Slates primed for elections, optimistic about turnout

As an extra-colorful Bruin Walk indicates, it is election week
for the undergraduate student government ““ complete with
multi-colored sign boards, a first-time online ballot, and still
many apathetic students.

Students can vote for next term’s Undergraduate Students
Association Council beginning 7 p.m. today until 7 p.m. Thursday by
logging onto their MyUCLA accounts. Additionally, students can view
candidate statements and endorsements for the 32 candidates online.
Also on the ballot is an advisory vote soliciting student opinion
on the quarter versus semester issue.

Candidates said they were ready for the grind of the three-day
long process.

Claiming their ground around campus, candidates ““ clad in
blue, green or red shirts, representing the different slates
““ said they had a positive outlook for the elections.

“I am feeling good … We are trying our hardest to get
our vision out there,” said Adam Harmetz, presidential
candidate from the Students United for Reform and Equality
slate.

Anica McKesey is the presidential candidate from Students
First!, and Andrew LaFlamme is running for the position from United
Independents.

Jenny Gálvez, a general representative candidate from
Students first!!, agreed she is thinking positively.

Candidates said they were also getting positive response from
students.

“The response has been good from students for my ideas and
(U.I.’s) ideas … Students really seem interested,”
said Jon English, a U.I. general representative candidate.

But most students were not as prepared as the candidates.

“I am not really (planning to vote),” said
fifth-year film student Jimmie Rhee, citing his busy schedule as
the reason.

Fourth-year sociology student Charles Gavero said he would like
to vote, but does not have enough information to do so. He added
that right now he can only judge the candidates by the creativity
of their sign boards.

Still a few students had been informed and said they were ready
to cast their votes.

O’neil Omidvar, a second-year business economics student,
said he will be voting on the S.U.R.E. side because of the
slate’s consistency with his beliefs. He added he would have
voted even if the elections had not been online.

A key factor for the USAC elections going online for the first
time this year was the anticipation of a high voter turnout.

But some candidates questioned whether this would be the
case.

“Online voting throws everything in a loop,” Harmetz
said. “It’s a new frontier … You don’t know
what the voter turnout will be.”

Regardless of the voting method, some candidates said they would
stick to the basics.

McKesey said Students First! is focusing on specific issues like
not raising fees.

Candidates said they hoped students would stick to the basics
too.

“I hope they vote for the most qualified candidate,”
English said.