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CollegeVote.com is generating interest at colleges and universities everywhere.
We are beginning to get phone calls from student publications who are
interested in writing articles about our web site Here, we will post copies
of any and all published articles related to CollegeVote.com
Generation Magazine [ University at Buffalo ]
This article was found at: http://www.subboard.com/generation/thisisrealindex.shtml
January 21st, Issue 20.12 "Old School vs. High Tech"
Last year’s Student Association (SA) election had a voter turnout of about
2,000 students out of approximately 16,000 eligible voters. This was described
by SA President Chris Oliver as "the highest voter turnout in six or seven
years."
A situation in which student leaders are elected with about 12.5% of eligible
voters showing up to the polls can be politely described as unfortunate,
more bluntly as potentially dangerous. When leaders are elected with little
public support behind them, they’re only accountable to the minority who
voted. Low accountability and representation that doesn’t correspond with
the true will of the people ultimately results in dissatisfaction with
the leadership in charge and frustration, prompting voters to stay home
during the next election.
STUDENTS ACT ON VOTING CONCERNS
secure online elections Bernhard, a senior communication major, said a
discussion among friends about SA’s voting problems at UB led to the creation
of College Vote, (www.CollegeVote.com), a new company designed to improve
student elections at UB and around the country. "We thought back to the
problems we’ve seen here over the years," he said, "namely disgustingly
low voter turnout."
This idea became a reality as Bernhard and company realized the difficulties
involved with a student government running its own elections. "Basically,
CollegeVote.com is a third party that will run any college’s election
for them," he said. The benefits of having a third party evaluate an election
are numerous, including the obvious lack of bias. Additionally, having
a third party like the students behind CollegeVote.com run an election
takes that stress away from student government leaders so they can concentrate
on matters more important to the students.
The whole election process at CollegeVote.com was designed specifically
for students. "We know what it’s like to be a college student," Bernhard
said. Also, CollegeVote.com boasts that they’re the only online voting
system serving that audience. "We haven’t found another in all the looking
we’ve done," he adds proudly.
The company’s slogan is, "Improving student elections, one campus at a
time." The web site provides a free online forum for student government
leaders all over the country. The students working at CollegeVote.com
have started taking surveys to determine the problems with student elections.
The results of the surveys and hot topics on the forum will be discussed
in a newsletter free to anyone who signs up. Part of the survey is to
determine what kind of pricing scheme is reasonable for CollegeVote’s
biggest priority--actually running student elections.
The most concerning part of the current situation with student elections
is the dramatically low voter turnout. Increasing numbers at the polls
is the number one goal of CollegeVote.com, and according to them, the
key to doing so is to put the entire election online
The reasons to move the election online are numerous. Often students don’t
vote because they either don’t know that the election is going on, or
they don’t know enough about the candidates to decide. CollegeVote plans
on e-mailing all students at the university to let them know when the
election will be going on and how they can participate. "I don’t know
any college students who don’t go online and check their e-mail periodically,"
Bernhard stated. Also, CollegeVote plans on posting candidate statements
on the web as well, providing voters information on those running so they
can make an educated decision. Another plus to online elections is that
students can vote from anywhere, making it easier for any student to participate.
SECURITY CONCERNS ARE A DRAWBACK
The threat of security breaches is a serious concern with online elections.
The students at CollegeVote want to show that their system is tight, and
to prove it, they’re holding a Hacker Challenge for a mock election starting
on Wednesday, January 22. The Hacker Challenge not only helps provide
publicity for this fledgling organization but also gives them an opportunity
to see if they’ve succeeded in creating a completely secure online voting
system. To win, a student must do one of three things: try to see results
that no one has access to, change the results of the election, or see
how a certain individual voted. The first student to do so wins a $100
prize, but participants must be able to show how they did it. For more
information, go to www.collgevote.com.
If the Hacker Challenge ends without a winner on January 29, the group
will have accomplished an incredible feat. An article published by Computer
Professionals for Social Responsibility in the winter of 2001 quoted Bruce
Schneier as saying, "A secure Internet voting system is theoretically
possible, but it would the first entirely secure networked application
ever created in the history of computers." The article describes the problem
by contrasting it with Internet banking. "The imperfect security of banking
systems is acceptable because we can catch their mistakes. The same level
of security is intolerable in voting systems because the results can’t
be checked." With UB’s status as one of the top ten most wired campuses
in the country, however, if this completely secure system can be created,
this is the place.
The Division of Student Affairs recently conducted a survey of undergraduates,
graduate students, and faculty to test the interest in building a new
recreation center. A link to the web-based survey was distributed via
e-mail to every person eligible to vote and garnered approximately 6,000
replies, according to a representative from Student Affairs. However,
the security of their system was not questioned given the subject of the
survey.
WILL CollegeVote.com COME TO UB?
Recognizing growing dissatisfaction with current voting procedure, the
Student Association has planned several initiatives to increase voter
turnout and improve the quality of their elections. Concerned about the
threat of voter fraud and other security issues, SA President Chris Oliver
said, "To us, online voting is just not worth the risk at this time, but
we have considered and will continue to consider online voting as an option
in the future." When told about CollegeVote.com, however, Oliver said,
"I’m elated to hear that there’s such an interest. It’s a great idea,
and I’m interested to see how it goes. I’ll put some of SA’s web guys
on the Hacker Challenge."
Instead of branching off into online ventures, SA’s current ideas to improve
voting are more grassroots. "First of all, we’re going to have more aggressive
advertising for student elections. We’re not going to just leave it in
the hands of those running because we simply have more reach than the
candidates do," Oliver stated.
Also, an increase in polling places is planned. Possible polling places
include in the Natural Sciences Complex, Capen Hall, and on South Campus.
Chris Oliver said, "Many students don’t go to the Student Union or only
walk through when they’re busy." A challenge with increased polling places
is that those polling places need to be outfitted with electronic jacks
for the computers used in conjunction with the voting booths.
To keep elections fair, voting places will be confined to the campus and
kept out of the residence halls to prevent candidates who live on campus
from having an unfair advantage and make it more fair for those who commute
to school to get to the polls. "It’s a lot easier for you to get your
entire floor to vote for you when the polling place is just downstairs,"
Oliver added. A problem with just holding elections in the Student Union
is that the first floor becomes a "hostile environment with people campaigning
so closely to the polling place," adding his concern that some people
simply avoid walking through the Union during election time. Also, increased
polling places will force "more politically-savvy politicians" since they
can’t simply stand in the Union to sway voters.
While there are many options out on the table to improve student elections,
there’s only one way elections at UB will really improve. Read up on the
candidates, vote in SA elections this April, and drag a buddy with you
on your way to the polls.
by Katharine Zambon
posted by erikf on Tuesday, January 21, 2003
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