Students have their first chance to influence the makeup of next year’s student government today as online voting begins for candidates and ballot measures in the ASUO primary election. Electronic voting through DuckWeb runs through Friday at 5 p.m.
Positions up for grabs in the primary include the ASUO president, ASUO student senators and members of the major finance committees. Students elected to those offices will help control up to $10 million in student funds next year.
Twenty seats total are listed on the ballot, with 46 candidates vying for election. Eight of those races are uncontested with only one candidate running, but students may write in candidates for all positions.
If no candidate wins more than 50 percent of the primary vote, the two top-ranking candidates move on to the general election April 13-15.
Several ballot measures are also slated for the primary, including a measure on whether students support paying higher fees for renewable energy and a slate of revisions to the ASUO Constitution proposed by the ASUO Executive.
Ballot measures require a majority of votes to pass.
Students can vote on any computer with access to DuckWeb, including computer labs located in the EMU, the Knight Library and McKenzie Hall. Official voters’ guides will be available at The Buzz and the ASUO office, EMU Suite 4.
Candidates set up booths and spoke in the EMU Amphitheater during a campaign event Monday.
Executive hopefuls will square off in a debate at 7 p.m. today in the Gerlinger Alumni Lounge, answering questions concocted by students and from the audience.
Some candidates will also participate in an open forum starting at 7 p.m. in the Hamilton Mall.
ASUO Election Coordinator Kelly Cheeseman said officials hope
20 percent of students turn out for the primaries, about 6 percent more than voted last year. Participation
in the primary elections has
declined over the past three years, from 15.3 percent in 2002 to
15.2 percent in 2003 and 14.1
percent in 2004.
Cheeseman said election officials have spent more money on advertising and have focused on new methods to attract voters.
“We just hope to have a fair and fun election for the student body and for the candidates,” she said.

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