lydgate@reed.UUCP (Chris Lydgate) (02/20/86)
The CIA at U of M raises an interesting question: what kind of turnout do places get at student elections, referendums, et al.? The last election at Reed drew about 60%, but other netters have suggested that 10% is a more typical figure. Any comments? chris -- chris lydgate hub of the galactic web !tektronix!reed!lydgate "No relation."
cramer@kontron.UUCP (Clayton Cramer) (02/20/86)
> The CIA at U of M raises an interesting question: what kind of > turnout do places get at student elections, referendums, et al.? > The last election at Reed drew about 60%, but other netters have > suggested that 10% is a more typical figure. Any comments? > > chris > -- > chris lydgate > hub of the galactic web > !tektronix!reed!lydgate > > "No relation." I used to read the UC Berkeley student newspapers (yes, there are two) a couple of years ago. The only student government election results I recall had about an 8% turnout. Also, several of the winning candidates had failed to correctly report their photocopying expenses (arguably an honest mistake), but since they weren't part of the Marxist faction that ran student government, they were disqualified and the losers (part of the Marxist faction) were given their seats instead. They don't call it "People's Republic of Berkeley" for nothing...
rgatkinson@watmum.UUCP (Robert Atkinson) (02/21/86)
In article <2533@reed.UUCP> lydgate@reed.UUCP (Chris Lydgate) writes: >The CIA at U of M raises an interesting question: what kind of >turnout do places get at student elections, referendums, et al.? >The last election at Reed drew about 60%, but other netters have >suggested that 10% is a more typical figure. Any comments? > > chris Just a gut feeling, but perhaps it is more natural (read common) to have a smaller turnout at such things in larger schools? If I remember, (please correct me if I'm wrong) Reed has an enrollment of < 2000, whereas U of M is **much** larger. Perhaps enthusiasm spreads more easily amongst a smaller population. Incidentally, Waterloo just had the largest turnout last week in Student Government elections that they've had in more than a decade and a half. Turnout was between 29% and 30%. More traditionally, it is around the 15% to 20% range. -bob atkinson watmath!watmum!rgatkinson
ins_apmj@jhunix.UUCP (Patrick M Juola) (02/22/86)
In article <2533@reed.UUCP> lydgate@reed.UUCP (Chris Lydgate) writes: >The CIA at U of M raises an interesting question: what kind of >turnout do places get at student elections, referendums, et al.? >The last election at Reed drew about 60%, but other netters have >suggested that 10% is a more typical figure. Any comments? > > chris >-- Hopkins usually draws something on the close order of 20% to student govt. elections. This week, there was a referendum on South African divestment that drew an incredible 30%, but we can't expect that every time. I submit two reasons that Reed has such a high turnout. A) Reed is a small school, so a few really gung-ho campaigners can turn out EVERYBODY. (Reed <= Hopkins <= UM; Reed's turnout >= Hopkins' >=? UM's) B) Reed draws an unusual student body -- all the people I've known who go there are flaming liberal poetry majors who tend to vote more than the pre-meds at Hopkins. (I know I'm overgeneralizing, but if you'd seen Hopkins apathy, you wouldn't bother to flame me.... :-) Pat Juola Hopkins Maths & Elections Commisioner, 84-
msl@bucsd.UUCP (Melissa Leffler) (02/23/86)
In article <2533@reed.UUCP> lydgate@reed.UUCP (Chris Lydgate) writes: >The CIA at U of M raises an interesting question: what kind of >turnout do places get at student elections, referendums, et al.? Here at Boston University, there are many problems with student elections. There is also a big problem between the student gov't and the administration, and, for that matter, the administration and everyone. The problem to address for BU is the question of apathy and school spirit; in the last 4 years I have seen school spirit at hockey games only. I would guess (though I have no figures), that the turnout is about 15%, but I do not feel that all of those 15% know the issues, or are making a choice based on the platforms of the parties running (if there is more than one party running); the choice is mostly a social one. These opinions are my own, and do not reflect the opinions/experiences of all BU students. Hoping to hear more positive news from other universities besides Reed... -melis-- UUCP : ...!harvard!bu-cs!msl ARPA : msl%bu-cs.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa BITNET: enl21301@bostonu ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When it comes, the Landscape listens - Shadows - hold their breath - When it goes, 'tis like the Distance On the look of Death - excerpt from '66' - Emily Dickinson ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
