EDITORIAL: A second trip to the ballot box

New elections are necessary not because of candidates or voters, but as a result of a mistake by the NEC. Despite all its experience in running student government elections, the Nominations and Elections Committee is holding a revote because it messed up. By leaving out two candidates' statements in an election advertisement, the election was deemed biased. The NEC needs to be more careful when it is handling and compiling its usual multipage list of candidate statements. The advertisement in the DP provides candidates with the opportunity to let the voters know where they stand on certain issues. And if the NEC is not able to put the list together in time for their intended date of publication, it wouldn't hurt to wait a day to get it correct. Candidates have every right to be upset at the NEC for mishandling the elections. Now, candidates may have to spend more money and time on repostering the Quadrangle or making table tents for Hill House dining. This second effort should only be necessary when a runoff is needed not because the NEC erred. This year, 30 percent of the freshman class voted in its UA and class board elections as opposed to the usual 20 percent of the student population. While the revote does give the opportunity for more freshman to vote for their student government representatives, it is unlikely that all of those who voted will turn out again. The change in the number of students who vote will probably change the outcome of the first election. It is possible that someone who received enough votes to win the first-time round won't have as many people take the time and effort to vote again.