By Joseph Pawlowski
With the facilitation of a new online voting system for Student Government Association elections, the booths that were once a staple during the election season may be put into retirement.
The elections will take place April 26 and 27, but rather than following a traditional method of voting, students will be able to vote at their convenience by accessing the online ballot through the Blackboard site. Olin Grant Parker, vice president of the SGA and chairman of the election committee, said he hopes this will promote voter turnout among students.
Kathleen Hunker, SGA appropriations chairwoman, said approximately 1,000 students voted in last year’s election and 900 voted in the run-off. Since students will have a 48-hour window to access the ballot from any location, she said she expects nearly 2,000 students will vote this year.
“SGA is just trying to do everything it can to increase voter turnout,” Lydia Pleiman, who is running for a Senate position, said. “I hope [the online system] especially encourages commuters to participate in the elections, because I know driving to cast a vote can discourage voting altogether.”
Andrea Blumenthal, a commuter, said the old voting method was not convenient.
“I’ve never voted for SGA candidates in the past, especially since I commute,” Blumenthal, a sophomore math major, said. “This year I think I’ll vote.”
Students will be able to access the online ballot via their Hofstra Portal accounts.
“That makes voting so much easier,” Lauren Keough, a freshman math major, said. “I can just vote while I’m surfing the web or doing my homework.”
Since the Web site is password protected, voters who do not attend the University will be unable to access the system. In addition to the security and convenience of the online system, it will also keep voters aware of each candidate’s platform.
Each candidate will post a picture of themselves, along with a brief personal statement, so students can make informed decisions rather than voting blindly.
Despite the benefits that the system will bring to the election, some are concerned it will fail to act according to plan.
“Of course I have concerns,” Hunker said. “There’s always the chance of computer glitches, sharing of passwords [and] irregularities in the system. This system has never been tested, so naturally I am hesitant toward trusting the technology being used.”
To further promote student participation, SGA is prepared to transform the Student Center during the two-day election into a polling room, equipped with computers that will act as electronic voting booths, Parker said.
“I think with any form of conducting elections glitches can happen,” Pleiman said. “If I am correct in my thinking, we are still going to offer traditional voting.”
Joseph Napoli, SGA ethics and conduct chairman and presidential candidate, said booths will be available on campus for those wary of the new system.
Parker, however, is confident that the online system poses more benefits than risks.
“We have a very secure process,” he said. “In fact, most colleges have been using this system for a while.”