Campaign '92 Issue
University of Central Oklahoma
Clinton wins student votes in election WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrat Bill Clinton defeated President George Bush in a mock election held among millions of American students and their parents, the sponsors said last week. In nationwide balloting, Clinton received 2,101,543, or 45 percent, to 1,413.916, or 30 percent for Bush and 1,116,125, or 24 percent, for Independent Ross Perot. Clinton carried 35 states wih 459 electoral votes in the National Student-Parent Mock election, sponsored by the Justice Department and a number of private companies, mainly in the communications industry. Bush carried Oklahoma and eight other states with 53 electoral votes and Perot five states with 26 electoral votes. In Oklahoma, Bush had 3,156, or 43 percent, to 2,113, or 29 percent, for Ross Perot and 2,019, or 28 percent for Clinton. Elementary and secondary school students in 70 schools in 38 Oklahoma towns voted in the mock election. More than 4.6 million students and a few of their parents voted in the mock election, which has been held since 1980. The students also registered these views on the issues: ✓ Using government education money to help give families a choice of schools was opposed by 42.6 percent, while 35 percent favored such a plan. ✓ On the economy, 37.1 percent favored raising the taxes of the wealthiest Americans to balance the budget, See World Wrap, page 5
The Student Voice Since 1903
TUESDAY November 3, 1992
Election '92 today Cast a vote
Record voter turnout expected from students
By Tami Watson
Staff Writer Oklahoma voters are expected to flock to the polls today following record-breaking voter registration numbers, said State Election Board Secretary Lance Ward. "Approximately 2,250,000 people have registered for this election," he said. "That's the highest number ever since 2,200,000 people registered before the 1988 election." Ward said this could likely result in a record-breaking voter turnout today. "We definitely have the potential for it," he said. "I'm guestimating that about 1,100,000 to 1,400,000 people will actually get out and vote." The previous record was set in 1984 when 1,290,000 voters showed up to vote, said Ward. Much of the registration success can be attributed to Ross
Perot's entrance into the presidential race, said Ward. "There's no question that the Ross Perot movement has stimulated people to get out and register," he said. "There has also been a big increase in the number of individuals registering independent." The large number of potential voters in the 18 to 21 age group could also be a factor, due to registration drives aimed at college-age students such as "Vote America" recently held at the University of Central Oklahoma campus and "Rock the Vote," sponsored by MTV. "Vote America was held to raise students awareness and encourage them to vote so their voice can be heard," said Barry Loftin, UCO multicultural student services director. "We were only out there for threeand-a-half hours and over 340 students registered to vote," he said.
Photo by Wes Hale
Williams- Istook face off in fifth By Tami Watson
Staff Writer Election day has finally arrived, and among those vying for political positions are Democrat Laurie Williams and Republican Ernest Istook. The two are facing off to capture Oklahoma's 5th Congressional Seat. Williams faces an uphill battle in the Republican-saturated district. But following Rep. Mickey Edwards' defeat in September's primary election due to the check bouncing scandal, she has the best chance of any Democrat in years to win the seat. Williams' entrance into the races in this year's "Year of the
Woman," may also prove an advantage, although she doesn't believe in "women's issues." "Women bring a fresh perspective and a balance to government, but there are no 'women's issues, – she said. "There are only human issues." Both candidates are campaigning heavily in favor of "family values." Istook, a strong advocate for traditional family values said responsibility is important. "Family values is taking responsibility for one another," he said. "The most important work done is in the walls of your own home." Williams said family values is a very limiting, narrow issue. "The family is so many
different things to so many people," she said. Williams also believes the family unit can be improved by inducing self-esteem in children. "We need to instill self-esteem and integrity in children, homes, schools and parents," she said. "We don't have the family unit as we did in the '50s, we need to do everything we can to help improve the family unit." Education is also a big issue in the candidate's campaigns. Istook's parental choice of schools bill was praised as the best bill of 1991, and his "nopass, no-play" bill emphasized academics over sports. "I have a strong commitment to the public school system, and I disagree with federal
government take-over of education," he said. Williams believes education is the key to the future. "It's the key to jobs, hope and self-esteem," she said. Istook is also strongly in favor of the death penalty and his law letting Oklahoma courts keep dangerous persons in jail, without bail, while awaiting trial was labeled the most important state reform to reduce violent crime. "The law keeps drug dealers and violent offenders off our streets," Istook said. "I also proposed expanding the death penalty to high-level drug dealers."