Graduate Students Association election has low voter turnout
Doris Melkonian
By Elizabeth Case
May 5, 2011 12:51 a.m.
The Quality and Commitment slate swept the graduate student government elections, capturing the only contested seat in a quiet race.
Out of a total of 11,647 eligible students, only 4.8 percent cast votes.
Graduate student turnout has traditionally hovered between 10 and 15 percent. GSA adviser Michael Cohn attributed the low turnout to the noncompetitive election.
“I don’t pretend to think that we can’t do better,” said Elvira Rodriguez, the director of the elections board.
With 55 percent of the vote, Doris Melkonian defeated independent candidate Nicole Robinson to become next year’s vice president of academic affairs.
The other Graduate Students Association officers all ran uncontested and with the slate. Michael Weismeyer was elected president; Arda Melkonian will be vice president of internal affairs; and David Chillin will be vice president of external affairs.
Doris Melkonian said her success was due in large part to her support system and her experience.
“I know the graduate issues; I know the graduate history. I’m fired up and ready to go,” Melkonian said.
Voting ended Monday at noon but had to be approved by Cohn and the GSA forum ““ a group of representatives from 13 graduate divisions ““ before being released to the public.
The Election Board gave incentives to voters in an effort to increase turnout.
Every 25th voter received a meal voucher to Associated Students UCLA restaurants, and the academic council with the highest turnout will receive a monetary stipend.
“It’s an uphill battle,” Rodriguez said. “(For graduate students) if it’s not your coursework, it doesn’t fit on your plate.”
The four officials met each other in the GSA forum.
The Melkonians are representatives from the School of Education and Information Studies, while Chillin is a delegate for the School of Engineering.
As chair of the ASUCLA Board, Weismeyer said he attended most of this year’s meetings to keep in touch with the needs of his constituents.
The four officials will be officially inducted next week.