bzs@bu-cs.UUCP (Barry Shein) (02/23/86)
When I was an undergraduate at Cornell there was an on-campus showing of Deep Throat the same day as the student trustee election. You guessed it, more people showed at the theater than the polls (various suggestions followed to either announce L. Lovelace the winner or next time hand out ballots at the ticket line.) -Barry Shein, Boston University
rosen@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU (Rob Rosen) (02/24/86)
In article <2533@reed.UUCP> lydgate@reed.UUCP (Chris Lydgate) writes: >The CIA at U of M raises an interesting question: what kind of >turnout do places get at student elections, referendums, et al.? >The last election at Reed drew about 60%, but other netters have >suggested that 10% is a more typical figure. Any comments? > > chris >-- > chris lydgate > hub of the galactic web > !tektronix!reed!lydgate > > "No relation." I believe that the turnout here at ucb runs anywhere from 11% to 17% or so, contingent upon the general political climate at the time and the weather (no, I'm not kidding...many more people vote when the sun is shining). Last Spring we had an unusually large turnout due to the South Africa divestment sit-in; many of the "liberals" "rallied around a cause" and ended up sweeping the student government, which many felt was gradually leaning more toward a middle-of-the-road alignment, contrary to traditional Berkeley politics. Most students I know, even the more politically aware ones, are fed up with student government and refuse to vote; lately students running for office have taken to bombarding passing voters-to-be with election posters and cute little advertising campaigns. Constant harrassment of potential voters has led to a general refusal on the part of students to vote; in addition, many students feel that the candidates are merely out to "enrich their resumes." Having been a Senator myself, I am inclined to agree, although my experience has been that the somewhat "liberal" student government is overconcerned with external, non-campus issues. For instance, a bill requesting funding for a graduate Physics student group was not passed because many of the "liberals" were apparently afraid that the funds would be used to sponsor pro-SDI speakers; meanwhile, a bill requesting twice the amount requested by the Physics group for some plants and gardening/caretaking in People's Park was passed nearly unanimously (over my objections). To be fair, I should add that the physics group later had their funding approved after an angry grad student presented his objections and explained what the funds were to be used for. In addition, the bill requesting the plants for People's Park was found to be unconstitutional and so the Executive Vice President merely took the funds from her own office's allocation and proceeded to plant them. In summary, I am unhappy with what I perceive to be a great political apathy on the part of students here, but on the other hand, having experienced student government on a first-hand basis, I can't blame them one bit. The ASUC Senate has generally proven itself to be fiscally irresponsible and inordinately pro-leftist, which in fact is not representative of the general student body's political leanings. HOWEVER, the reason the government is inordinately leftist is because it is the leftists who vote. It is they who apparently care more about student government. Therefore, they have every right to represent their own constituency, and I remind students who complain about the "sorry state" of student government to instigate change through voting. DISCLAIMER: I align myself with no particular political party or orientation. -- --Rob Rosen ...ucbvax!rosen rosen@ucbvax.berkeley.edu
wex@milano.UUCP (02/24/86)
In article <193@bu-cs.UUCP>, bzs@bu-cs.UUCP (Barry Shein) writes: > > When I was an undergraduate at Cornell there was an on-campus showing > of Deep Throat the same day as the student trustee election. You > guessed it, more people showed at the theater than the polls (various > suggestions followed to either announce L. Lovelace the winner or next > time hand out ballots at the ticket line.) UPenn tried something similar. That is, they put the ballot boxes in the lobbies outside the University cafeterias, so that one could vote while waiting in line to get in. They never managed to get >25%, I think. -- Alan Wexelblat ARPA: WEX@MCC.ARPA UUCP: {ihnp4, seismo, harvard, gatech, pyramid}!ut-sally!im4u!milano!wex "No wife, no horse, no mustache."
