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April election set for spring break

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Also by Lynn Heidmann:

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UW vet student earns book treat (March 9, 2007)

by Lynn Heidmann

Thursday, December 7, 2006

For the first time in recent history, the 2007 spring elections will fall in the middle of the University of Wisconsin's spring break.

Spring recess at UW begins March 31 and ends April 8 next semester, while the spring elections always occur on the first Tuesday in April.

And City Council President Austin King said this is the first time in recent memory that UW's spring break has lasted through the first week of April, and the only time since his time in Madison that students will not be present for Election Day.

"That's like scheduling Election Day on a student holiday," King said. "This is going to disenfranchise thousands and thousands of voters."

According to King, having students absent the day of the spring elections will not only affect the mayoral race, but also alders who have primarily student-based districts. If students are truly a demographic politicians care about, he added, the university and the city are going to have to look at their options. King represents much of the campus area, including the Southeast dorms and Regent Street.

King said absentee voting has been successful in the past among students. Yet King also said he hopes the university overturns its decision to hold spring break the first week of April because the student vote is so crucial to elections. Spring election dates are specified under Wisconsin Statutes, he added, and cannot be altered.

"It would be particularly ironic for a university doing an excellent job last fall encouraging students to vote [to play] a role in disenfranchising them," he said. "It's never happened before, but we're very hopeful they overturn it."

Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, meanwhile, who also represents many UW students, said it is unlikely the university will change spring break. With assistance from both UW and city officials, he added, the student vote will turn out just as strong.

Verveer said if students are leaving during spring break, they can either request a ballot and mail it back to the City Clerk's Office or vote early in person at the City-County Building.

"I'm surprised that many of us involved in these elections only found out [Wednesday] of the conflict," he said. "The bottom line is, I hope the university will assist in encouraging students to vote absentee … even if it means putting some money up to help advertise."

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Anonymous (December 7, 2006 @ 7:52am):

Austin King should try living in the real world for once. Giving people a week off is not disenfranchising anyone.

Anonymous (December 7, 2006 @ 8:33am):

This is insane. Who the hell scheduled spring break over an election?!

Anonymous (December 7, 2006 @ 12:41pm):

Austin King needs to shut up. Disenfranchise... come on. If they care about voting, they will show up. Give me a break.

Anonymous (December 7, 2006 @ 3:47pm):

What Alderman King seems to be missing is that the current date for Spring Break coincides with both the Easter and Passover holidays. Allowing students time off during this period will make life easier for students hoping to celebrate these holidays with their family, as well as less disruption to classes as many students are absent for the easter or passover festivities. Surely it is the responsibility of politicians like himself to aid students in receiving absentee votes, rather than attempting to disrupt the University timetable at this late stage.

Anonymous (December 7, 2006 @ 7:01pm):

Does everyone now realize how much of an idiot Austing King is? Please use your senses and not vote for the guy who wants to destroy your spring break plans.

Anonymous (December 7, 2006 @ 8:14pm):

According to Dane101.com, this is when the other schools have spring break:

UW-Oshkosh: March 18-25
UW-Milwaukee: March18-25
UW-Eau Claire: March 19-23
UW-Green Bay: March 10-18
UW-Superior: March 19-23
UW-La Crosse: March 15-23
UW-PlattevilleMarch 10-18

Ours is the latest by a whole two weeks, and later than others by three weeks. Does anyone else not think this is weird? Shouldn't there be some sort of way to normalize this across the UW system?

Anonymous (December 7, 2006 @ 9:37pm):

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't the academic calendars published years in advance (like through 2011)? And Austin King waits until December to start complaining? I agree that it's an unfortunate situation and something that we can hopefully avoid in the future. However, I think now we should focus on encouraging people to vote absentee before leaving rather than suggesting that we reschedule an entire week.

Anonymous (December 7, 2006 @ 10:08pm):

The UW has done such a shit job over the years of institutionalizing the student vote. With this current situation, they damn well better step up and provide absentee ballots for students, but I doubt that Wiley or anyone else up on the hill gives two shits about the student vote. Fuckers.