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From: rosen@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU (Rob Rosen)
Newsgroups: net.college
Subject: Re: Turnout in Student Elections
Message-ID: <12005@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: Mon, 24-Feb-86 04:48:02 EST
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.12005
Posted: Mon Feb 24 04:48:02 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 26-Feb-86 06:35:56 EST
References: <2533@reed.UUCP>
Reply-To: rosen@ucbvax.berkeley.edu.UUCP (Rob Rosen)
Organization: University of California at Berkeley
Lines: 59
Keywords: low

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
>-- 
>				chris lydgate
>				hub of the galactic web
>				!tektronix!reed!lydgate
>
>	"No relation."

   I believe that the turnout here at ucb runs anywhere from 11% to 17% or
so, contingent upon the general political climate at the time and the weather
(no, I'm not kidding...many more people vote when the sun is shining).  Last
Spring we had an unusually large turnout due to the South Africa divestment
sit-in; many of the "liberals" "rallied around a cause" and ended up sweeping
the student government, which many felt was gradually leaning more toward
a middle-of-the-road alignment, contrary to traditional Berkeley politics.
   Most students I know, even the more politically aware ones, are fed up with
student government and refuse to vote; lately students running for office
have taken to bombarding passing voters-to-be with election posters and
cute little advertising campaigns.  Constant harrassment of potential voters
has led to a general refusal on the part of students to vote; in addition,
many students feel that the candidates are merely out to "enrich their resumes."
   Having been a Senator myself, I am inclined to agree, although my experience
has been that the somewhat "liberal" student government is overconcerned
with external, non-campus issues.  For instance, a bill requesting funding
for a graduate Physics student group was not passed because many of the 
"liberals" were apparently afraid that the funds would be used to sponsor
pro-SDI speakers; meanwhile, a bill requesting twice the amount requested
by the Physics group for some plants and gardening/caretaking in People's
Park was passed nearly unanimously (over my objections).  To be fair, I should
add that the physics group later had their funding approved after an angry
grad student presented his objections and explained what the funds were to
be used for.  In addition, the bill requesting the plants for People's Park
was found to be unconstitutional and so the Executive Vice President merely
took the funds from her own office's allocation and proceeded to plant them.
  In summary, I am unhappy with what I perceive to be a great political
apathy on the part of students here, but on the other hand, having experienced
student government on a first-hand basis, I can't blame them one bit.
The ASUC Senate has generally proven itself to be fiscally irresponsible
and inordinately pro-leftist, which in fact is not representative of the
general student body's political leanings.
    HOWEVER, the reason the government is inordinately leftist is because
it is the leftists who vote.  It is they who apparently care more about
student government.  Therefore, they have every right to represent their
own constituency, and I remind students who complain about the "sorry state" 
of student government to instigate change through voting.

     DISCLAIMER: I align myself with no particular political party 
			 or orientation.
-- 
		       --Rob Rosen

		       ...ucbvax!rosen
		       rosen@ucbvax.berkeley.edu