IUSA elections begin today

Voting in student government elections that current student body president Alex Shortle called the most important in 30 years begin at 10 a.m. today. Students can vote online in the IU Student Association polls at www.indiana.edu/~iusa through 10 p.m. Wednesday. Elections coordinator Keith Johnson said he foresees a smooth election this year with an announcement of the winner coming Thursday afternoon.\nThis year, two tickets, Hoosier and Red Hot, are vying for the chance to represent the student body in University governance. \nThough student voting in the elections has been low in the past, many IU students and officials say IUSA can actually make a difference in students' lives. \n"We represent students to the faculty, governance entities, the administration, the community, state and country," Shortle said. "Like any other representative body, we do things that (students) themselves couldn't, like sitting on governance boards and making sure student interests are not sidestepped in the effort to speed (governance) along."\nUniversity Chancellor Ken Gros Louis said IUSA is analogous to IU faculty and staff organizations like the Bloomington Faculty Council, the Professional Staff Council and the Clerical Workers of America. \nShortle said this election is important because some administrators think students have too great a voice on campus. He said the ticket that wins needs to be aware of these issues and willing to press the administration to maintain student involvement on governance \ncommittees, search and screen committees, and the Committee for Fee Review.\nBut, Shortle said he decided not to endorse a ticket because he said he sees benefits with both tickets.\n"I would urge whichever ticket slate wins to pull on the other ticket," he said. "To combine the two, you could get a lot accomplished."\nIn order to win the election, Johnson said a ticket must have a simple plurality. According to the IUSA Elections Code, in case of a tie, "the Elections Commissions shall provide for the selection of the individual to fill the seat from the tied candidates by whatever non-random means they deem appropriate," except in certain cases.\nJohnson said he interprets that to mean, in case of a tie, the Elections Commission, which he chairs, will decide the winner. He said he thinks "non-random" implies that the commission "can't flip a coin" to decide the winner. Instead, he said he thinks the commission would vote. Although Johnson said he does not see the election coming to a tie, he has decided not to vote in the regular election and will ensure that the rest of the commission abstains as well. \nJohnson said students should visit the tickets' Web sites at www.redhotiusa.com and www.votehoosier.com when considering which ticket to vote for.\nBut Shortle said a lot of issues that are on platforms are not what defines IUSA.\n"(Students should vote for) people who are heavily involved, eloquent and ambitious enough to keep up with IUSA," he said. "It's very tiring. They have to be energetic, dedicated and passionate."\nHoosier presidential candidate and junior Betsy Henke said she thinks students should vote for her ticket because Hoosier is better qualified to represent the student body than Red Hot.\n"We are actually qualified to do this," she said. "We have established a lot of connections with people and gained support to ensure that we are going to be able to accomplish our \nissues."\nHowever, Red Hot presidential candidate and junior Lenny Weiss said his ticket is more personable than Hoosier.\n"I want the student body to ask themselves if they've ever talked to anyone on the opposing ticket and if they've felt they were talking with a human," he said. "If I talk to anybody, they're another person to me and I care about them ... and I'm not going to pretend and act fake with them."\nShortle said he thinks one ticket is more knowledgeable about University governance than other, while the other is more energetic and passionate.\nGros Louis said he thinks highly of IUSA.\n"I think such groups are so important to the people they represent that if we didn't have (IUSA) we'd have to create it," he said.