OPINION & EDITORIAL
Holding our breath…
Looking for a print version?
Simply choose ‘Print’ on your computer and a printer-friendly document will be generated.
Also by Badger Herald Editorial Board:
- A security fee-for-all (December 11, 2007)
- Farewell, Chancellor (December 10, 2007)
- $$FC (December 6, 2007)
- In a bind (December 5, 2007)
- Entitlement Town (December 4, 2007)
Related Stories:
- If at first you don't succeed... (November 1, 2006)
- ASM: Another Student Mess (October 24, 2006)
- ASM: Vote early, vote often (April 5, 2006)
- ASM: Vote early, vote often (April 6, 2006)
- Losing sleep over illegitimate vote (October 24, 2006)
by Badger Herald Editorial Board
Monday, October 23, 2006
University of Wisconsin students cast their votes Wednesday and Thursday on two referendums put forth on the Associated Students of Madison election ballot. More than three days later, students are still waiting for the results.
The proposed referendums, both of which we oppose, would have a dramatic effect on students' pocketbooks. If passed, the two referendums would increase segregated fees — and consequently the cost of getting an education at UW — for up to thirty years in order to fund a $200 million renovation of both student unions and grant student employees a living wage of $10.23 per hour.
Though ASM technically has until Tuesday to publish the election results, ASM has taken its sweet time since the polls closed. Election outcomes —- including the results from this fall's primary election — usually take mere hours after the polls close to give the public results.
Perhaps the most frustrating aspect about the delay is that students' votes were recorded on Scantron sheets, an element of this election that should have sped up the process. Unfortunately, however, ASM blew the opportunity to use the automated system to expedite tallying: A crucial flaw in the way ASM decided to allocate multiple votes to candidates on the Scantron sheets rendered the grading machines useless.
Interestingly, the way in which students allotted candidates and write-ins multiple votes was a primary reason DoIT's online voting system was ineffective (the first time) last spring.
ASM has tallied the votes manually, yet the organization remains silent as to the outcome. After spending last semester cleaning up the mess after two botched elections, it seems odd that ASM has now removed itself from the spotlight, only to leave the rest of us wondering if anyone actually did vote "Yes."
Anonymous (October 23, 2006 @ 9:22am):
A lot of people voted yes - Union employees and members of student orgs that will gain new office space. The union spent a ton of money on the propoganda campaign and probably convinced students that they should had over hundreds of dollars in the next few years.
Were there enough of us to vote no and try to stop the increase in seg fees?
-Mr. Pirate
Anonymous (October 23, 2006 @ 2:45pm):
Seriously...the Badger Herald Editorial Board has nothing better to write about than ASM attempting to be accurate when tallying the votes? Give the guys a break! If anything, you should be praising them for triple checking the totals, instead of rushing them to get the results to the press as fast as they can.
