After several elections plagued by low turnout and technological setbacks, Ohio University's Student Senate will vote on a resolution that would extend next year's election to two days.
Senate members hope the change will minimize computer glitches that have come up with past elections, as well as improve voter turnout, which has decreased during the last two years.
People try to use (low voter turnout) to illegitimate Student Senate as a whole
said Senate President Robert Leary, the bill's sponsor. I think senate should try to get as high a turnout as possible.
Last year, 2,104 students cast a ballot for Student Senate elections. That was several hundred fewer students than participated in the previous election, and almost 2,000 fewer voters than voted in the 2007 election. OU's Athens campus had more than 19,000 students enrolled this fall, according to OU's Office of Institutional Research.
Leary attributed 2007's record turnout to the fact that the six executives running were all current senate members. The ballot also included an evaluation of OU President Roderick McDavis' leadership.
Leary added that other Ohio universities have student senate elections that last more than one day, including Bowling Green State University, Wright State University, Miami University and University of Toledo.
OU's senate elections are currently open from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. for one day. The resolution would add 24 hours by opening elections at 8 a.m. and closing them at 7 p.m. the next day.
We could make the elections go on a whole week if we wanted to Denhart said. From a technology standpoint there are really no difficulties.
Past problems with electronic ballots have included OU's server being inaccessible at various times throughout the day and configuration errors that prevented people in some dorms from voting.
Matt Denhart, chairman of senate's Board of Elections, said he hopes two-day elections will alleviate some of these concerns but added that he has worked with OU's Office of Information Technology to make sure that improvements are made this year as well.
The resolution would not take effect at this year's May 20 election, because senate's Board of Elections, senate members and the current candidates have not been given sufficient time to prepare for a two-day election, Leary said.
Low turnout cannot be blamed only on the length of the elections, Leary and Denhart said, but both believe extending the deadline for turning in a vote will improve turnout numbers.
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Rebecca McKinsey
