The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

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A.S. Senate elections day one: glitch free

Sundial Photo
Students vote at the sole Associated Students elections booth between Matador Walk and the Oviatt Library Tuesday. Photo Credit: Kristopher Fortin / Staff Photographer

The Associated Students’ (A.S.) fall elections passed last year’s two-day electoral turnout on the first day of election.

The total voter turnout as of 7:01 p.m. was 1,103, according to Dan Monteleone, A.S. director of elections. Last year’s fall election voter turnout was 656, after the online system failed and went to paper ballots.

The one voting booth had four computers to cast their ballots, and two to switch over to their Gmail accounts.

Votes stayed consistent in the morning, increasing 150 votes per hour, Monteleone said.

Polls opened at 8 a.m. Tuesday and by 11:58 a.m., voter turnout was 591. Even though the voting booth on campus will stay open Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., polls will stay open 24 hours.

There was mixed awareness of the election from students on campus, but most didn’t know who the candidates were.

The elections e-mail sent Thursday reminded Carlo Anacta, 19-year-old sophomore graphic design major, of the A.S. elections.

Cyrus Mahdavi, a senior philosophy major, said he had not switched over to Gmail and didn’t know who the candidates were.

“(If it) wasn’t for those damn bios, I wouldn’t know anything about them,” Mahdavi said.

Two A.S. senators voted at the polling booth. The new online voting system surprised Julio Palacol, Arts, Media, and Communication Senator I, because of a bad experience in the past with online voting at CSUN.

Austin Ysais, upper division Senator I, said the system was very easy.

If this is the first time students have heard of the candidates, the bios are enough, Ysais said.

The biographies are five questions that each candidate answered, with examples like: “Why do you want to be involved with senate?” and “What experience do you bring to this organization that will help you in your position?”

After students submit their votes, they are asked to verify their votes to see if they are correct, and given the option to change their vote. In last fall’s election, students couldn’t verify or change their votes.

CSUN President Jolene Koester visited the voting booth at 10 a.m. She canvassed with the A.S. elections committee members’ on Matador Walk. “You’re a student, you should vote,” Koester said to a passerby.

“I want to do what I can to support this important organization,” Koester added.

The shirts the poll booth workers wore were red shirts that had “Vote” printed on the front. The shirts, Monteleone said, could be used for future elections since there is no election specified on the shirt.

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