NEW BREED OF VOTERS MAY STIR POT OF POLITICS

The politics of pot is usually relegated to the extremes, with
libertarians arguing for legalization, liberals asking for lighter
sentences and social conservatives viewing marijuana as a scourge on
society.

But Question 9 -- a Nov. 5 ballot initiative asking voters to
support legal possession of up to 3 ounces of marijuana for private
use -- has entered the mainstream this election cycle.

A new breed of voter is registering for the first time and political
parties are at odds about whether the question will affect their
candidates.

Already more than 100,000 registered voters signed the petition that
put the question on the ballot. And election officials and parents
of teenagers are noticing a spike in interest from a typically
apathetic voting demographic -- 18- to 25-year-olds.

Clark County's Registrar of Voters Larry Lomax says that although
specific statistics on the number of teenagers registering to vote
for the general election are not kept, he has seen signs that
Question 9 is motivating teens to get involved.



Pubdate: Mon, 23 Sep 2002
Source: Las Vegas Sun (NV)
Copyright: 2002 Las Vegas Sun, Inc
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/234