Pace Paw Print

This year's Student Government elections will stray away from tradition and take a more modern route with online voting.

On April 16 and 17, full time undergraduate students will have the ability to vote right from their computers by logging onto Blackboard or clicking a link provided in email blasts.

Shawn Livingston, Assistant Director of Student Development and Campus Activities, recognizes the need for a more up to date system of voting.

"We're working with a student body in the age of technology," he said. "Some people my age and younger don't even know how to use a voting booth."

Students will login to their Blackboard accounts and then click the 'Student Association' button. There they will see an instructions page, which will consist of an exit letter from the current Executive Board (E-Board).

From there, students are directed to click the 'ballot' button, where they can either cast an immediate vote or read a brief synopsis of the candidates, allowing them to be "informed on the spot," according to Livingston.

There will also be polling questions on the ballot, and all of the information given will be anonymous.

After completing the voting process by logging out, students will receive an email consisting of a summary of who they voted for and a minute by minute feed of the results at the votes come in.

The current E-Board will also be running laptops at the Kessel Well and will assist students in the process. The final results will be posted on the SDCA webpage at midnight on the 17th.

In past years, the highest number of votes under Director John Agnelli's leadership reached 450. Livingston is looking to exceed that number greatly this time around.

"We're looking to double that this year," he said. "We feel if it's a convenient system it provides the student body with more ownership."

There are five positions to vote for this year; President, Executive Vice President of Judicial and Compliance, Vice President of Finance, Vice President of Programming, and Vice President of Administration. This will be the first year that the position of VP of Programming and Administration will be split into two separate positions because of the intensive work load.

"We are in the position as staff and faculty to advocate and support the student body," Livingston stated. "If you all [students] take the time and energy to really think about who you're putting into office we have a better opportunity to advocate on behalf of student issues and concerns. So please, come out and vote."

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