On Feb. 26, the ASUO’s election board proposed a schedule change for the 2024 ASUO spring election. 

The election board received feedback from students who had concerns that the voting period of the election was too short, although in the past, the most votes were received within the first two days. The election board ended up adding an extra day for voting, which will now take place from April 3 to 8.
The board also filed for an extension to the deadline for submitting the language for a ballot measure. Although the date to file a measure had passed, the election board submitted this request to the constitutional court, which was approved.

Before a proposed ballot measure is sent to the student senate, it must be approved by the constitutional court. The constitutional court is primarily made up of law students. Their position during the spring election is to review ballot measures to verify that none of the language within the measure conflicts with ASUO’s existing constitution.

If the senate approves a ballot measure, it is then added to the voting ballot for the upcoming election.

The election board knew to make these changes to the schedule because of student feedback. Election Board Chair Grigorii Malakhov stressed the importance of students sharing their feedback about ASUO with ASUO members.

According to Malakhov, the best way for students to inform ASUO of feedback is by emailing the elections board directly at [email protected].
Many students were not aware of an election happening during winter term, nor did they know there was an upcoming election in April.

Freshman Isaiah Diaz said he would have voted in the winter special election if he had known about it. 

“[ASUO] do a good job with emails, maybe if they put posters in the dorms and elevators to relay information to students,” Diaz said.

Sophomore Lauren Bresnahan said she had no idea there was an election going on last term. 

“Information should be more accessible to students, whether that is more emails or more posters in areas like the EMU,” Bresnahan said.

In email correspondence with the Daily Emerald, Malakhov shared how students can join the elections board’s mailing list so that they can stay up to date on election updates.

According to Malakhov, the ASUO Elections Board uses Listserv, an electronic mailing list, to make announcements regarding an election. Students can email an empty message — no text in the subject line or body of the email — to [email protected] to receive updates.