Spring Break
Electronic vote used for first time
Student Senate referendum votes to be cast via students email
Nicole Strittmater
Issue date: 2/4/08 Section: News
The last time Student Senate held a referendum for a constitutional amendment, less than 100 students showed up at the polls, said Senate President Ray French said.
Now, with a special referendum vote right around the corner, Senate is trying to make voting easier for the student body by holding an electronic vote for the first time at UW-Eau Claire.
Tuesday, students will be able to vote online to accept or reject a newly-proposed amendment to the Student Body Constitution on whether to change Student Senate election dates and terms of office.
"That's the idea, to make it more accessible, because not all students can make it to Davies on any given day," French said.
A campus-wide email will be sent to all students Monday, notifying them about the referendum, French said. Tuesday morning they will receive another, telling them to follow the link to the ballot.
The amendment asks whether students support changing Senate's general election dates from the first or second week of March to mid-April.
In November, Senate passed a bill 17-4-3 authorizing the referendum to be placed on a special elections ballot, according to an article published in The Spectator.
Authors presented the bill as a way for Eau Claire's student government to coincide with all other UW-System schools.
A disconnect exists because there is an interim period when Eau Claire's incoming executives try to work with other campus leaders who are on their way out, according to the article, and this tends to create an unproductive spring semester.
"I really believe this will improve our relations with other UW schools," he said in the article. "(It's) bettering Student Senate in the long run."
French said since the constitution that governs Senate is a student body constitution, any changes made need to be approved by students.
Junior Samantha Abraham, who voted in Davies Center in the past, said there are both positives and negatives to online ballots.
Now, with a special referendum vote right around the corner, Senate is trying to make voting easier for the student body by holding an electronic vote for the first time at UW-Eau Claire.
Tuesday, students will be able to vote online to accept or reject a newly-proposed amendment to the Student Body Constitution on whether to change Student Senate election dates and terms of office.
"That's the idea, to make it more accessible, because not all students can make it to Davies on any given day," French said.
A campus-wide email will be sent to all students Monday, notifying them about the referendum, French said. Tuesday morning they will receive another, telling them to follow the link to the ballot.
The amendment asks whether students support changing Senate's general election dates from the first or second week of March to mid-April.
In November, Senate passed a bill 17-4-3 authorizing the referendum to be placed on a special elections ballot, according to an article published in The Spectator.
Authors presented the bill as a way for Eau Claire's student government to coincide with all other UW-System schools.
A disconnect exists because there is an interim period when Eau Claire's incoming executives try to work with other campus leaders who are on their way out, according to the article, and this tends to create an unproductive spring semester.
"I really believe this will improve our relations with other UW schools," he said in the article. "(It's) bettering Student Senate in the long run."
French said since the constitution that governs Senate is a student body constitution, any changes made need to be approved by students.
Junior Samantha Abraham, who voted in Davies Center in the past, said there are both positives and negatives to online ballots.
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