ASUCC campaigns begin
Candidate forum to be held in May

By Katy Eslick · The Mainstream
Published April 26, 2011

The ASUCC is hopeful of high voter turnout at the polls for the election of next year’s student council officers.

Candidates will campaign from April 26 to May 11, encouraging students to vote in order to participate in officer selection.

A candidate forum will be held May 6 from 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. in the Campus Center Cafeteria.

Candidates for offices will be presented and will then have about five minutes each to make a brief statement about their interest in student government. Questions from the audience will also be taken. Pizza and soda will be provided by ASUCC for all attending.

The voting polls will open May 10 - 11, from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. at the Center of Campus. Students are encouraged to vote because “it’s a privilege, and it’s your responsibility,” says, Student Life Director Marjan Coester. “Voting shows you support the students running and that you support the process.”

As part of the voting process, ASUCC will pull students’ names from a list of qualified voters in order to prevent any duplicate votes. Each voter will receive a numbered ballot after showing I.D. or giving their date of birth. Qualified voters are students currently attending UCC for three or more credits.

After the polls are closed, a three person verification team composed of Coester, the UCC vice presidents’ assistant and one other person selected by the vice president count the ballots in sets of 25. Currently, the vice president’s assistant is out on leave, so a fill-in person is currently being sought for the 2011-2012 ASUCC elections verification team.

The ballots are then counted by each member of the verification for a total of three times. As long as no grievances have been filed regarding votes, a preliminary release of those elected will be given at noon on May 13. The votes will then be ratified the following Monday, May 16 by the ASUCC council.

Some key characteristics Coester hopes for in candidates are “good communication, listening, and time management skills, to be selfless and open-minded, a good role model, with a concept of serving others, willing to give 110 percent and genuinely interested in making a difference.”

Some community colleges such as Portland Community College and Chemeketa Community College in Salem have decided to allow their student councils to appoint officers instead of having elections. “Some student councils choose to appoint so that they may have officers with skills specific to the position,” says Coester.