Sidewalk chalking is one of the many methods that students have used to attempt to get out the vote for this year's elections.
Getting out the vote
All-campus elections feature rallies, online voting
By Kristi Goldade
April 17, 2007
Yesterday, April 16, marked the official start of this year's student government elections. Although Monday's voting had some major technological glitches, electronic vote-casting is now up and running smoothly. Today and tomorrow, students can log on with their campus I.D.s to a one-stop voting shop to pick the officers and members of many of the student groups who assert their influence on the U's campuses.
The All-Campus Elections Commission is hosting the site and is a student group itself. Formed to help other groups participate in the election process, it also sets up debates that tackle issues like tuition, textbook prices, the "party patrol," and professor evaluations.
Any registered student group can have a presence on the voting site (see below for some of this year's groups) and it may be one of the few times it will have its name and message made public for the entire University community, says Ed Kim, Student Activities Advisor. "When students groups participate in all-campus elections, they experience so much more excitement and support than had they independently held an election," says Ed Kim.
To get the U out and voting, the committee has posted fliers on Facebook, MySpace, and the U's MyU portal, as well as chalked its message on sidewalks across campus. "Get out the vote" rallies on Tuesday (in front of Coffman Union) and Wednesday (at the student center on the St. Paul campus) will feature prizes, food--a sure student draw--and lap top computers for students to vote on.
So, if you're a University student reading this, do your part. Log on and vote. "The great thing about these elections," says Kim, "is the opportunity for the University student community to stand behind those working to make the U a better place."