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	The Manchester Enterprise A Heritage Newspaper Weekly Publication

Voters undecided on next president

Huckabee, McCain front runners in local candidate poll

By Alana West, Special Writer

PUBLISHED: January 10, 2008

The presidential primary elections are less than a week away, but many Manchester voters are still undecided about which candidate they will choose.

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"People should be given the right to vote for whom they want to vote for. Not everybody votes a straight (ticket)," resident Marion Ahrens said.

The primaries will be held from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at all surrounding township offices.

New this year, a statewide mandate specifies that all voters must bring a photo identification card, such as a driver's license, with them when they vote.

Ahrens said she feels the primary is unnecessary, even wasteful of tax dollars, because it doesn't give people a chance to vote for individual people, regardless of party.

"Voters need to understand that this is a presidential primary. They need to pick a party," Manchester Township clerk Ann Becktel, said.

"You can't split your ticket. You must either pick Democratic or Republican, and you must request a ballot on your application."

While some residents are still undecided, others have already voiced their support for particular candidates.

"At the moment, I support Mike Huckabee," Michelle Minix said. "He seems to be honest, and tell it like it is."

Resident Michelle Mrocko said with still many candidates to choose from, she is still undecided.

"I'm still open. I haven't decided. Things keep changing up until the last minute, and I am totally on the fence," she said.

Resident Veronica White said she too has yet to make up her mind.

According to the Associated Press, at stake in Michigan's primary are 30 GOP delegates and zero Democratic delegates. Because Michigan broke party rules by moving up its primary, it has been stripped of half its GOP delegates and all its Democratic ones. Leaders of both state parties expect to regain the lost delegates at their respective conventions, but Sen. Barack Obama, John Edwards and Bill Richardson pulled their names off the ballot. According to Michigan law, ballots that have Edwards, Obama or Richardson written in the write-in candidate slot will be voided.

Polls show Sen. Hillary Clinton leading among Democrats still on the ballot, but voters also can choose "Uncommitted," which Obama and Edwards supporters may do; Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee are in a close race among Republicans, but John McCain could be helped by crossover voters as he was in 2000.

Alana West is a freelance writer for The Manchester Enterprise. She can be reached at mmagwest@sbcglobal.net.