Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!umcp-cs!aplcen!jhunix!ins_apmj
From: ins_apmj@jhunix.UUCP (Patrick M Juola)
Newsgroups: net.college
Subject: Re: Turnout in Student Elections
Message-ID: <1973@jhunix.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 22-Feb-86 09:45:48 EST
Article-I.D.: jhunix.1973
Posted: Sat Feb 22 09:45:48 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 24-Feb-86 20:54:17 EST
References: <2533@reed.UUCP>
Reply-To: ins_apmj@jhunix.ARPA (Patrick M Juola)
Organization: Johns Hopkins Univ. Computing Ctr.
Lines: 21

In article <2533@reed.UUCP> lydgate@reed.UUCP (Chris Lydgate) writes:
>The CIA at U of M raises an interesting question: what kind of
>turnout do places get at student elections, referendums, et al.?
>The last election at Reed drew about 60%, but other netters have
>suggested that 10% is a more typical figure.  Any comments?
>
>	chris
>-- 

Hopkins usually draws something on the close order of 20% to student govt.
elections.  This week, there was a referendum on South African divestment that
drew an incredible 30%, but we can't expect that every time.  I submit two
reasons that Reed has such a high turnout.  A) Reed is a small school, so a few
really gung-ho campaigners can turn out EVERYBODY.  (Reed <= Hopkins <=  UM;
Reed's turnout >= Hopkins' >=? UM's)  B)  Reed draws an unusual student body --
all the people I've known who go there are flaming liberal poetry majors who
tend to vote more than the pre-meds at Hopkins.  (I know I'm overgeneralizing,
but if you'd seen Hopkins apathy, you wouldn't bother to flame me.... :-)
						Pat Juola
						Hopkins Maths &
						Elections Commisioner, 84-