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74% of Students Support Clinton In Election Poll

Bush Backed by 14% in Survey

A breakdown of the Harvard results shows thatwhile both men and women support Clinton over Bushby similar margins, a gradual shift in votingbehavior appeared through the four class years.Results varied widely from house to house, as didthose from different campus ethnic groups.

Seventy-eight percent of undergraduate women,and 71 percent of undergraduate men, said theywould vote for the Arkansas governor.

The percentage of students voting for Clintonincreased as class years progressed, ranging from65 percent of first-years to 78 percent ofseniors. Support for Bush fell with each class,from 19 percent of first-years to 10 percent ofseniors.

Clinton's most significant support amongupperclass students was in Adams House, where theDemocrat garnered 91 percent of votes in the poll.Clinton also received high marks in Dunster andLeverett Houses.

Winthrop and Kirkland qualified as the poll'sconservative strongholds, with Bush receiving 23percent and 19 percent of the votes in thosehouses, respectively.

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In the ethnic breakdown of the poll results,Clinton received a higher percentage of votes fromBlack students than from any other group.

While 89 percent of Black students polled favorClinton, only six percent support Bush.

Jennifer E. Fisher '93, press secretary for theBlack Students Association, says she is notsurprised by the poll's results.

"Most Black students would vote for anyonerunning against George Bush," says Fisher.

She says Black students don't think Bush willmake enough of an effort to help Blacks throughoutthe country, as evidenced by his handling ofrelief efforts after last spring's Los Angelesriots.

"Clinton has pledged to create more jobs, helpthe inner cities and improve race relations in theUnited States. We remember that," Fisher says.

While about three-fourths of both whites andHispanics say they support Clinton, South Asiansand Asian and Pacific Islanders who were polledlean less towards the Democrat.

Only 65 percent of South Asians said they wouldvote for Clinton, and 25 percent for Bush, whileAsians and Pacific Islanders responded in a 64-20ratio.

Mona M. Patel '94, co-president of the SouthAsian Association, says the South Asian vote hastraditionally been more conservative than that ofother ethnic groups. This is especially true amongolder members of the South Asian population in theU.S., because they "have done well for themselvesafter immigrating here."

Patel says that a 65 percent endorsement amongSouth Asians at Harvard "seems a high number forClinton," but adds that she knows many liberalSouth Asian students on campus.

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