Election Day 2007: What's at Stake? Stem-Cell Research, School Vouchers
Compiled by the DiversityInc staff
November 06, 2007
It's Election
Day 2007. Unlike last year, when affirmative-action ballot measures were being
weighed in Michigan and
same-sex-marriage bans were being voted on in eight states, this Election Day
appears to be a relativley subdued affair, with a few impactful ballot measures
of particular note.
Looking at
some key national races across the country, Democrats are heavily favored to win
back the Kentucky
governor's mansion. In Virginia, Democrats are looking to see if they can
continue picking up seats in the state legislature and possibly take control of
the state Senate. Why do those races matter? If the Democrats are succesful, it
may be an indication that Virginia will
be in play for the party during the presidential election, reports MSNBC. If Republicans hold onto the
state Senate, MSNBC says immigration will be credited with the
comeback.
In
Mississippi, Gov. Haley Barbour is favored to
defeat his Democratic opponent John Arthur Eaves. Barbour's campaign was largely
based off of his successful management of the devastation following Hurricane
Katrina, according to The
Associated Press. Eaves, an attorney running as a conservative evangelical,
has run a controversial campaign.
In San
Francisco, Mayor Gavin Newsom, best known for
opening City Hall to same-sex weddings six weeks into his first term, is
expected to easily win reelection to a second term.
Here are some ballot measures of
note:
Stem-Cell
Research
A referendum on whether to authorize
$450 million over 10 years to fund stem-cell research will be decided by voters
in New
Jersey. A poll conducted by the Rutgers
University Eagleton Institute found that likely voters support the referendum 57
percent to 36 percent, according to The
Trenton Times.
New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine has gone
on record supporting the referendum. Corzine says the research could assist in
battling diseases ranging from Alzheimer's to Parkinson's. The Roman Catholic
Church and anti-abortion groups have come out in opposition to the measure.
School Vouchers
A proposal in
Utah would create the country's first
statewide school-voucher program open to all families regardless of income,
reports The Associated Press. If approved, the plan would grant $500 to $3,000,
depending on income, for each child sent to private school. Unlike other plans
aimed at low-income students, Utah's plan would be available to
anyone, including affluent families in well-performing districts.
Immigration
Virginia, once a Republican stronghold, has
seen Democrats win major statewide elections over the past 10 years, including
the last two gubernatorial elections and grabbing a U.S. Senate seat last year.
But that trend could end, reports CNN,
over the immigration issue, as Republican candidates in the state are vowing to
take a hard line against undocumented immigrants, including blocking them from
receiving public services.
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