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Tuesday, November 2, 182
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Vol. 82, No. 53
fe.
Official predicts
higher-than-usual
turnout at the polls
Some heated election campaigns and hotly debated
issues have given the local election official reason to
believe that the vofer turnout today will be higher than
usual.
Elaine Usher, Lancaster County election commissioner,
said she expects that about 65 percent of the registered
voters in Lancaster County, or roughly 65,000 people,
will go to the polls, which are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The predicted turnout is high for a non-presidential voting
year, she said, comparing it to the 59 percent turnout in
1978. 1
The governor's race has been in the spotlight during the
campaign, with Gov. Charles Thone being strongly
challenged by Democratic candidate Bob Kerrey.
Kerrey, 39, who lists his address as 1955 C St.,
Lincoln, owns the Grandmother's restaurants in Omaha
and Lincoln.
Thone, 58, was elected to his first term as governor in
1978. Before that, he served in the U.S. House of Repre
sentatives frpm 1970 to 1978.
Some opinion polls have shown Kerrey as the leader in
the election race, while others have favored Thone.
In the Senate race, Democratic incumbent Edward
Zorinsky is challenged by Jim Keck, the Republican
candidate, and Virginia Walsh, an independent candidate.
Congressional races
Republican Doug Bereuter is defending his 1st District
House of Representatives seat against Curt Donaldson, the
Democratic challenger.
Hal Daub is the one-term incumbent in the 2nd District
race. Daub, a Republican, is challenged by Democrat Dick
Fellman.
Paul Douglas is the heavy favorite in the state attorney
general race. Douglas was elected attorney general in 1974
and re-elected in 1978.
Ernie Chambers, who earned a place on the ballot by
petition, has been a state senator since 1970.
Three state senator positions are up for election in
Lincoln, as three one-term incumbents attempt to hold
their office. In District 26, Don Wesely, the incumbent,
and Jim Brown are vying for, the office.
Chris Beutler is the incumbent against John Butler in
the District 28 race, while David Landis is challenged by
Stanley Heider in District 46.
Four NU Board of Regents positions are up for
election.
Don Dworak of Columbus and Margaret Robinson of
Norfolk are running for the 3rd District spot vacated by
Kermit Wagner of Schuyler.
Incumbents seek re-election
In the 4th, 5th and 8th District regent races, in
cumbents who have been in office since 1970 are seeking
their third term.
Nancy I loch of Nebraska City opposes Regent Robert
Prokop of Wilber in District 4, while Regent Rogert Koe
foot of Grand Island is challenged by James Norton of
David City in District 5. Regent James Moylan of Omaha
is the incumbent in District 8 and is challenged by Sharon
Donnermeyer Jackson, also of Omaha.
The hottest issue in this year's election probably is
Initiative 300. The initiative is a proposed amendment to
the state constitution that would prohibit non-family
corporations from buying more Nebraska farmland.
Polls have shown the numbers supporting and opposing
the amendment are about even.
In both the governor's race and the Initiative 300
amendment, there is a large number of undecided voters.
Because of the controversy surrounding these two
votes and the accompanying publicity, the voter turnout
probably will be higher than usual, Usher said.
Most UNL students living on campus are in District 18,
which has its polling place located at the Bob Devaney
Sports Center.
Questions about polling places and disabled voting can
be referred to the Lancaster County election commission
er's office, 471-7311.
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Staff Photo by Craig Andresen
The messages on these campaign signs in southeast Lincoln will have lost their significance after ballots are tallied
tonight. Polls close at 8 p.m.
Kerrey wins in student survey
The majority of UNL students contacted in a recent
random telephone survey said they will support Demo
cratic gubernatorial candidate Bob Kerrey rather than
Republican Gov. Charles Thone in today's elections.
The Daily Nebraskan surveyed 196 UNL students
Wednesday and Thursday. The students' names and
telephone numbers were released by the UNL administrat-
Related election story on Page 2
ion. The respondents were asked who they will vote
for in the races for governor, attorney general and U.S.
senator. They also were asked why they support Kerrey
or Thone for governor.
Only registered voters were surveyed.
