Undergrads Cast Votes for Gov. Clinton

The majority of Harvard students interviewed while exiting the polls yesterday said they cast their ballots for the Clinton-Gore ticket.

Many of the students cited the Democrats' stances on the environment, abortion, and education as the main reasons for their choice.

"Clinton provided an attractive alternative," said James C. Murray '95, of Leverett House. "Four years ago the Democratic party didn't have it together. This year they made a concerted effort to put together a strong platform."

Murray added that "Gore's role in the party was also significant" in influencing his decision.

Other students said that while they didn't fully support the candidates for whom they voted, they cast their ballots in opposition to the other candidates.

"The choice between Bush, Perot, and Clinton was a process of elimination over anything else." said Howard I. Miller '95, of Dunster House.

Miller, who voted for Clinton, said the Democrat "is not a perfect candidate, but he's the best of the three."

Kareem Montague '95 also said that "There's no such thing as a perfect candidate."

"It's a question of who will be more efficient," said Montague, who "voted for Clinton on several issues, and against Bush on others."

James G. Jenkins '94, a Winthrop House resident who cast his ballot for Clinton at Quincy House, said he was disappointed in all the candidates running for president.

"I think people are disappointed with the choices," said Jenkins. "No one ever really matches up to what you want."

Many Democratic voters, expecting a Clinton victory, were cheerful despite the rainy weather.

"I'm kind of anticipating that my party's going to win, so the sun will come out at about 11:00 tonight," said Josie L. Karp `94 after voting at Quincy House.

Karp, a former Crimson executive, said she was disappointed by the absence of levers in the voting booths. Cambridge voters used pins to punch holes in their ballots.

"I thought it would be more technologically advanced," said Karp, a first-time voter.

Others said they were uncomfortable with the system where students from different states were involved in a decision-making process for local and state level politicians.

In voting for offices like Middlesex sheriff, New York resident Joe Mejia '93 said he realized "there are necessarily people who are uninformed." Mejia said he considered himself to be the "rule rather than the exception."

Despite the rain, sign-waving campaign volunteers took to the streets to conduct last minute "visibilities."

Lance C. Campbell, a Cambridge resident and state house employee, was the lone campaigner yesterday afternoon near the poll at Larsen Hall at the Graduate School of Education.

Campbell said that even though election activity around his poll was sparse, "It's all students [around here] so they'll vote last-minute."

In the Yard, the only prominent reminder of Election Day was a Holworthy banner advertising an election night party at the Institute of Politics.