2008 Woodie Awards
Candidates jockey for position
Mark Powell
Issue date: 3/8/07 Section: News
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For the 2007 Associated Students elections, 26 candidates are vying for 15 positions in races that are starkly different from last year elections, a San Jose State University election board member said.
"It's always exciting to have a large number of candidates," said student Teri Poucher, chief elections officer for the A.S. elections.
Elections will be held from 10 a.m. on March 20th through 8 p.m. on March 21st. There will be polling places located by the Student Union and the Event Center, and students can also vote online via their MySJSU online accounts, Poucher said.
According to SJSU's office of academic planning and budget, the university enrollment for spring 2006 - the time of last year's elections - was 28,399 students.
The voter turnout for last spring's A.S. elections was 469 students, or two percent of the student population at the time at SJSU.
"That's a total disgrace," sophomore Webster Lincoln said about the 2006 voter turnout. "I know that this school is pretty much a commuter school, but 400 people voting out of some 30,000 students is an absolute shame."
Lincoln said he voted last year and hopes more students will vote this year.
Despite a low voter turnout for last year's Associated Students elections, A.S. Executive Director Cheryl Vargas said she is hoping for around 3,000 San Jose State University students to show up at the polls this year.
"Primarily this election is really about the students voting - period," Vargas said. "I don't think that students know how important Associated Students is to this campus."
Michael Reyes, who is running for director of student rights and responsibilities, said that people will be more likely to vote this year because there was only one contested position last year.
There is much more competition this year because there are two new parties on campus, compared to just Stand-Up Party last year, Reyes said.
According to Reyes and vice presidential candidate Jessica Hernandez, Stand-Up Party accomplished its set goals in two years and its members wanted to give other students a chance in being involved in student government.
"It's always exciting to have a large number of candidates," said student Teri Poucher, chief elections officer for the A.S. elections.
Elections will be held from 10 a.m. on March 20th through 8 p.m. on March 21st. There will be polling places located by the Student Union and the Event Center, and students can also vote online via their MySJSU online accounts, Poucher said.
According to SJSU's office of academic planning and budget, the university enrollment for spring 2006 - the time of last year's elections - was 28,399 students.
The voter turnout for last spring's A.S. elections was 469 students, or two percent of the student population at the time at SJSU.
"That's a total disgrace," sophomore Webster Lincoln said about the 2006 voter turnout. "I know that this school is pretty much a commuter school, but 400 people voting out of some 30,000 students is an absolute shame."
Lincoln said he voted last year and hopes more students will vote this year.
Despite a low voter turnout for last year's Associated Students elections, A.S. Executive Director Cheryl Vargas said she is hoping for around 3,000 San Jose State University students to show up at the polls this year.
"Primarily this election is really about the students voting - period," Vargas said. "I don't think that students know how important Associated Students is to this campus."
Michael Reyes, who is running for director of student rights and responsibilities, said that people will be more likely to vote this year because there was only one contested position last year.
There is much more competition this year because there are two new parties on campus, compared to just Stand-Up Party last year, Reyes said.
According to Reyes and vice presidential candidate Jessica Hernandez, Stand-Up Party accomplished its set goals in two years and its members wanted to give other students a chance in being involved in student government.
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