Voting in the graduate student government elections begins today
at noon, with election officials stressing the importance of a high
voter turnout despite the fairly uncompetitive election.
All UCLA graduate and professional students are eligible to vote
for next year’s Graduate Students Association officers, and
voters can access the ballots by logging on to MyUCLA until the
polls close at noon on Monday.
On the ballot are four GSA officer positions, as well as a
referendum that would amend the GSA constitution to fund a Graduate
Writing Center.
The presidential race is the only contested race of the
election, with independent Anthony Dunbar running opposite Students
Taking Action and Re-energizing GSA candidate Monica Sanchez
Rivas.
Director of Elections Tiffany Nurrenbern said the Elections
Board has been working to ensure that the comparative dearth of
competition does not result in low voter turnout.
“(Last year) we were getting complaints from people that
they didn’t know who the candidates were, or anything about
them, and that’s why they didn’t vote,” she said.
“So this year we’ve really been trying to get the
candidates and their agendas out there.”
Nurrenbern said the Elections Board organized last week’s
GradBar event and candidate debate for that purpose.
Some candidates said they have also focused some of their
campaigning specifically on increasing voter turnout.
“It’s still very important that we get a big voter
turnout, especially since there is a referendum,” said Cindy
Mosqueda, the incumbent vice president of external affairs.
In order for the referendum vote to count, at least 10 percent
of graduate and professional students must vote, according to GSA
bylaws.
“It’s too late for us to ask for endorsements, but
it’s not too late for us to (encourage students to
vote),” Mosqueda said.
Though she is running unopposed, Mosqueda said she has worked to
increase support for fellow STAR GSA candidates.
For her part, Sanchez said she has tried to use personal contact
to encourage students to vote.
“I’m targeting places where I know graduate students
will go,” she said. “I’ll be sending out a number
of e-mails and attending some large classes. I’m visiting as
many academic councils as I can.”
Sanchez added that during elections she will focus less on
campaigning and more on providing voters with information on how to
vote.
The Elections Board has also come up with some direct incentives
for students to vote, Nurrenbern said.
Every voter will receive a coupon for a free tall coffee or
soda, she said.
Also, the academic council that produces the highest voter
turnout will receive $500 for student programming. The council with
the second highest will receive $300.