Citizens react to election debate

Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris proclaimed Governor George Bush the winner over Vice President Al Gore by 537 votes Sunday, a tiny fraction of the 6 million votes cast in Florida.

But there will be a tangle of challenges to be faced in the coming weeks and it appears that Carson City residents, like the rest of the nation, are divided.

- Nathan Grauman of Gardnerville, a registered Democrat, voted for Bush but at this point feels no one really won this election. He feels the hand count has been biased, and the best way to count the vote is by computer.

He doesn't feel the electoral college should be abolished, and prefers that to using the popular vote.

- Pete Stoelton of Carson City is a staunch Bush supporter and feels he won.

"The democrats are trying to stay in power," he said, noting he feels that Gore is guilty by association (with Clinton) and he doesn't understand why anyone would vote for either of them, or Hillary Clinton.

"I think with the vote this close, it should make a lot of people more aware of the fact that they need to vote. The voters have been apathetic far too long, and the American people need to wake up and take responsibility for who they elect. That's why we're in this mess."

- Dennis Moothart of Gardnerville is a Democrat who usually votes for Republican presidential candidates, and this year was no exception. But he was quick to point out that no one is really going to win this election.

"Whoever wins the election, will have a battle on his hands. At this point there will be a lot of hard feelings," he said, noting that the battles will probably rage for years.

- Marie Kofed of Dayton is a Democrat and Gore supporter. She said no matter who wins, people will never know if the right person is president.

"That (election) is the damndest thing I've ever seen. I didn't think either candidate was that great, but I really didn't like Bush," she said, noting she would like to see a black, woman, Indian or Jew in the vice presidential seat. "At least when we see them there, we'll know the constitution means what it says."

Kofed, an election judge in Chicago who later served on the election board in San Diego, would like to see the electoral system abolished. She puts her faith in the people, and the popular vote.

"This was a great system when people couldn't travel and we were using outhouses, but now it's outdated," she said, noting that election judges are honest, sincere, and dedicated to doing what's right.

"I'm tired of hearing people say everyone's lying," she said. "If that's what they think, why vote?"

- Gary Sanoluk, a Republican from South Shore Lake Tahoe, feels Bush won and the system worked, but the result wasn't necessarily correct. He doesn't think that the winner of the popular vote should get all the electoral votes. The electoral vote would be more representative if cast by district. He thinks there will be some interesting changes in the system as a result of this election.

"People like to throw stuff at problems," he said.