Proposals could impact election laws, scholarships, water quality

Michigan citizens will have the opportunity to vote on four different proposals when they enter the polling booths for the general election.Proposal 1 would amend Michigan election law to eliminate straight-party voting on partisan general election ballots, create penalties for stealing campaign signs or accepting payment for campaign work, require ballot counting equipment to help curb voting errors, and require photo identification from registered voters who aren’t on the registration list.The proposal was placed on the ballot by the state Democratic Party in an effort to overturn a vote by the GOP-controlled Legislature to eliminate straight-party voting, which allows voters to select all the candidates of one party with one mark.“Straight-party voting isn’t an option, it’s a choice,” state Democratic Party Chairman Mark Brewer said.

Voting, branch offices keys in secretary race

Republican Terry Lynn Land and Democrat Melvin “Butch” Hollowell might be running against each other to become the next secretary of state, but their stances on the issues aren’t far apart.Land, a former Kent County clerk, is in favor of implementing an optical-scan procedure for voting, although she said she still supports punch-card voting.Hollowell, a member of Al Gore’s recount team in Florida after the 2000 election, wants to eliminate punch-card voting and advocates a statewide high technology optical-scan system.Both candidates say there is a need to better train workers at voting precincts and provide the latest technology to ease the burdens on workers.

Vote, dammit

Tuesday is Election Day. What? You’re surprised? We’re not. For years, young people just like you have forgotten, made excuses or plain ignored their duty to cast a ballot in any election.

SN not sensible to gamble on Bernero

It is astonishing that The State News would ask its readers to gamble on Democrat party hack state Rep.

Candidates court student vote

There are many stops on the Michigan gubernatorial campaign trail, but MSU offers the possibility of gaining 45,000 supporters.With frequent stops at MSU throughout the year, Lt.

Moss cut following arrest

Dawan Moss was kicked off the MSU football team Sunday after he was arrested early Sunday morning at the Fake the Funk After Party at the Lansing Center.The senior tailback and captain was charged with second-offense drunken driving, fourth-degree fleeing and eluding and resisting and obstructing a police officer, said Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III.

Auditoriums No Exit gives dark look at choices in life

Everyone knows people they just can’t like. Your personalities clash, you have different values - you just don’t “click.”Now imagine being trapped in a tiny, stark living room with two of these people, doomed to wrestle each other for an eternity, never finding common ground, torturing each other with accusations and verbal weaponry.“No Exit,” by French playwright Jean-Paul Sartre, pits two women and a man against each other in an early existentialist look at the human condition.

THE ISSUES: Cal Rapson

Name and political party: Cal Rapson, Democrat Age: 57 Political background: serves as precinct delegate from Fenton for the Democratic state convention every two years. Hometown: Fenton Occupation: United Auto Workers vice president Family: married to Sandy, four children and one stepchild Education: two years at MSU Web site: no personal Web site, but more information can be found at www.uaw.com Overcoming the university’s budget difficulties: Believes in trimming the budget and/or programs Tuition increases: Wants to keep them at or below rate of inflation Faculty salaries: Salaries must stay competitive with other schools, even if that means raising tuition or trimming the budget Affirmative action: supports it and believes in a diverse community Gay rights: Supports them and wants to include benefits Presidential searches: Agrees with closed-door searches but says a “short list” should be released to the public at some point Off-campus student conduct: Says students should be accountable for actions off campus and should strive to be “good neighbors.”

Police briefs 11/04/02

Powwow shows traditional dance

Lansing - The strands of Jessica Kota’s white shawl laid still as she stood attentively, ready to dance.Dressed in her pink, purple and white regalia - traditional Native American clothing- Kota, a Central Michigan University student, quickly moved into intricate dance steps.Kota was the lead female dancer for the 10th annual Great Lakes Anishnaabek Traditional Pow Wow at Lansing Community College, but this was not the first time she has participated in the event.“My family has always been very involved in our culture,” she said.

