UA looks to change elections

The Undergraduate Assembly and the Nominations and Elections Committee are currently devising ways to change this spring's student government elections to attract a large turnout. UA Chairperson Mitch Winston said yesterday that NEC and UA officials have had three or four meetings so far during which they have discussed ideas which could improve voter turnout at this April's UA elections. In the past, UA elections have been plagued by low voter turnout. In last spring's election, just 19 percent of the undergraduates cast ballots. And last fall, only 31 percent of the freshman class voted for the nine incoming freshmen to the UA. Winston also said that scanners, like the kind used to check PennCards, could be used to prevent students from voting more than once. Previously, the NEC, the group responsible for overseeing elections to student government and nominations of undergraduates to committees, has had only one voting station open at a time to prevent double voting. Winston said the UA and NEC are investigating ways to prevent voting fraud should the NEC decide to open several voting booths at once. NEC member Michael Monson said last week that applications for UA elections will be available after spring break. Winston said one problem with the UA elections has been the small number of candidates who run for positions. He said 24 freshmen ran for nine slots, which he said is "a little bit low." But Winston said the UA's method of calculating the turnout percentage has also come under fire. Winston said that when referendum, which need a 20 percent participation rate to be valid, are up for decision, the NEC counts the senior class. But he said seniors generally do not vote because the issues do not affect them. Winston said he would like to see the NEC exclude the senior class when calculating the turnout percentage.

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