dml@bu-cs.UUCP (David Matthew Lyle) (02/25/86)
In article <990@milano.UUCP> wex@milano.UUCP writes: >In article <193@bu-cs.UUCP>, bzs@bu-cs.UUCP (Barry Shein) writes: >> >> When I was an undergraduate at Cornell there was an on-campus showing >> of Deep Throat the same day as the student trustee election. You >> guessed it, more people showed at the theater than the polls (various >> suggestions followed to either announce L. Lovelace the winner or next >> time hand out ballots at the ticket line.) > >UPenn tried something similar. That is, they put the ballot boxes in the >lobbies outside the University cafeterias, so that one could vote while waiting >in line to get in. They never managed to get >25%, I think. > >-- >Alan Wexelblat >ARPA: WEX@MCC.ARPA >UUCP: {ihnp4, seismo, harvard, gatech, pyramid}!ut-sally!im4u!milano!wex >"No wife, no horse, no mustache." It has been recently proposed here, that the number of voting locations be changed from 8 ( the number of Major residence halls + the Union ) to 1. Why they do that, when turnout is never more that 15%.... In any case, it might not really matter, the Student Union at B.U. changed it's constitution and took away it's programming functions. It now only decides policy....
afb@pucc-i (Michael Lewis) (02/28/86)
In article <2533@reed.UUCP>, lydgate@reed.UUCP (Chris Lydgate) writes: > The CIA at U of M raises an interesting question: what kind of > turnout do places get at student elections, referendums, et al.? > The last election at Reed drew about 60%, but other netters have > suggested that 10% is a more typical figure. Any comments? > > chris > -- > chris lydgate > hub of the galactic web > !tektronix!reed!lydgate > > "No relation." I don't know about other places, but here at Purdue the student body is extremely apathetic, particularly about student government. The turn out for the Purdue Student Association elections held this month was about 3 or 4 percent, if you can believe that. I haven't voted for PSA in the 4 years I've been here, so I shouldn't criticize. Not that this is meant to be any justification, but at Purdue the student government is perceived to be largely ornamental; the administration makes the decisions. "loco et parentis"... By way of excuse, I'm graduating in May, so the currently elected government will have no effect on me... Michael Lewis @ Apathy U.
cuccia@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU (Nick "Coosh" Cuccia) (03/01/86)
In article <990@milano.UUCP> wex@milano.UUCP writes: >In article <193@bu-cs.UUCP>, bzs@bu-cs.UUCP (Barry Shein) writes: >> >> When I was an undergraduate at Cornell there was an on-campus showing >> of Deep Throat the same day as the student trustee election. You >> guessed it, more people showed at the theater than the polls (various >> suggestions followed to either announce L. Lovelace the winner or next >> time hand out ballots at the ticket line.) > >UPenn tried something similar. That is, they put the ballot boxes in the >lobbies outside the University cafeterias, so that one could vote while waiting >in line to get in. They never managed to get >25%, I think. > >-- >Alan Wexelblat One proposal that often comes up in senate here is to put ballot boxes in each of the dorm units, a proposal that routinely gets stomped on by the "progressive" majority of the senate; in fact, the last time it came up, one of the SSC (Student Solidarity Coalition, the old "far left" political party, now known as Cal-SERVE) said that "Dorm students are not progressive enough". Me thinks that SSC/Cal-SERVE is a little scared of more students voting..
