USAC candidates to answer undergraduate students' digitally submitted questions at elections debate on the Hill
USAC Elections Debate
Saturday, 7 p.m.
Northwest Campus Auditorium
By Andrea Barreto
April 29, 2011 2:23 a.m.
Candidates for next year’s student government will face off in front of voters during an elections debate Saturday on the Hill.
In this year’s debate, students will submit questions in advance through email, text message or YouTube by 3 p.m. today.
The Elections Board will then select questions before the debate, as candidates will not be accepting audience questions during the event, said Libby Edgar, publicity chair for the Elections Board and a third-year history and political science student.
Though campaigning is still in its initial stages, the Undergraduate Students Association Council election debate aims to generate more interest from students by incorporating technology.
The Elections Board also plans to present videos from students about the candidates and their campaigns, Edgar said. However, the details have not yet been finalized.
Edgar said she expects a strong turnout in light of past student participation.
About 300 students attended a similar event last year, said Patrick Ahrens, chair of the Elections Board and a fourth-year political science student.
The only candidate who will not attend is presidential candidate Daniel Yadegari, a third-year psychology student running as an independent, Ahrens said.
Kate Powers, a second-year undeclared student, plans on attending the event to support the candidates. Powers went to the debate last year and said it significantly impacts her as a voter.
“(The event was) how I pretty much based all my voting,” she said. “I want to hear realistic goals that can actually be accomplished.”
Despite efforts to promote the debate through Facebook and recent advertisements, many students are still unaware that the event is taking place.
Carolina Mendoza, a second-year environmental science student, said she had not heard about the debate, although she voted last year.
Mendoza does not plan to attend this year, citing academics as her first priority.
