In an effort to improve voter turnout in University elections this spring, the University Board of Elections is making several procedural changes.
The University-sponsored 11-member organization that oversees elections for Student Council, the University Judiciary Committee, class councils, the Honor Committee and school councils aims to battle past years’ low voter turnout with a more aggressive advertising campaign, UBE Chair Alisa Abbot said.
UBE will “advertise through as many mediums and as many outlets as we can,” the fourth-year College student said. “The bulk of our advertising right now will be for referendum proposal.”
In 2008, only 36 percent of eligible students in the College voted for school representatives, down from 42 percent in 2007, according to election results released by the UBE. The overall University voter turnout was even lower: 22 percent in 2008, down 6 percent from 2007.
Abbot said that along with encouraging people to vote, the UBE will hold University-wide elections across three separate time periods.
This will combat a technical problem and allow Public Policy and Education students to vote for representatives in their appropriate schools for next fall, Abbot explained. She said these students will also have the chance to vote for candidates in the College as well, as they have not yet made the transition from the College into their new programs.
“Until they are in their fifth year, ISIS lists them as College students,” Abbot said, explaining why the decision was made. She said students affected by the change will not be able to vote twice in non-school races, and added that without the separate voting periods, students would be restricted to voting in elections for just one school.
“These changes have been made so that all students are able to vote for the positions that will be representing them,” Abbot said.
Besides encouraging people to vote, UBE is working to encourage members of the University community to run for leadership positions.
“We award campaign grants so people don’t have to rely on their own funds,” Abbot said.
Candidate information sessions will be held Jan. 27 and 28, and voting begins Feb. 16 at 8 a.m.
—compiled by Bethel Habte
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