Fifty-three percent of those surveyed said they will
vote for Kerrey and 30 percent said they will vote for
Thone. Fifteen percent said they were undecided, while
1.5 percent said they did not know the candidates well
enough to give an answer. Of the remaining 0.5 percent,
one person said he will not vote for either candidate
and one person said she will write in a third option.
Democratic Sen. Edward Zorinsky received the ma
jority of support in the race for U.S. senator s with 53
percent of those surveyed saying they will vote for him.
Petition candidate Virginia Walsh received support from
12 percent of those polled, while Republican candidate
James Keck was backed by 9 percent. Seven percent of
the students said they were undecided and 19 percent
said they did not know the candidates well enough to
decide.
In the attorney general race, incumbent Republican
Paul Douglas led with support from 43 percent of the
students surveyed. Independent petition candidate Omaha
Sen. Ernie Chambers had 18 percent. Twenty-four per
cent of the students said they were undecided, while 1 5
percent said they did not know the candidates well
enough to decide.
Most of the students surveyed said their choice for
governor hinged on whether they. approve or disapprove
of Thone's record as governor. When asked why they
will vote for Kerrey or Thone, most students cited both
positive and negative aspects of the Thone administrat
ion. Steve Showalter, a junior natural resources major,
said he will vote to re-elect the governor because "Thone
has done a pretty good job so far with agriculture and
natural resources." ,;
Jacqueline Shepperd, a senior majoring in fashion
merchandising, also praised Thonfc's stance on agricult
ure. Suzanne Nelson, a junior broadcasting major, said
she will vote for Kerrey because he is more liberal than
Thone.
Brent Buckley, an animal science graduate student,
said he will vote for Kerrey because of Thone's treat
ment of the university budget.
"It doesn't seem as though Thone has done much
about funding at the University of Nebraska," he said.
MI hope Kerrey will."
Kerrey's support was largely bipartisan, with 45
percent coming from Democrats and 41 percent from
Republicans. Thirteen percent of Kerrey's supporters
were registered independent and 1 percent claimed
another party. Fifty-five percent of Kerrey's supporters
were women.
Thone's support came mostly from the Republicans.
Survey results showed that 90 percent of the respondents
were Republican, 5 percent were Democrats, 3 percent
were independents and 2 percent came from other parties.
Sixty percent of Thone's support came from men.
The majority of Zorinksy's support came from Repub
licans with 62 percent. Twenty-six percent of the respon
dents favoring him were Democrats and 1 1 percent were
independents. Sixty percent of his supporters were men.
Seventy-one percent of Walsh's supporters were Demo
crats, 17 percent were Republicans and 12 percent were
independents. Fifty-eight percent of her support came
from women.
Continued on Page 2
Poll: Kerrey is gubernatorial favorite
A survey of Lincoln residents conducted by UNL
professor of political science John Comer's Public
Opinion class indicates that 54.7 percent of the 380
people polled would vote for Bob Kerrey for governor,
34.8 percent would vote to re-elect Gov. Charles Thone
and 10.5 percent were undecided.
The poll, which has been conducted by the class
for the past five years, has a 5 percent margin of error
and is conducted in the same manner as a professional
poll, Comer said.
A majority of the. people surveyed were in the 18
to - 45 age group and had a high level of education, so
the poll does have a slight bias, he said. In selecting
people to be interviewed, the 38 students randomly
chose 10 telephone numbers. Each student contributed
questions about topics in the news and the elections.
Economics, farm production, state finances and the
election were the issues people believed most impor
tant. Of those polled, 61.5 percent thought Kerrey
would be better able to handle these problems
and 38.5 thought Thone would.
Newnapers and television were the main sources
of information for the 52.9 percent that followed the
election "scmewhat," the 25.3 percent that followed
it "very much' and the 21.8 percent that followed the
election "not much at all."
Hie poll also asked residents about the 1984 presi
dential elections. President Reagan or a Republican
candidate would be supported by 35.3 percent of
those polled. However, Republican opposition was
registered by 37.2 percent of those polled, and 27.5
percent were undecided.
Comer said the poll is conducted using the same
mechanics as many social science research projects.
He said it is used only as a learning device in the
class, not to determine the outcome of an election.
The project counts as a fourth of a student's grade,
Comer said. Professional companies doing the reserach
could be paid from $60,000 to $100,000 for the work,
he said.
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