Down the home stretch

Election publicity mobilizes students

By Lisa Koivu and Josie Gingrich

Daily Staff Reporters

The Michigan Student Assembly winter elections saw many changes from previous years including more candidates on the ballot and new campaigning styles. But perhaps the biggest change of all is the number of students that have cast ballots. Reaching an all-time high of 8,393 voters, which is almost 23 percent of the entire student population.

At 5:15 p.m. yesterday, Elections Director Alok Agrawal, an Engineering senior, said the numbers had already shattered the record from last year. "A lot of students are voting this year due to the number of candidates running," Agrawal said. "There are a lot of hot topics facing the campus next year, and a lot of people want to vote to have a say in how things will be run."

Galaxor Nebulon, presidential candidate for the Friends Rebelling Against Tyranny Party, said he thinks so many people are voting this year because people are seeing and hearing more about the elections.

"Plus, it's fun and easy. You don't have to do anything to vote because it's all by computer," Nebulon said.

Jessica Curtin, the vice presidential candidate for the Defend Affirmative Action Party, said she feels the high voter turnout is due to MSA becoming more politicized.

"Students realize the importance of these elections with the upcoming lawsuits. The outcome of these elections is of national importance," Curtin said.

Elise Erickson, the vice presidential candidate for the Blue Party, said the number of candidates running caused many students to cast ballots.

"All of the candidates heightened all of the competition. There were all of these people out there campaigning in so many different ways. Hideki (Tsutsumi, the independent presidential candidate) has really brought an interest into MSA. The turnout really shows commitment from the student body," Erickson said. Most fears of fraudulent voting have been quelled by ITD's ability to identify the candidates each student voted for, which was introduced this year.

Last year, 71 fraudulent votes were cast, postponing the declaration of the results for more than two weeks.

"Last year there were allegations that an individual had voted, and arranged a program from his room to cast votes for himself under others names," Virginia Rezmierski, Chief Information Officer Office of Policy Development and Education Director said. "An investigation showed the votes were cast by an auto responder from his computer."

This year, initial reports from the Department of Public Safety alleged there had been one account of voter fraud. But spokeswoman for the Chief Information Officer Wanda Monroe said the votes were unintentional.

"Someone reported he attempted to vote, but he couldn't and was told he had already voted. It was reported as possible fraud, but it was nonintentional," Monroe said.

"Upon investigation, it was discovered that the student had left himself logged on while he walked away for a short period. Another student, believing the computer was available, cast her vote not knowing she was voting as someone else," ITD officials said in a written statement.

But Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Diane Brown said an investigation is still ongoing.

DAVID ROCHKIND/Daily

Members of the Blue Party serve blue cotton candy on the Diag yesterday on the final day of voting in the Michigan Student Assembly winter elections. DAVID ROCHKIND/Daily