Many administrators missed elections

Anna Conover
November 15, 1999

Jane Greimann won a seat in the Iowa House of Representatives, and Judie Hoffman, Herman Quirmbach and Steve Goodhue won city council positions in the Ames election earlier this month, they did so without the help of many Iowa State administrators.

Of 19 top ISU administrators, only four voted in the city council and Iowa House elections, according to Story County records.

The 15 other administrators consist of 10 who were eligible to vote but did not, three who were unable to vote because they were out of the precinct areas and two who were not registered at the time of the election.

Those selected include ISU President Martin Jischke, the deans of each ISU college, vice presidents of the university and other notable administrators.

Although Jischke’s wife, Patricia, took part in the Nov. 2 elections, Jischke did not vote because of a busy schedule that day.

“I was out of the office the day of the election,” Jischke said. “I think it was the first time that I haven’t voted; I just ran out of time.”

James Melsa, dean of engineering, was another individual who didn’t make it to the polls because he was out-of-town.

“Since I had to leave on such a short notice, I didn’t get prepared to fill out an absentee ballot,” he said.

However, Melsa said he was pleased with the outcome of the election. “I’m pleased that all the people I would have voted for won anyway.”

Both James McCormick, professor and chairman of political science and chairman of the department, and Carol Meeks, dean of the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, were among the four contacted administrators who went to the polls.

McCormick said some of the reasons that people don’t vote include cynicism about the political system, a lack of time, forgetting the election is taking place and that some candidates run without opposition.

“I feel it’s a part of my civic duty whether it’s local or national,” he said.

Meeks went to the polls not only as part of her civic duty but to support her candidates.

“I try to vote all the time,” she said. “I went to the polls to support Jane Greimann. I wanted to be sure I got out and supported her.”

Peter Rabideau, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, was one of the two contacted administrators who weren’t registered to vote.

Rabideau said he wasn’t registered because he just moved from Louisiana to Iowa a few months ago. “I just moved into town, and my wife reminds me to do it,” he said. “I need to, but I haven’t done it yet.”

However, Rabideau said he’d be ready to vote in the next election. “I absolutely plan to register,” he said.

With the Iowa caucuses just around the corner and the election of a new president on the horizon, some ISU administrators said they are getting excited, while others do not plan to participate.

“It’ll be the first time the caucuses have been held since I’ve been in Iowa,” Meeks said. “Because the state is smaller, the politics are real, and you can see a variety of the candidates that you wouldn’t get to see in larger states.”

Melsa said he has his reservations about the caucuses.

“I just don’t like the concept of the caucus,” he said. “It doesn’t appeal to me as I understand it. If my vote will make a difference, then I’ll probably vote. However, I certainly will vote in the presidential election.”

Voting records of 19 administrators

Did vote in Nov. 2 elections:

Warren Madden, vice president for Business and Finance

James McCormick, political science department chairman

Carol Meeks, FCS college dean

Paul Tanaka, university legal services director

Did not vote in Nov. 2 elections:

Martin Jischke, ISU president

Randy Alexander, director of Residence

Benjamin Allen, business college dean

Murray Blackwelder, vice president for External Affairs

Mark Engelbrecht, design college dean