IUSA race begins today; vote online

At exactly 12 a.m., the heated race for the victory in IU Student Association elections began. Online voting, which will continue until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, will decide which executive ticket and congress members will take charge of IUSA for the next school year.\nJunior Chuck Kuntz, a current member of IUSA, said elections in the past have not seen a high voter turnout.\n"Traditionally, only 12 to 16 percent of the student body votes," he said.\nHowever, the vigorous campaigning of the Kirkwood, Steel and Synergy tickets has piqued student interest, encouraging more students to vote for their ticket of choice.\nIssues addressed by the three tickets include the alcohol policy, the greek system, housing reforms, fees charged by the university and the proposed independence of the Graduate and Professional Student Organization. \nVoting in the IUSA elections is essential, said junior Ian Snyder. \n"The students are casting votes for the people that will represent them and their concerns," he said. "They're determining which students will voice the issues they feel are important, and nothing is more essential then that."\nMany students see the elections as their opportunity to change things on campus. Sophomore Jamie Petersen said one reason she will vote is because the outcome of the election will affect her.\n"I think that everyone should vote in the IUSA election because the outcome affects us as students," she said. "How can any of us complain about IU's policies if we don't take an active part in trying to change them?"\nFreshman Leslie Smith agrees.\n"You can't complain about the outcome of the election if you didn't influence who was put into office," she said. "If you don't vote you can't complain about how this school is being run."\nFreshman Kristen Michalek believes that IUSA is one of the few student channels to the administration.\n"There are few other ways to make our voices heard on campus," she said. "These elections will create an opportunity for us to promote the changes that we feel are necessary for our campus."\nFreshman Erica Swier said voting will make the goals of IUSA more representative of the student body.\n"How can IUSA be representative of the student body if the student body doesn't vote?" she said. "It really can't." \nJunior Laura Walda, a current IUSA member, cautions that the elections are not to be taken lightly, as student participation as well as the outcome send a message. \n"IUSA is the student vote, and this is the way that students can send a message to administration," she said. "If hardly any students vote it shows that we don't feel strongly about issues. Every vote is going to count; this year will be a really tight race."\nWalda added that there is no reason not to vote.\n"Voting is incredibly easy, and should only take a minute or two," she said. "All it takes is to go to a ticket's Web site or to the IUSA home page to cast a vote."\nStudents who believe that IUSA does not affect policy are mistaken, Walda said.\n"Regardless of what students think, the three tickets have very different platforms," she said. "There will be a sharp contrast as to what the tickets would do once in power"