IUSA Congress kills motion to nix online votes from personal computers

Working to revamp the IU Student Association’s Elections Code on Tuesday, Congress decided against a proposed amendment to limit campaign spending but approved plans to add designated polling stations on election day.

The move to add polling stations follows weeks of discussion and a proposal that originally aimed to safeguard elections against voter fraud. While the original proposal sought to largely eliminate online personal voting, IUSA representatives decided to retain it. Representatives said during the meeting that eliminating online voting could damage voter turnout.  

In addition, a spirited debate surrounded IUSA President Luke Fields’ proposed amendment to limit campaign spending.

“We want to preserve the spirit of the elections,” Fields said during the meeting. “The old elections code was filled with misery and deceit.”

Representatives criticized the proposal during the meeting, eventually choosing not to approve the amendment.

The proposed IU Student Association Elections Code was passed by IUSA’s Congress, but not without some disagreements.

Fields proposed amendments to the then-pending Elections Code.

Fields tried passing a spending limit on campaign expenditures of $2,500. However, Congress remained loyal to the Elections Code’s current policy.

The Elections Code states that there is no expenditure limit to how much a ticket may spend on their campaign. However, any organization or individual who is not on the ballot may contribute no more than $250, while any person who is on the ballot may not exceed $1,000 in their contributions.

“The spending cap was suggested to even the playing field so that anyone can participate no matter what one’s financial standing is,” senior Dan Sloat, IUSA vice president, said.

The executive and legislative branches are supposed to have checks and balances on one another, Fields and Sloat said.

“The idea was well-founded and was in the best interest of the students, but I respect Congress’s decision to disagree with me,” Fields said.

Some IU students said they wish there had been a spending limit put on election campaigning.

“To make campaigning fairer, there should be a spending cap put in place, because then it’s more about who has money than those who have the best ideas,” said sophomore Ruchi Fruitwala.

The originally proposed Elections Code also said students would no longer vote online through their personal computers, but would have to vote at designated polling stations through registered computers.

Fields and Congress amended this proposal by making it so students can vote from any computer, and the amendment was passed by Congress.

Funding for the new polling stations will come from the IUSA budget, but there was no indication Tuesday evening how much that could cost.

The polling stations will be at the Indiana Memorial Union Literature Desk, Wright Residence Center, Foster Residence Center, the lobby of the Kelley School of Business, the corner in front of Ballantine Hall, the Student Recreational Sports Center and near the Arboretum at 10th Street and Fee Lane. Though these polling sites are available, students may also vote on their own computers.

There can be no campaigning within 50 feet of the polling sites and computer labs.

This proposal was implemented so the voter turnout can remain high while still ensuring a fair election process.

“IU has one of the highest election turnouts in the Big Ten,” Sloat said. “We want to find a balance between high voter turnout and ensure what we hope to be the most fair and equitable elections.”

Some students also agree that the polling stations will be beneficial to the election process.

“I would personally not use polling stations because it is convenient to use a computer,” said freshman Mel Russ. “Polling places are still beneficial because computers are not always easy to get to.”