After a lengthy discussion last week, the undergraduate student
government passed an amendment to the election code which some
councilmembers worry will limit students’ ability to
vote.
The changes state that online voting polls will be open from 7
a.m. to midnight and candidates will be allowed only 2 non-student
campaigners per day. Last year, polls were open continuously during
the election period, and both students and non-students were
allowed to campaign.
The time restrictions are meant to make student government
voting procedures more like U.S. democratic elections, said Anica
McKesey, Undergraduate Students Association Council president.
“We felt that there were ways we could make student
government elections similar to the process off campus,”
McKesey said, explaining that in national elections, it is the
voter’s responsibility to vote during the specific amount of
time allotted for polling.
The time limits were also put in place to benefit the
candidates, said Matt Kaczmarek, external vice president.
“It’s really difficult in terms of campaigning …
it’s very draining to know that people are voting 24 hours a
day,” Kaczmarek said, recalling his experiences during the
elections last year.
Some councilmembers worried that the time limits would put too
heavy a restriction on voting and decrease voter turnout,
specifically targeting certain types of students.
“The overarching concern that I had with the amendment is
that most of the changes in one way or another serve to limit who
votes,” said Erica Husse, financial supports
commissioner.
In particular, Husse thought the time limits would harm those
students who are under financial strain and have to balance work,
class and personal concerns.
Michael Cohn, the election board adviser, also said he saw no
reason to limit online polling times.
“If the idea is to empower students, you want to give them
every possible opportunity to vote,” Cohn said, adding that
MyUCLA was fully capable of supporting a continuous election.
There was also concern that putting restrictions on who can
campaign would separate UCLA from the local community, which is
contradictory to the university’s commitment to outreach,
Husse said.
Election procedures have been a source of disagreement among
councilmembers in recent weeks, particularly in regard to an
amendment proposed by General Representative Josh Lawson.
The amendment would have added language to the USAC constitution
explicitly stating that no student can be hindered from voting,
Lawson said.
These additions, Lawson said, would have made it impossible to
pass the recent amendments to the election code ““ it would be
required that students be given the maximum amount of access to
polls, and time limits would be unacceptable .
Council has opposed the amendment, saying it is an unnecessary
addition as all students are already given adequate opportunity to
vote.
In the past, some councilmembers have also accused Lawson of
using amendment proposals to enhance his personal reputation and
promote his presidential campaign.
Likewise, Lawson has condemned some councilmembers for having
political motivations in modifying the election code.
“It illustrates a desire on the part of the current
leadership to draw a specific kind of voter … to attempt to
advance their side,” Lawson said, referring in particular to
members of Students First!
Council also instated a voluntary campaign spending limit to
give all students equal opportunity to run for office regardless of
financial abilities and ensure that the outcome of the election
isn’t determined by a candidate’s financial status,
Kaczmarek said.
The modification to election procedures is unlikely to have a
significant affect on the outcome of the election, said Roy Samaan,
election board chair, adding that he hoped students would vote
regardless of the polling times.