Over 12 percent of students voted in this week’s Associated Students of Madison elections, evenly splitting votes between the two main student parties.
The two main slates, the Badger Party and “Real Educational Access Can Happen,” split the election, with Badger winning 11 seats and REACH gaining 13.
Student segregated-fee dispersal and affordable tuition were the main issues in the election after this semester’s student government voted to inflate student fees.
Jessica Miller, ASM chair, said she was pleasantly surprised at the voter turnout.
“I’m impressed,” said Miller. “I think folks did a really good job getting the word out. I feel like the [voting committee] did a much more aggressive campaign to get folks to realize that voting was happening.”
In 2001, the ASM election yielded an 11 percent turnout, up from 8 percent in 2000. Miller attributed this year’s slight increase to an added day of voting.
Jana Kraschnewski, vice-chair of the Student Election Commission, said the group is upset the turnout fell short of its goal of 15 percent of the student body.
“We were kind of disappointed that the candidates didn’t do much publicizing themselves,” she said.
Kyle Tromblee, who, at 971 votes, received more than any candidate, said he attributes his victory to his strong social network.
“We got the word out in the Greek system, we sent out a lot of e-mails . . . I honestly didn’t even try that hard,” he said.
Tromblee ran as a Badger platform candidate and said his main issues include getting a 24-hour library and readjusting segregated-fee dispersion.
Carl Camacho, of the REACH platform, was elected Senior Class President and Treasurer in addition to winning a seat on the council. He credited many of the REACH victories to his extensive campaigning.
“We’ve gone to the people,” Camacho said. “It was true grass-roots organizing. We were really the only group of people who were out there handing out fliers. You actually have to win their votes.”
Alternatively, Jackie Helmrick, who received 869 votes, said her lack of affiliation with a platform contributed to her victory.
“I chose a different path than a lot of students,” she said. “I tried to do a lot of personal contact — talking to students versus flyering and postering.”
Aaron David Werner and Gladys Reyes won the two spots on the Student Services Finance Committee.
In total, 11 of the 15 Badger platform candidates won. These candidates said they will push for a 24-hour library, preservation of drink specials and a reduction in segregated fees.
“The Badger Party represents the average student,” said newly elected representative Steven Weiss. “ASM needs to focus on everybody, not just certain people.”
Thirteen of the 22 students who ran under REACH were elected. Their main issues included pushing for an elected Board of Regents, affordable housing and student autonomy over the dispersal of student segregated fees.
“Our campaign was on real, concrete issues,” Camacho said. “[The Badger Party’s] issue of drink specials was pretty invalid — students can’t change that policy; that’s a city policy. That’s what separates our slate from them — our issues were real.”
Specific council positions will be decided at the first meeting May 1.
Much of the election’s controversy revolved around the campaigning of the two slates. Students from both REACH and the Badger Party were accused of campaigning too close to polling sites, but no charges have been filed.
“Typically, we don’t get any [complaints] until after the polling closes and the votes are counted,” said Adam Goldstein, vice-chair of ASM’s Student Judiciary. “If people won, they don’t want to file a complaint.”
Goldstein said they typically receive two or three complaints per year.
