un-

seated in their bid for retention, a vote which occurs every eight years or the first year following a judge’s appointment. Vander Plaats and other conservative groups campaigned heavily around the state in order to encourage voters to flip the ballot and vote to kick out what he described as activist judges. By allowing gay couples to marry, Vander Plaats and his supporters said other rights held by Iowans, such as rights to guns and private property, were also in jeopardy. “Most Americans believe that government is

out of control,” according to Iowa for Freedom website. “Now is the time to take a stand against the radical judicial activism of the Iowa Supreme Court.” The justices and a coalition of moderates and liberals through the group Justice Not Politics fought to remind voters that justices are not politicians and should be judged based on their commitment to honoring the Constitution. “I’m afraid that that is a serious blow to the independence of our judicial system,” said State Sen. Herman Quirmbach. “It frankly is not a

constructive vote. What got people upset was the one court decision, and the vote does nothing to alter that. It’s really just slapping back the justices who, as far as I’m concerned, were doing their sworn duty.” With staggering numbers of Iowans voting to remove the judges from the bench, ousted Gov. Chet Culver will have to decide whether to appoint new Supreme Court justices in the time remaining in his term.

Branstad back in business

Daily staff

Gov.-elect Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov.-elect Kim Reynolds take the stage after learning they defeated Democratic opponents Chet Culver and Patti Judge on Tuesday in West Des Moines. Branstad said he would work to bring the state out of debt and restore stability to Iowa’s economy. Photo: Dylan Boyle/Iowa State Daily

By Kaleb.Warnock iowastatedaily.com Des Moines — Former Gov. Terry Branstad, a Republican, won a close race in Tuesday night’s general election and will be beginning his fifth term as Iowa governor in January. With 79 percent of precincts reporting, Branstad defeated Gov. Chet Culver by receiving 478,016 votes — 53 percent. Culver phoned Branstad to concede from the election slightly before 11 p.m. and thanked his supporters for their assistance. “Tonight I feel like the luckiest guy on the face of the earth. I can’t tell you what an honor it is to be asked by Iowans to serve as their governor again.

I’m more excited about the job ahead than I was the first time I stood here on election night. It’s a privilege to serve Iowans ... I aim to prove you right,” Branstad said. “I will always do my best. I will always act with your best interest Culver in heart. Iowans deserve a government that’s as good as its people. I won’t rest until we make sure that it happens.” Branstad is an Iowa native who was born in Leland, Iowa, and attended the University of Iowa and Drake University Law School. He began his political career in the Iowa House of Representatives and later as lieutenant governor under Gov. Robert Ray.

He was elected governor in 1983, and at the age of 36 was the youngest governor Iowa ever elected. He served four consecutive terms until he was beat by Democrat Tom Vilsack, who served from 1999 to 2007. Vilsack was succeeded by Culver. The governor-elect will hit the ground running with plans to re-staff his department and begin implementing his five-year plan that includes provisions for economic development, better veteran compensation, education and to drastically improve agricultural output. “He’s going to start by putting effective managers in place and surround himself with good people,” said Tim Albrecht, Branstad’s communica-

BRANSTAD.p4A >>

Grassley beats Conlin in race for Senate seat By Dylan.Boyle iowastatedaily.com

WEST DES MOINES — Iowa voters want Sen. Chuck Grassley to go back to work for six more years. Grassley beat out Democratic challenger Roxanne Conlin, of Des Moines, on Tuesday, winning his sixth consecutive term in the U.S. Senate.

County recorder

Grassley, who won 70 percent of the vote against Arthur Small in 2004, led Conlin in the polls throughout the campaign. “The office I have belongs to the people of Iowa, it’s a public trust that I hold,” Grassley told supporters shortly before 10 p.m. in West Des Moines. “You’ve hired me to work for you for six more years … and I’ll never forget who I work for.” Republican wins around the whole country

in Tuesday’s elections, Grassley said, show that voters are unhappy with the current presidential administration of Barack Obama and the United States cannot “spend and tax our way into prosperity.” Eric Woolson, spokesman for the Grassley campaign, said the campaign’s win Tuesday was the result of Grassley’s record for the last 30 years in office. “I think it is an indication of how hard he

has worked, not just during the campaign, but certainly during his last six years in office and throughout his 30 years in the Senate,” he said. “Iowans recognize somebody that is working for them and that is clearly what he is doing. So on a night that has been an anti-incumbent night, to have him win by this kind of a margin really is an indication of the respect Iowans have for him which is a result of the respect he has for them.”

Campus

Vande Kamp Election calls for youth, student involvement unopposed, retains job By Sarah.Clark iowastatedaily.com

Republican Susan L. Vande Kamp has retained her position as county recorder. With the exception of write-ins, Vande Kamp ran unopposed in this year’s election. As a county recorder, her job is to maintain and issue out various types of records. Some of her work includes issuing marriage certificates and boat, snowmobile and ATV registration. Vande Kamp will also process passport applications by completing and mailing in the applications. Starting July 1997, recorders became registrars of vital records; the recorder office holds information on births, deaths and marriages for Story County. Daily staff

The polls are closed and Iowa’s future is now in the hands of the newly elected officials. Citizens throughout Iowa made their way to the polling centers Tuesday to cast their votes and voice their opinions about Iowa’s political leaders. “Students are choosing to vote now more than any other time because of the Internet, and celebrities show how important voting really is,” said Chris Celania, sophomore in materials engineering. “We see the importance everyday, making it clear we need to vote more.” Thanks to sources like Facebook and Twitter, politicians are better able to reach young voters in ways that they use the most. Many politicians, if not all, are using these sources to help campaign and reach out to youth in any way they can. “The youth’s votes are impor-

Alexander Unlrich, right, sophomore in criminal justice and sociology, votes Tuesday at Hawthorn. Unlrich said he voted because it’s a civic duty and privilege, as an American. Photo: Yue Wu/Iowa State Daily

tant because being the youngest, we have the most at stake in the future,” said Chet Anderson, sophomore in aerospace engineering. Many students who made it to

polling stations had different motives for voting. Whether supporting a single issue or voting a partyspecific ballot, students expressed their views through their votes.

“I’m voting because I go to college, and the price of tuition is an issue politicians can change. I also care about the environment,” said Dena Siegel, freshman in pre-business. Many voters used political ads as a basis of their voting decisions. “The first time I watch the ads, they are informative, but after about a week, they just get annoying,” said Dan Sepich, sophomore in pre-business. Some students, however, find the ads more derogatory than informative. “Most political ads just try to convince you that someone else [in the election] is bad,” Anderson said. “They’ll only highlight the bad things of the other [candidates].” Whether the impact be large or small, ISU students’ involvement in the election process is something many encourage, appreciate and look forward to in coming elections.