chapman@miro.berkeley.edu.BERKELEY.EDU (Brent Chapman) (03/01/86)
In article <12104@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> cuccia@ucbvax.berkeley.edu.UUCP (Nick "Coosh" Cuccia) writes: >One proposal that often comes up in senate here is to put ballot boxes >in each of the dorm units, a proposal that routinely gets stomped on >by the "progressive" majority of the senate; in fact, the last time it >came up, one of the SSC (Student Solidarity Coalition, the old "far left" >political party, now known as Cal-SERVE) said that "Dorm students are >not progressive enough". > >Me thinks that SSC/Cal-SERVE is a little scared of more students voting.. > Upon reflection, methinks that Coosh doth rightly speak... Brent Chapman ucbvax!miro!chapman chapman@miro.berkeley.edu From the demented mind of another tormented Berzerkeley student... (Note that I'm not tormented by my OWN conscience; it's the other guy's that's a pain in the ass around here...)
gt@umich.UUCP (Gus Teschke) (03/01/86)
In <12104@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> cuccia@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU (Nick "Coosh" Cuccia) writes: >One proposal that often comes up in senate here is to put ballot boxes >in each of the dorm units, a proposal that routinely gets stomped on >by the "progressive" majority of the senate; in fact, the last time it >came up, one of the SSC (Student Solidarity Coalition, the old "far left" >political party, now known as Cal-SERVE) said that "Dorm students are >not progressive enough". >Me thinks that SSC/Cal-SERVE is a little scared of more students voting.. Scared of what? Of unintentionally tapping the great apathetic student id, that with a sudden explosion of righteous fire sweeps away all these schemeing leftists and their superfluous drivel about human rights and Central American and South Africa, and installs a great and good student government that gets back to the REAL issues of when to hold the prom and should the yearbook be in color or black and white? And where do we post the minutes? (ahem) Have you ever considered how hard it is to get students to run polls when they aren't being paid, when very little is at stake, and when running a poll is incredibly dull? Remember, the people running for office can't run the polls; that's a conflict of interest. And if the pollers are being paid, who can afford to put a polling station in every dorm? Every building would be fairer to the students living off-campus. What a image: student government receives X dollars from the student body to spend on holding elections so that it can form a new government that will receive more money to hold subsequent elections to form a new government.... Gus Teschke ..!ihnp4!umich!gt
greg@harvard.UUCP (Greg) (03/03/86)
In article <497@umich.UUCP> gt@umich.UUCP (Gus Teschke) writes: >In <12104@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> cuccia@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU (Nick Cuccia) >writes: >>One proposal that often comes up in senate here is to put ballot boxes >>in each of the dorm units, a proposal that routinely gets stomped on >>by the "progressive" majority of the senate; in fact, the last time it >>came up, one of the SSC (Student Solidarity Coalition, the old "far left" >>political party, now known as Cal-SERVE) said that "Dorm students are >>not progressive enough". >>Me thinks that SSC/Cal-SERVE is a little scared of more students voting.. >Scared of what? Of unintentionally tapping the great apathetic student >id, that with a sudden explosion of righteous fire sweeps away all >these schemeing leftists and their superfluous drivel about human >rights and Central American and South Africa, and installs a great and >good student government that gets back to the REAL issues of when to >hold the prom and should the yearbook be in color or black and white? >And where do we post the minutes? Yeah, Gus is right. I've had it with all this democracy s*!t anyway. We must have a dictatorship of right-thinking people! Everyone else is just too apathetic... -- gregregreg
tewok@umcp-cs.UUCP (Wayne Morrison) (03/04/86)
In article <752@harvard.UUCP> greg@harvard.UUCP (Greg) writes: >Yeah, Gus is right. I've had it with all this democracy s*!t anyway. We >must have a dictatorship of right-thinking people! Everyone else is just >too apathetic... Here at the University of Maryland, we haven't gone as far (or maybe have gone farther, depending on your point of view) as having a dictatorship. Just this semester, however, we elected the Monarchist Party into office. We now have a king, queen, chancellor, and a chancellor of the exchequer. Having this type setup might be to our benefit. We haven't yet had a scandal about the SGA, whereas in years past it hasn't taken very long at all for someone to do "Something Bad". Wayne Morrison ARPA: tewok@brillig UUCP: seismo!umcp-cs!tewok Parallel Computation Lab University of Maryland (301)454-7690