BRENT B. WOODSO
Few Provo citizens believed the right candidate would be moving into the Oval Office come January, but, according to Donna Sundwall, a Provo citizen of 50 years, the Republican majority in this city turned out en masse to exercise their God-given right to vote.
On deciding which presidential candidate to vote for on Tuesday, many Provo citizens overwhelmingly felt that the choice would be based on moral integrity.
John Knorpp, a senior majoring in statistics, said the chance to vote is “an obligation befalling every American. Our ancestors gave their lives so we could have this opportunity.”
“I don’t think Clinton has the moral integrity to lead a nation, but he has pulled the wool over the eyes of America by straddling the fence between liberal and conservative views as the election has drawn closer, thereby catering to all sides,” Knorpp said.
Chris Brereton, a senior majoring in international relations, agreed with Knorpp.
“Moral decay is not an issue for the majority of people, so we end up with someone more interested in wealth and fame, who doesn’t really promote strong family values,” he said.
“I don’t condone (Clinton’s) lifestyle, but things are better in the United States than four years ago. Clinton will probably get the credit for that — hence the support of the people, regardless his moral conduct,” said Ryan Harris, a sophomore from Alberta majoring in French.
Jolin Jacobsen, a junior majoring in psychology, though excited to be able to vote in her first presidential election, felt that choosing between the two candidates was a tough decision.
“If I voted solely on the basis of who I thought won the debates, I would have voted for Clinton. He was very fluid in his responses and even complimented Dole, who seemed very critical and unsure. But I voted for Dole. I think it should come down to character.”
Julie Sinema, a freshman majoring in fine arts, agreed that character should be an issue, and said the long struggle for women’s suffrage was one of the issues that influenced her decision.
“Men and women alike died to give birth to a nation where we could vote. Women died again, a proverbial death, to bring about the 19th amendment. I wouldn’t be showing proper respect to these people if I didn’t vote, even though the race does look futile,” Sinema said.
Matt Jensen, a Dole supporter majoring in sociology, said that every vote makes a difference, even though the odds looked bad for Dole to win.
“I saw MTV’s Rock the Vote. Voting in the nation is around 50 percent. Some people don’t vote because it seems their candidate is out or will win with ease. If everyone has that attitude, we give up our voice and leave the decision up to the minority. We give up our right to complain about our government when we don’t exercise our right to vote,” Jensen said.
