ASI expects larger voter turnout for 2006 elections

With ASI elections fast approaching on May 3 and 4, the current ASI representatives are pushing for an increase in voter turnout for the 2006-2007 ASI president and board of directors election.

ASI has set a goal of 25 percent voter turnout for next week’s election, a 10 percent increase from 2005. Turnout in 2004 was 18.6 percent and 20.6 percent in 2003.

“We created the goal because we think it’s incredibly important that students vote,” Tylor Middlestadt, the current ASI president said. “We thought it was a challenging goal, but it is achievable.”

A statement about why students should vote written by Middlestadt appears on the ASI Web site along with the slogan, “One Voice, 17,000 strong.” The slogan was chosen from a number of student ideas on how to promote voter turnout.

“Every student is a shareholder in student government,” Middlestadt said.

The Web site also includes a list of candidates for president and the board of directors and includes statements from Anne Giapapas and Todd Maki, the two presidential candidates.

This year is the largest ballot ASI has ever experienced. There are over 50 candidates for 25 seats on the board of directors. Each college is represented on the board with three to five delegates. The number of seats is decided by the population of students in the college.

“We’re also counting on the record number of candidates to bring in voters,” Middlestadt said.

ASI will be handing out additional candidate statements, voting and polling information to students in order to increase voter turnout.

“Voting is one of the most important rights in our society,” Middlestadt said. “Voting on campus is a bridge to voting in life.”

On voting day, representatives from the League of Women Voters will be manning the six voting stations around campus. Students will need their student I.D. in order to receive a ballot.

The ballot will contain the names of the candidates for ASI president, as well as a blank space for write-in candidates. The candidates for the ASI board of directors will correspond to the voter’s college. Students may only vote for the candidates from their specific college.

“We just want more students to vote on campus; period,” Middlestat said.

For more information about the ASI elections visit the Web site at www.asi.calpoly.edu/elections.