The decision to nullify the two Associated Students of Madison referendum results has elicited mixed reactions on the University of Wisconsin campus. ASM officials announced Sunday that voting will not recommence until fall 2006, drawing both criticism and support from the student organizations that campaigned for the referendums.

The Wisconsin Union Directorate — the organization that sponsored the Wisconsin Union Facilities Improvement Plan that failed in the referendum elections, which concluded April 4 — is grateful to have another chance to garner support for their renovation plans.

WUD Vice President Shayna Hetzel expressed an understanding of the considerable work ahead for the organization, but believes the future efforts will be worth it.

"While it may mean more work for us, it also gives us an opportunity to educate more students about what this plan entails," she said.

For the second round of referendum elections, WUD plans to "infiltrate more of campus" in order to extend its message to a larger group of people.

Hetzel stressed the importance of informing more people about the purpose of the Union referendum and about the elections in general.

"Whether they are going to vote 'yes' or 'no' for the Union, it is important that they vote with the facts," she said.

Students involved with WUD and ASM say postponing the referendum elections is absolutely necessary, citing the preservation of democracy as their primary reason for the decision.

Tim Leonard, chair of the Student Election Commission and justice on the Student Judiciary, voted in favor of nullifying the referendum elections because he says it is important for every student's vote to count, regardless of the election outcome.

"Every single vote a student makes counts. The Constitution guarantees it," Leonard said. "ASM does care about what the individual student has to say."

However, Ashok Kumar — a member of the Student Labor Action Coalition that fueled the living-wage campaign — does not believe ASM has such sincere intentions.

Kumar, recently elected to the Dane County Board of Supervisors, said postponing the referendum elections is "disempowering" because this semester's elections attracted a record number of voters.

He said the campus should not continue to support ASM due to its lack of credibility and student-body representation.

Kumar specifically targeted SEC and the judiciary, calling them both "fake organizations" that have "never been elected."

"[SEC and SJ] are appointed by people, who are appointed by people, who are appointed by people, who are elected," he said. "It's a sham."

Kumar's ire is not only directed toward ASM; he also doubts the motives of the Wisconsin Union Directorate.

He accused WUD of trying to manipulate the election process.

"The people at the Wisconsin Union Directorate that brought this [revote] are simply trying to disenfranchise [the students]. … They are going to do this until they get what they want," he said.

Along with thoughts of the referendum elections in the fall, ideas about future ASM elections are also beginning to surface.

ASM Chair Eric Varney said he has two suggestions he would like to see considered.

One proposal is a new, credible software system to conduct the election process, and a second is a "challenge" to computer-science majors on campus to design a voting system, with some sort of reward involved.

Hetzel, however, is in favor of paper balloting to continue in future ASM elections.

"There is a reason why national, local and state elections are all done on paper," she said. "I think it is important to have a paper trail to be able to retrace and revote."

Leonard noted that, as of now, the focus needs to stay on the current election.

"[There will be] a lot more work with these elections after they are actually done," he added.