THE ISSUES: Larry Ward

Name: Larry Ward (R) Age: 41 Hometown: Williamston Education: Bachelor’s in aviation technology and management 1983, Western Michigan University Occupation: Financial services associate Family: Married to Karen; three sons Political background: None Web site: www.ward2002.com Stance on the issues: Overcoming the state’s budget difficulties: Eliminate waste from government; hold the line in low-priority areas to preserve important budget items such as education and health care. Higher education affordability: Supports Merit Award scholarship program and other financial aid; address rising health care costs to help universities keep tuition increases low. Environment: Avid outdoorsman; use a broad bipartisan coalition to protect natural resources. Transportation: Roads are key to increased commerce and must be kept in good repair. Abortion rights: Opposes state funding for abortion. Affirmative action: Opposes discrimination of any type; recognizes importance of diversity on campus; decisions should be left up to universities’ governing boards, students and faculty. Gay rights: All humans are entitled to basic rights that should not be denied because of sexual orientation.

Health issues key in county commissioner race

One new face and a pair of familiar ones will be representing East Lansing and MSU students in the Ingham County Board of Commissioners after Election Day.The city of East Lansing is fragmented into three districts out of 16 total districts in the county.

Voting for trustees is a sweet deal

Hungry - why wait? Grab a trustee. It’s Crunch time because the MSU Board of Trustees race is coming Tuesday, and each lucky voter gets a chance to elect two delicious candidates to the post of Candy Land official. On the Republican side, we have the familiar and comfortable Nugent center of a 3 Musketeers bar.

THE ISSUES: Carl Levin

Name: Carl Levin (D) Age: 68 Hometown: Detroit Occupation: U.S.

Students fail to find time for election

With the countdown to Election Day now reaching the final hours, political candidates have upped their campaign efforts.

THE ISSUES: Dick Posthumus

Name: Dick Posthumus (R) Age: 52 Hometown: Alto Occupation: Michigan lieutenant governor Family: Married to Pam; four children Political background: Lieutenant governor, 1999-present; state Senate majority leader, 1991-98; state senator, 1983-98 Web site: www.dickposthumus.com Stance on the issues: Overcoming the state‘s budget difficulties: Opposes raising taxes to balance the budget; pledges no new taxes and continued tax cuts; protect income tax and single business tax cuts; believes continued spending and tax cuts should increase Michigan‘s long-term tax revenue and protect jobs. Higher education affordability: Create incentive to keep tuition increases down by repealing tuition tax credit and distributing those funds only to institutions that keep tuition rates at or below inflation; reduce funding to universities that raise tuition beyond inflation rates; create a constitutional amendment on the ballot to cap higher education tuition rates at inflation or 5 percent, whichever is less. Environment: Create extensive plan for preserving, protecting water; opposed to Great Lakes oil drilling; remove nuclear waste from state and away from shorelines; install real-time water quality monitoring system at Lake St.

Retirement opens bench spot

It has been more than 20 years since two, six-year term judgeships were vacant for the same election.

2 LCC trustees run for open Lansing City Council seat

Lansing City Council candidates Kathy Pelleran and Brian Jeffries have shaped many similar ideas for changes within the city.The two Lansing Community College trustees are campaigning to fill the vacated seat of former Councilmember Louis Adado, who resigned amid a sexual harassment scandal earlier this year.

Paper isnt biased because of opinion

The State News is not “right” or “wrong” when it chooses to endorse a political candidate. This fact seems to have been forgotten when two James Madison College students and a Lyman Briggs School student wrote letters to the editor that were published Friday (“SN ought to have picked Posthumus,” “Paper proves bias in support for Granholm” and “SN right to support Bernero, Whitmer” SN 11/1). How, might I ask, can a newspaper be right or wrong when publishing support for anyone on the Opinion page? What these above students, as well as others, fail to see is that an opinion simply cannot be right or wrong. One can certainly disagree with an opinion, but people should not criticize an opinion, they will get nowhere. The State News was also called biased for supporting Attorney General Jennifer Granholm for governor.

MIDDAY UPDATE: Candidates make last-minute pitch for votes

East Lansing’s Cuppa Java overflowed with Democratic energy Monday while just miles away, Republicans claimed a win in Tuesday’s statewide election.Gubernatorial candidates Democratic Attorney General Jennifer Granholm and Republican Lt.