2008 Woodie Awards
Possible change from DASB for student election voting systems
Aiselle De Vera
Issue date: 5/5/08 Section: News
Eden Su, senate vice president of finance, and member of the election committee, voted against approval voting.
"I wasn't really convinced by Robin's argument that this would be more fair. I don't think I really get the real purpose of switching voting because mainly this requires quite a lot of preparation time-wise and also energy-wise," she said.
Another election committee member, Monica Pen, who voted against approval voting said, "De Anza has always used plurality voting and it works fine."
Both Pen and Su said that time was an issue. Su said, "We should have made this decision way before the election time this quarter, because this is changing the whole voting system and most people are not used to that; I think that if we were going to change it we should have decided it at least a quarter ago so that we can get the people's minds changed."
Pen said, "There is not enough time to tell voters about how the new system works and some might get confused. That is one of my concerns."
They also echoed similar sentiment about the principle of approval voting.
"Personally from an outsider I would want the voter to make the best decision or the most carefully thought-out decision possible ... I want people to sit down and think about, at least consider, each candidate critically and then pick one. I think that it really forces people to think," said Su.
Claassen wanted to bring the proposal in front of the committee again. However, Rahela Sami, president of the DASB senate and co-chair of the election committee would only allow the issue to be reconsidered if the proposal is brought forth by a member of the election committee. Daniel Mart, a committee member, has placed the issue on the agenda for a future meeting.
"I wasn't really convinced by Robin's argument that this would be more fair. I don't think I really get the real purpose of switching voting because mainly this requires quite a lot of preparation time-wise and also energy-wise," she said.
Another election committee member, Monica Pen, who voted against approval voting said, "De Anza has always used plurality voting and it works fine."
Both Pen and Su said that time was an issue. Su said, "We should have made this decision way before the election time this quarter, because this is changing the whole voting system and most people are not used to that; I think that if we were going to change it we should have decided it at least a quarter ago so that we can get the people's minds changed."
Pen said, "There is not enough time to tell voters about how the new system works and some might get confused. That is one of my concerns."
They also echoed similar sentiment about the principle of approval voting.
"Personally from an outsider I would want the voter to make the best decision or the most carefully thought-out decision possible ... I want people to sit down and think about, at least consider, each candidate critically and then pick one. I think that it really forces people to think," said Su.
Claassen wanted to bring the proposal in front of the committee again. However, Rahela Sami, president of the DASB senate and co-chair of the election committee would only allow the issue to be reconsidered if the proposal is brought forth by a member of the election committee. Daniel Mart, a committee member, has placed the issue on the agenda for a future meeting.
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