University of Virginia Library

Democratic Gains

Democrats gained two seats
in the Senate, increasing their
advantage over Republicans to
57-43. The defeat of Maine
Sen. Margaret Chase Smith (R)
makes this the first all-male
Senate in 24 years.

In the gubernatorial races,
the Democrats picked up one
governorship, bringing their
total to 31 states. Republicans
now govern 19 states.

In addition to the election
races, voters decided several
referenda of national interest
Tuesday. Californians voted
two to one to restore the death
penalty, despite state and
federal Supreme Court
decisions that the penalty is
"impermissibly cruel."

"Free-backyard marijuana"
was the subject of a second
controversial referendum in
California. The final vote
showed a two to one favor for
maintaining legal penalties for
the individual use or growing
of marijuana.

Legal abortion for anyone
pregnant up to 20 weeks was
rejected Tuesday by a vote of
two to one in Michigan.
Supporters of the proposal
claim they will continue to
encourage liberalization of
Michigan state abortion laws
through court battles.

Because of a lack of tax
dollars, the International
Olympic Committee has been
practically forced to change
the home of the 1976 Winter
Olympics to a location other
than Colorado. Citizens of
Colorado Tuesday voted to cut
off public funds for the
Olympics.

Mr. Nixon led Sen. George
S. McGovern by a 62 per cent
to 37 per cent margin,
according to yesterday's
mid-afternoon returns of 98
per cent of the precincts.
Minor party candidates
captured one per cent. The
President obtained an
overwhelming popular vote of
45,861,960, representing 61
per cent.

Mr. McGovern received
28,402,465 popular votes and
38 per cent. American Party
candidate John G. Schmitz
obtained 1,047,030 votes,
taking one per cent and Dr.
Benjamin Spock of the
People's Party collected 73,678
votes and no per cent.