ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, December 16, 1996 TAG: 9612160149
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
SOURCE: Associated Press
Longtime residents, embroiled in a bitter fight with students over such issues as limited street parking, say they made the Election Day challenges because they wanted to make sure all voters - including students - were legal residents.
But the students claim they were the victims of voter intimidation by the neighborhood residents who tried to stop anyone who looked like a student from voting.
In this case, the American Civil Liberties Union is siding with neighborhood residents. ACLU attorney Art Spitzer says citizens have the right to question the residency of voters.
``Threatening someone with being arrested or deported [if they vote], that is intimidation,'' Spitzer said. ``But the idea that it takes you an extra half-hour to vote is not intimidation.''
The students' attorneys, meanwhile, compare the dispute to voter intimidation cries in California, where newly naturalized citizens were questioned at polls about their residency.
Attorney Daniel Bromberg represents student Dan Leistikow, who filed a voter intimidation complaint with the District of Columbia Board of Elections against Westy Byrd, who is one of 200 D.C. neighborhood commissioners.
``I don't hate students,'' Byrd said. ``But when people who don't live here vote, the vote of the residents who do live here becomes meaningless.''
In fact, the students flexed their power that contentious Election Day, electing two of their own to the Georgetown neighborhood commission. That panel advises the city council on issues such as land use, parking problems and zoning.
Georgetown residents and students at the $20,208 annual tuition college have quarreled for years.
But the recent unpleasantness began after the City Council - at the recommendation of the neighborhood commission - began cracking down on issues affecting students.
This summer, the city eliminated special parking stickers that let students keep out-of-state car registration and park in restricted zones set up to protect limited street parking. The change affects only students who live near Georgetown.
Also, the city is considering changing zoning rules to allow no more than three unrelated people to live in the same residence. This would affect Georgetown students who are not guaranteed on-campus housing after freshman year.
``We decided to get involved after a lot of really bad things started happening to students,'' said 19-year-old Rebecca Sinderbrand, one of two students elected to the board - the first students ever.
The students' election was helped by the fact that of the 4,000 people registered to vote this year, at least 900 were students.
LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Georgetown student Dan Leistikow filed a voterby CNBintimidation complaint with the D.C. Board of Elections.