Election officials will record more than just your vote this week.
Votes in the upcoming student government elections will be tallied by race and gender, among other criteria.
This is part of a program thought up by the Nominations and Elections Committee - which runs student elections - and the Undergraduate Assembly designed to give minority groups more representation in student government.
The program will work by tallying the total voter turnout of certain demographic groups on campus. The Registrar's Office will provide the information about voters based on its records.
While NEC officials have not yet decided exactly what demographic data they will be tracking, they are considering collecting data on who votes by gender, housing location, major, Greek status, race and whether voters are international students.
According to NEC Vice Chairman of Elections and College junior Dan Strigenz, the information gathered could help the NEC target its publicity programs toward groups with low turnout. It may also help the group understand why certain demographics are not voting in great numbers.
UA Chairman and Wharton senior Brett Thalmann said he is eager to promote diversity in student government, which represents some groups substantially more than others.
About two-thirds of the UA's members are men, for example, while women make up about half the undergraduate population.
Individual voters will not be identified. Rather, the NEC will be able to identify what percentage of all voters come from each category.
"We're not going to know who votes for who, or who votes," Thalmann said.
The NEC and UA intend to make the data public in the hope that they will foster discussion.
"It will allow groups to go to their constituency and get them to vote," Thalmann said.
Last year, 62 percent of the freshman class voted, with a total of 1,600 votes cast.
The program is still in a preliminary stage, with talks ongoing between student government, the Registrar's Office and various minority coalitions.
"I think its great for the UA," added Elena Di Lapi, director of the Penn Women's Center. "The UA should be as inclusive as possible . and make sure that all voices are heard in decision making."
Voting for the freshman class started at 12:01 a.m. last night on Penn InTouch and ends at 5 p.m. on Tuesday. Winners will be announced the same day.
