Students will be voting for their representatives in the Student Association Senate elections today. One change that they will notice, though, is that votes will be cast electronically this year.
This will be the first election in which votes are cast electronically, said Rob Allgood, vice elections commissioner for the SA.
“We are going to have polls in the Butler computer lab, the library computer commons and the Dawg House in The Union,” Allgood said.
Polls will open at 7:30 a.m. and will remain open until 6 p.m.
Electronic voting was a measure passed by the SA Senate last year, SA President Adam Telle said. The idea for electronic voting began under the 2001-2002 SA President Sebron Harrison, but it was never utilized, he said.
“Something first came up under Sebron Harrison, and they got ITS to build the electronic voting system,” Telle said. “Our Senate last year dug up the system and asked for it to be put into effect.”
Between the new electronic voting and the locations of the polls, the SA expects the turnout to be up from last year, said elections commissioner Mary E. Brown.
“We’re hoping that the locations will make voting more convenient for students no matter where they are on campus,” Brown said.
The purpose of the Senate is to pass the legislation proposed by the association, Brown said.
“Students should vote especially in these elections because the Senator is the one who represents the students to the SA. Bills will be presented by the SA and the Senate will vote on them,” Allgood said.
“The Senate approves the SA budget and cabinet appointments,” Telle said. “I encourage students to get out and vote and get to know their senators once they get elected.”
The Senate has between 45 and 55 seats. Senators are selected proportionately to represent each place of residence and the number of students enrolled in each college, Telle said.
However, there are several candidates running unopposed.
“The unopposed candidates are running for Critz Hall, Evans Hall, Hathorn Hall, McKee Hall, Smith Hall, the office of the provost (students who are undeclared), and the School of Architecture,” Brown said.
Although those positions are uncontested, 12 other races will be decided by vote today, Telle added.
“Most students don’t feel like their voices get heard in elections, but everybody needs to go out and vote to have a say in their Senate,” Telle said. “The MSU voter turnout for the SA executive elections last year was one of the highest ever turnouts in the SEC at about 3,100 students for the main election and 3,400 students for the run-off election.”