Changes to the Election Code were finalized by student council
Tuesday, though adoption of the Hare system of proportional voting
failed to pass because of logistical concerns regarding MyUCLA.
The Election Code, which will apply to the upcoming
Undergraduate Students Association Council general election,
underwent several structural changes designed to help clarify and
better define the overall elections process and its rules.
Changes to the Election Code were necessary because the
elections process is now computerized and no longer requires the
use of paper ballots. The were also needed to close loopholes in
the old code, said Election Board chairwoman Anat Herzog.
“I like that (the Election Code) is a fluid document that
can change each year. UCLA changes and students change, so policy
should change,” Herzog said.
General Representative Brian Neesby, who proposed most of the
changes, originally proposed the Hare voting system as part of a
proposal to change the structure of student government, which the
council voted down last quarter.
Hare voting is a proportional representation system, in which
voters rank candidates in the order of preference via a single
transferable vote. Since votes are redistributed automatically,
traditional runoff elections are replaced by instant runoffs.
The current MyUCLA Web site is not programmed to tabulate
transferable votes, meaning use of the Hare system would require
all ballots to be counted by hand.
There is not enough time for
MyUCLA to write a different program to tabulate ballots aligned
with the Hare system for this quarter’s elections, said
Election Board adviser Mike Cohn.
“It is not realistic or feasible for
MyUCLA to change the voting system this late in the game,”
Cohn said.
Such a radical change in voting could occur only after a period
of research and trials to ensure no technical difficulties could
occur that would alter or affect the election, he said.
“Changing the voting system for the spring election,
without being fully prepared and researched, jeopardizes the
integrity of the election,” Cohn said.
The undergraduate election process officially begins next week
with the release of candidate information and registration
packets.
The Hare voting system was suggested by Neesby as a means to
make the voting process more representative of the undergraduate
student population, he said.
“The Hare system is more (representative) because votes
transfer and are not wasted. Every vote counts,” Neesby
said.
General Representative Marwa Kaisey said USAC should have
adopted the Hare voting system because “council has a
responsibility to find a way to represent all of campus.”
Though the Hare voting system will not be adopted for this
year’s elections, future councils may wish to adopt the
system after more research and debate, Herzog said.
“The Hare voting system has a lot of potential to do good
for UCLA students, but it has to be carefully considered and
implemented,” Herzog said.
Council also voted to remove a campaigner eligibility
requirement, which would have prohibited non-UCLA students from
campaigning during the elections, a policy which had only been in
place since last year.
Some council members expressed concern that allowing outsiders
to campaign would be detrimental to the election process.
“We have a private election for a private association. An
outsider does not know what will benefit our campus,” said
Cultural Affairs Commissioner Todd Hawkins.
Other council members voted to remove the eligibility
requirement so that transfer students running independently and
independent candidates will not be discouraged from running for
office.
“Allowing non-UCLA students to campaign removes the power
that slates have over independents and transfer students since
slates already have a reservoir of people who are ready to campaign
for them,” Neesby said.
Restricting an individual’s campaign also restricts an
individual’s freedom of speech, Neesby said.
“Everyone has the right to campaign,” he said.