UOSA will hold its fall general election starting at 9 a.m. today and ending at 9 p.m Wednesday.
Students can vote online at http://elections.ou.edu from any computer or at polling centers around campus.
WHAT IS ON THE BALLOT
UOSA has three issues on the ballot this year: a recall election for 17 representatives, a vote to elect UOSA representatives to fill vacant seats and an amendment that, if passed, would redistrict departments, said Jeff Riles, UOSA fall 2009 election chairman and first-year law student.
The 17 representatives face recall after Oklahoma Students for a Democratic Society successfully presented petitions to UOSA General Counsel Mike Davis in September, demanding all representatives elected in uncontested elections last spring to be up for a vote on whether they should retain their seats in Student Congress.
The ballot contains a yes or no question about whether each of the 17 people should retain their position, Riles said. If students vote no, UOSA Student Congress will fill the seats by appointment, said Katie Fox, UOSA president.
“This is the first step in a long process to make big improvements in UOSA. After the recall, SDS intends to run a group of candidates to fill vacant seats,” Matthew Bruenig, Oklahoma Students for a Democratic Society member, philosophy junior and humanities district congressional candidate, stated in a press release.
Also on the ballot is the general election in which students vote for representatives from their district to serve in UOSA for the spring semester, Riles said.
Overall, seven districts have candidates running for election, according to the election Web site. Races in five districts — arts, architecture, communications, continuing education and liberal studies, and earth and energy — will have automatic winners since elections in those districts were not contested. Daniel Jones also won the uncontested election for Interfraternity Council president.
Candidate biographies and contact information are at the election Web site.
Students will also vote on moving and adding departments to districts and clarifying the names of different colleges.
WHAT IS NOT ON THE BALLOT
For proposals to be on the ballot for the fall election, students had to submit them by Oct. 27, Riles said.
Because of this, a proposal to add a $2 study abroad fee will not face a vote until spring, Riles said.
Also, two proposals from Oklahoma Students for a Democratic Society will not be on the ballot because they are currently being settled in the UOSA Superior Court, Riles said. One issue would have put the creation of a senate of student organizations while collapsing the Undergraduate Student Congress and the Graduate Student Senate into one legislating body up to a vote, while the other would have placed an amendment requiring winners of uncontested elections to face recall on the next ballot.
As of now, students may or may not vote on these issues in the spring, depending on how the Superior Court rules, Riles said.
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sooners009 2 years, 6 months ago
I've noticed the elections are actually advertised this year and the booths are more active with food/music. Great job UOSA!